Alternative Rock · GenresWhat is alternative rock?
Alternative rock (also called alt-rock) is a genre of rock music that refers specifically to the punk/new wave-rooted style that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the early-mid 1990s. The term "alternative" was coined in the 1980s to describe punk rock-inspired bands on independent record labels that did not fit into the mainstream genres of the time.
Artists to start with
Albums to hear first
The Bends
One-X
Stadium Arcadium
Vices & Virtues
X&Y
Morning View
Superunknown (Deluxe Edition)
The 2nd LawAlternative Rock songs
- Let Down by Radiohead
- Creep by Radiohead
- 1979 - Remastered 2012 by The Smashing Pumpkins
- Supermassive Black Hole by Muse
- Everlong by Foo Fighters
- Jigsaw Falling Into Place by Radiohead
- No Surprises by Radiohead
- Iris by Goo Goo Dolls
- All I Need by Radiohead
- I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace
Alternative Rock on Risocast
Hot FussThe Killers · 2004
OK ComputerRadiohead · 1997
A Rush of Blood to the HeadColdplay · 2002
Pablo HoneyRadiohead · 1993
In RainbowsRadiohead · 2007
The BendsRadiohead · 1995
Minutes to MidnightLinkin Park · 2007
Kid ARadiohead · 2000
Let Down - RemasteredRadiohead · 2017
Come As You AreNirvana
Neighbouring genres
In the rock & punk family. All genres
rockcrust punkart rockart punkdeathrockindietronicaexperimental rockanarcho-punkglam rockgrungehard rockheartland rockQuestions
- What is alternative rock?
- Alternative rock (also called alt-rock) is a genre of rock music that refers specifically to the punk/new wave-rooted style that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the early-mid 1990s. The term "alternative" was coined in the 1980s to describe punk rock-inspired bands on independent record labels that did not fit into the mainstream genres of the time.
- Who are the best-known alternative rock artists?
- By Last.fm listening: The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Muse, Three Days Grace, bôa and Foo Fighters.
- What genres are similar to alternative rock?
- On Risocast it sits with rock, crust punk, art rock, art punk, deathrock and indietronica.
Risocast is free. Install it once and it logs everything you play.
Updated 6 October 2026
Risocast HelpA music log that fills itself in. It records the songs you play on your computer and your phone, turns them into your top songs, stats and a public profile, and finds people whose taste overlaps with yours.
Yes. The app and the website are free.
A song counts once half of it has played, or four minutes — whichever comes first. Songs of 30 seconds or less, and videos or podcasts over 20 minutes, never count.
On Windows, anything that shows up in Windows' media controls: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000, Windows Media Player and more (VLC, iTunes and MusicBee through their free media-controls plugin). On Android, any music app — it reads the same now-playing info your lock screen shows. You can also connect Spotify or import from Last.fm.
Yes. Plays are counted on your device and sent when you're back online, and the phone app opens without a connection.
It does the same core job — scrobbling, automatically — without plugins per player, and adds taste matching: see who listens like you and how much your taste overlaps.
Your profile and listening are public so people with similar taste can find you, unless you make your profile private (then only your buddies see it); your email never is. Nothing is sold and there are no ads; anonymous usage analytics (Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics) show what to improve. See the privacy policy for the details.
More in Help, the guides and the privacy policy.
Welcome to Risocast
RisocastYour music, logged. Your people, found.
A small player that sits in your tray, writes down every song you play, and shows you who listens like you.
243 songs logged today
Android is coming to Google Play. Get notified
How logging works
On Windows, Risocast reads the system media controls, so any player counts: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000. No plugins.
On Android the app reads what any music app is playing (it's coming to Google Play). Anywhere else, connect Spotify or a Last.fm username.
Taste twins
See how much your taste overlaps with anyone's, and find the people who listen most like you. The match comes from what you both actually play, not a list of favourites.
Open PeopleWeekly Disc and Taste Map
Every week becomes a disc of your top songs. Every record you play goes on a map, grouped by genre.
Real ones, from the maker's own listening.
Download Risocast
Risocast is free for Windows 10 and 11. Android is coming to Google Play; on any other device, use the web app with Spotify or Last.fm.
- Version 4.0.9 · Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) · about 100 MB
- Updates itself: new versions download in the background and install on restart.
- Every installer is published with its SHA-256 checksum on the releases page.
FeaturesGuides
Track music on WindowsLog YouTube MusicApple Music statsFind people like youPlayers that workLog VLCLog foobar2000Log MusicBeeiTunes on WindowsLog DeezerLog TidalLog SoundCloudAmazon MusicWindows Media PlayerSpotify historyTop songs of all timeWhat genre is it?Describe your tasteExport your dataComing from Last.fmCompare