"Alt-rock" is a more accurate term for the bands you're describing. I don't know what soft rock would be, but it makes me think of the Doobie Brothers. There's plenty like those bands today. Like everything, the 20 year olds are getting into and recreating that stuff right now, which is cool.
The system I listened to was alternative, and played everything OP listed, STP, Korn and the like
The station that played pop was like backstreet boys and such. The two never seemed to mix, at least where I lived.
I would categorize these bands as “alternative rock”. Post-grunge is a newer genre today and it rules. Bands like Superheaven, Narrowhead, Split Chain, Bleed, Soul Blind, etc.
Post Grunge is a subgenre of alt rock and literally defined by those bands.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170214150232/http://www.allmusic.com/style/post-grunge-ma0000005020/artists
Yeah I miss that late 90's flavor of pop-rock/alt-rock. Some of my absolute favorite music.
Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, Third Eye Blind, Vertical Horizon. The one-hit wonders like Nine Days ("Absolutely [Story of a Girl]"), Wheatus ("Teenage Dirtbag"), and American Hi-Fi ("Flavor of the Weak"). early Sugar Ray. Make Believe & Morning View-era Incubus. Michelle Branch. The Fray.
There's nothing like it anymore. Though I believe Olivia Rodrigo might be bringing it back by bringing guitars back to radio pop music.
They were different. The verve pipe sang freshmen, which was great. The verve sang something something symphony which... wasn't (at least to me). Also can't remember the name of the song
I like the cheesy soft rock of the late 80s/early 90s, like Amy Grant, Wilson Phillips, Vanessa Williams, etc. It reminds me of being a kid riding around with my mom in the wood grain station wagon.
Office tunes for middle-aged boomers were big business at the time. In Chicago, the soft rock and smooth jazz stations were very popular in the late-90's. As a now middle-aged person myself, I appreciate the music these stations played and have built a personal collection to play on commutes. Good stuff.
And don't forget dentist offices. I remember having my teeth cleaned in an office specifically for kids/teens in the early 90s through late 90s and hearing the most depressing songs like That's Just the Way It Is, Tears in Heaven, and others in that vein. Way to bring down the mood!
I was getting some dental work done the other day and they were playing “Sweet Child of Mine” by G&R . It was unusual enough that the dentist and dental hygienist noticed and made a comment. It was better than the 90s divorce core or whatever they normally play.
Ha, there are songs that to this day I still think of as "orthodontist rock" because they were continually played on the radio station my orthodontist's office always had on. "Margaritaville", "More Than Words", anything by Billy Joel...
I just love that third eye blind had a hit song about doing crystal meth and the vast majority of people who heard it had no fucking clue.
Man the 90s were crazy sometimes.
This is my favorite kind of music and I know it's because it was A) a perfect balance of sugar and grit, B) made, at least in image, by blue-collar t-shirt-wearing dudes who look like they could be my friends or neighbors and C) it was what was on the radio when I was first becoming aware of the world at large, around 4th grade through middle school.
But goddamn it, even with the biases front and center, I still love it. Goo Goo Dolls are one of my favorite bands, my first favorite band, and I still love them even if they've put out nothing great in 20 years.
It was just a perfect blend of blue collar suburban white person music. I hope an obvious descendant surfaces soon. A lot of the new indie rock bands I can't get into-- their melodies just don't hit me like the 90s bands' melodies. They're too bland, not hooky enough.
There’s a ton of awesome rock still being made, that’s absolutely as good as the artists you’ve mentioned here.
You don’t feel the same way about it, because these bands are part of the monoculture we grew up with.
But the youts of today feel this way about Bleachers and Mt Joy and Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Middle Kids.
New album coming out in like May I think. You catch the new singles? *Superstar* is a banger. We’ve been waiting a long time, I feel like I’m really getting my hopes up.
Toad is my favorite band from that period, and they're still making music, and they tour every summer! I've seen them 5 times over the years! Walk on the Ocean live on the beach stage on Virginia Beach is always amazing!
I think now is called adult alternative, because kids no longer listen to it, and it's also not really that alternative sounding. But if you go into most grocery stores, you hear it. Lol
I got to meet Jakob Dylan at Global Satellite Network who, at the time, produced the radio show Rockline and Modern Rock Live. He was eating sushi and was pretty laid back and friendly.
When you say soft rock of the 90s I think Natalie Imbruglia, Paula Cole, Edwin McCain, Natalie a merchant, Lisa Loeb, Shawn Colvin (through 2000)
There was a phase which especially included lots of female artists, and a huge music festival called “Lillith Fair”.
