10 Best Alternative Rock Bands Of All Time

1. Pixies

Quintessential Lyric: (From 'Cactus')

"I miss your kissin' and I miss your head / And a letter in your writing doesn't mean you're not dead / Run outside in the desert heat / Make your dress all wet and send it to me"

Anthem: Monkey Gone To Heaven

A lyrical concoction that blends the Pixies themes of major world issues (i.e. environmentalism), personal struggles, and biblical imagery. 'Monkey' shows the band at the purest incarnation of their brilliance. The addition of guest cellists and violinists only adds to the anthemic force of the track.

Defining Album: Doolittle (1989)

The Pixies are alternative rock musician's favourite alt. rock band, who are yet to put out a dud album. This makes it a task to whittle down their back catalogue to a single album. However, their second studio offering holds the distinction of propelling the Pixies to superstardom. Showcasing tracks such as Debaser, Here Comes Your Man, and the aforementioned anthem, along with drawing upon an abundance of musical styles and influences, it is easy to see why 'Doolittle' hasn't left best album lists since the early '90s. It is an album which generation after generation of rock fans have, and will continue to, flock to.

Contributor

An English Lit. MA Grad trying to validate my student debt by writing literary fiction and alternative non-fiction.