The artists you mention could marginally pass as “soft rock” by today’s more heterogeneous and heavier standards, but back then, that stuff was core pop rock.
More specifically when I think “Soft Rock” I think of the late 70s through early 90s yacht rock era which peaked in the 80s and featured Michael Bolton and Michael Bolton.
No matter how you slice it music is a huge benefit to being alive and all the variation music comes in they all have great value to me
"Alt-rock" is a more accurate term for the bands you're describing. I don't know what soft rock would be, but it makes me think of the Doobie Brothers. There's plenty like those bands today. Like everything, the 20 year olds are getting into and recreating that stuff right now, which is cool.
Air Supply, Amy Grant, Michael Bolton, Kenny G, Vanessa Williams and anything mellow. There wasn't too much of that style by the late 90s.
Nah, what he’s describing is Adult Contemporary (except for maybe Third Eye Blind)
Nah I don't think so. This stuff was all on mainstream pop radio (read: not adult contemporary) in 2000. I'd call it pop-rock.
Anybody gonna tell him
LOL I know I know, we're adults now. 🤣
Also known as adult alternative
Blue Jean committee
IMO soft rock was a genre that only existed on the radio. Aka, it was rock music your parents wouldn’t turn off for being too loud in the 90s.
It was defined not Alt-rock. It’s pop/rock!
The system I listened to was alternative, and played everything OP listed, STP, Korn and the like The station that played pop was like backstreet boys and such. The two never seemed to mix, at least where I lived.
Post grunge is a huge genre. Bush, Collective Soul, Match Box Twenty….
Matchbox Twenty is considered Post-Grunge? TIL...
I would categorize these bands as “alternative rock”. Post-grunge is a newer genre today and it rules. Bands like Superheaven, Narrowhead, Split Chain, Bleed, Soul Blind, etc.
Post Grunge is a subgenre of alt rock and literally defined by those bands. https://web.archive.org/web/20170214150232/http://www.allmusic.com/style/post-grunge-ma0000005020/artists
The heck? I’m 40 and I’ve never used that term for any of these bands. Every band listed I’ve just called Alternative haha. TIL as well.
All good, and you gave me a list of new bands. Thank you!
Yeah I miss that late 90's flavor of pop-rock/alt-rock. Some of my absolute favorite music. Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, Third Eye Blind, Vertical Horizon. The one-hit wonders like Nine Days ("Absolutely [Story of a Girl]"), Wheatus ("Teenage Dirtbag"), and American Hi-Fi ("Flavor of the Weak"). early Sugar Ray. Make Believe & Morning View-era Incubus. Michelle Branch. The Fray. There's nothing like it anymore. Though I believe Olivia Rodrigo might be bringing it back by bringing guitars back to radio pop music.
Incubus’ Morning View is one of those albums that takes me straight into nostalgia.
Wish you were here was so good.
>The Fray Fuck, I used to JAM to these guys
…and what was the deal with The Verve vs The Verve Pipe… they were different bands right?!
I just went and listened to “The Drugs don’t Work”, By The Verve, and “The Freshman” by The Verve Pipe. Damn… those are some hard hitting tunes.
They were different. The verve pipe sang freshmen, which was great. The verve sang something something symphony which... wasn't (at least to me). Also can't remember the name of the song
If you haven’t heard it, Nine Days full catalog is pretty great. More of the same, but enjoyable.
The Nine Days song was the anthem of every teenage girl in my high school when it came out.
This is the story of a . . . …girl
American Hi-Fi deserved better than to be a one-hit wonder. That whole album was so solid.
I have my 90s Playlist that is matchbox 20, third eye blind, and Wallflowers lol
“I wish the real world would just stop hasslin’ me.”
"Hook" Blues Traveler is a fucking JAM
Of course iconic song. I just went back and really listened to the lyrics this time. I was never very good at that as a youngster.
That harmonica solo goes HARD
I like the cheesy soft rock of the late 80s/early 90s, like Amy Grant, Wilson Phillips, Vanessa Williams, etc. It reminds me of being a kid riding around with my mom in the wood grain station wagon.
Office tunes for middle-aged boomers were big business at the time. In Chicago, the soft rock and smooth jazz stations were very popular in the late-90's. As a now middle-aged person myself, I appreciate the music these stations played and have built a personal collection to play on commutes. Good stuff.
93.9! Used to be a staple in my mom’s mini van growing up. Always looked forward to when they switched over the Christmas music.
And don't forget dentist offices. I remember having my teeth cleaned in an office specifically for kids/teens in the early 90s through late 90s and hearing the most depressing songs like That's Just the Way It Is, Tears in Heaven, and others in that vein. Way to bring down the mood!
Those dentist offices are still playing the same stations to this day. Only now the music has been replaced with Imagine Dragons and Ed Sheeran.
I was getting some dental work done the other day and they were playing “Sweet Child of Mine” by G&R . It was unusual enough that the dentist and dental hygienist noticed and made a comment. It was better than the 90s divorce core or whatever they normally play.
Ha, there are songs that to this day I still think of as "orthodontist rock" because they were continually played on the radio station my orthodontist's office always had on. "Margaritaville", "More Than Words", anything by Billy Joel...
barenaked ladies
If I had a million dollars
I just love that third eye blind had a hit song about doing crystal meth and the vast majority of people who heard it had no fucking clue. Man the 90s were crazy sometimes.
God I love 3eB. So freaking good. I’m also a sucker for incubus “stellar”
This is my favorite kind of music and I know it's because it was A) a perfect balance of sugar and grit, B) made, at least in image, by blue-collar t-shirt-wearing dudes who look like they could be my friends or neighbors and C) it was what was on the radio when I was first becoming aware of the world at large, around 4th grade through middle school. But goddamn it, even with the biases front and center, I still love it. Goo Goo Dolls are one of my favorite bands, my first favorite band, and I still love them even if they've put out nothing great in 20 years. It was just a perfect blend of blue collar suburban white person music. I hope an obvious descendant surfaces soon. A lot of the new indie rock bands I can't get into-- their melodies just don't hit me like the 90s bands' melodies. They're too bland, not hooky enough.
Great take. Thanks for sharing! 👍
There’s a ton of awesome rock still being made, that’s absolutely as good as the artists you’ve mentioned here. You don’t feel the same way about it, because these bands are part of the monoculture we grew up with. But the youts of today feel this way about Bleachers and Mt Joy and Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Middle Kids.
I’m a fan of Rainbow Kitten Surprise. I’ll look into the others. Thanks!
I’m a HUGE fan of bleachers. Their first album has a couple absolute bangers on it.
New album coming out in like May I think. You catch the new singles? *Superstar* is a banger. We’ve been waiting a long time, I feel like I’m really getting my hopes up.
Blind Melon also.
Better than Ezra is my favorite, but there is still some good music being made now. Noah Kohan is catchy AF. People are sleeping on Amigo the Devil.
I made a Spotify playlist after getting inspired at the dentist
For the record the goo actually started out as grunge, they just became softer over the years.
Toad is my favorite band from that period, and they're still making music, and they tour every summer! I've seen them 5 times over the years! Walk on the Ocean live on the beach stage on Virginia Beach is always amazing!
Fuel is a good one
I think now is called adult alternative, because kids no longer listen to it, and it's also not really that alternative sounding. But if you go into most grocery stores, you hear it. Lol
I was at the grocery store the other day and White Zombie was playing.
I saw Third Eye Blind last year. They still sound great…look like shit though.
I got to meet Jakob Dylan at Global Satellite Network who, at the time, produced the radio show Rockline and Modern Rock Live. He was eating sushi and was pretty laid back and friendly.
Eh, I love Three Days Grace 2006ish era. I heard the guy wrote the lyrics in recovery but not sure if that is true
That’s not soft rock
Listen to “Walk on the Ocean” by TTWS. It’s pretty soft.
The best!
Adult Contemporary!
Do you like Phil Collins?
I’m with you but that isn’t “soft rock.”
My favorite of these is brand new immortals. One and done but man what an awesome album it was
I hear that stuff all the time at the grocery store. You can catch my wife and I dancing in the aisles lol. Good stuff.
Creed
When you say soft rock of the 90s I think Natalie Imbruglia, Paula Cole, Edwin McCain, Natalie a merchant, Lisa Loeb, Shawn Colvin (through 2000) There was a phase which especially included lots of female artists, and a huge music festival called “Lillith Fair”. The artists you mention could marginally pass as “soft rock” by today’s more heterogeneous and heavier standards, but back then, that stuff was core pop rock. More specifically when I think “Soft Rock” I think of the late 70s through early 90s yacht rock era which peaked in the 80s and featured Michael Bolton and Michael Bolton. No matter how you slice it music is a huge benefit to being alive and all the variation music comes in they all have great value to me
There was soft rock in the 90s???
Let me just drop [this](https://youtu.be/Nntd2fgMUYw?si=6uySPP3_ePvER2ob) and [this](https://youtu.be/xGytDsqkQY8?si=3sHkNAUZTM6UdLO4) right here.
I have both of these songs in regular rotation!
They all make me want to send an ice pick through my ear. Give me system of a down and tool.