College Rock: Top 30 Acts

College Rock: Top 30 Acts

College rock emerged in the 1980s as sort of the birth of alternative rock before that term was widely used. It got its name because of the prevalence of radio stations at college universities that would play left-of-mainstream material. Some of the genres most prominent artists (R.E.M., U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers) went on to become some of the biggest mainstream acts of the 1980s and ‘90s while others maintained more of a niche audience (The Replacements, Pixies, Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth) but have become critically acclaimed bands because of their place in rock and roll history. 11 lists focused on college rock acts were aggegrated to create this list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. R.E.M. 1. R.E.M. 2. The Smiths 3. The Cure 4. The Replacements 5. U2 6. Pixies 7. Hüsker Dü 8. Red Hot Chili Peppers 9. XTC 10. The Smithereens 11. Sonic Youth 12. 10,000 Maniacs 13. Love & Rockets 14. Camper Van Beethoven 15. Talking Heads 16. The B-52’s 17. Echo & the Bunnymen 18. Midnight Oil 19. Dinosaur Jr. 20. Elvis Costello 21. The Police 22. Tears for Fears 23. INXS 24. Joy Division 25. Pretenders 26. Violent Femmes 27. Siouxsie & the Banshees 28. Psychedelic Furs 29. The Jesus & Mary Chain 30. Big Star Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre Dave’s Music Database: Top 250 New Wave/College Rock Songs First posted 6/29/2026.

Alternative Rock: Top 100 Acts

Alternative Rock: Top 100 Acts

Alternative rock is one of the most difficult genres to define. It emerged most prominently in the 1990s in the wake of the grunge movement and the subsequent embracing of more rock-oriented acts. The alternative rock genre can be traced to the beginnings of experimental rock in the 1960s with the Velvet Underground and the 1970s with David Bowie. By the end of the decade, punk (Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash) created an audience for more left-of-center music. While it was more guitar-driven, the synthesizer-driven new wave (Elvis Costello, The Police, The Cars, Duran Duran) movement also gained attention. By the early ‘80s, college radio (R.E.M., U2, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Simple Minds) launched multiple acts into the mainstream while also embracing an array of British artists who gained little attention otherwise in the U.S. (The Smiths, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jesus & Mary Chain). In the ‘90s, the explosion of grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains) gave voice to more guitar-oriented rock that was, at the very least, grunge-adjacent (Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, the Offspring) and fairly mainstream rock (Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, Foo Fighters). The UK responded with Britpop (Oasis, Blur, Manic Street Preachers) and more experimental rock (Radiohead). The 21st century saw emo rock (Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance), garage rock revival (The White Stripes, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys), and more folk-rock/Americana-driven acts (Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers) become successful. In addition, a wave of left-of-mainstream acts (Death Cab for Cutie, Vampire Weekend, Cage the Elephant) arose as well. This list was created by aggregating nearly 50 lists focused on alternative rock. Those acts featured on 4 or more lists were then re-ordered by overall status in Dave’s Music Database. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. 1. David Bowie 2. U2 3. R.E.M. 4. Nirvana 5. Pearl Jam 6. Elvis Costello 7. Radiohead 8. The Clash 9. The Police 10. Lou Reed 11. Red Hot Chili Peppers 12. Velvet Underground 13. The Smiths 14. The Cure 15. Green Day 16. Oasis 17. Talking Heads 18. Coldplay 19. Tears for Fears 20. Blondie 21. Ramones 22. Depeche Mode 23. Foo Fighters 24. INXS 25. Sex Pistols 26. Alanis Morissette 27. Beastie Boys 28. Smashing Pumpkins 29. Simple Minds 30. Beck 31. The White Stripes 32. New Order 33. Duran Duran 34. Pixies 35. Alice in Chains 36. Joy Division 37. Morrissey 38. Patti Smith 39. Blur 40. The Cars 41. Pretenders 42. Dave Matthews Band 43. Stone Temple Pilots 44. Soundgarden 45. The Replacements 46. Manic Street Preachers 47. Nine Inch Nails 48. Kate Bush 49. Arctic Monkeys 50. Roxy Music 51. Sonic Youth 52. The B-52’s 53. Imagine Dragons 54. Sinéad O’Connor 55. Tool 56. The Stooges 57. Arcade Fire 58. Nick Cave 59. PJ Harvey 60. The Stone Roses 61. XTC 62. Muse 63. Weezer 64. Live 65. Siouxsie & the Banshees 66. Violent Femmes 67. Nickelback 68. The Strokes 69. Hüsker Dü 70. Kings of Leon 71. Linkin Park 72. Mumford & Sons 73. Rage Against the Machine 74. Björk 75. Echo & the Bunnymen 76. Wilco 77. Bush 78. The Black Keys 79. Blink-182 80. The Jam 81. Devo 82. Television 83. The Offspring 84. Faith No More 85. The Killers 86. The Lumineers 87. Goo Goo Dolls 88. Counting Crows 89. Gorillaz 90. Jane’s Addiction 91. Korn 92. Franz Ferdinand 93. Fall Out Boy 94. Twenty One Pilots 95. The Cranberries 96. Queens of the Stone Age 97. Hole 98. Psychedelic Furs 99. Vampire Weekend 100. Garbage Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Alternative Rock Albums Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Alternative Rock Songs First posted 9/8/2017; last updated 6/23/2026.

 

The Top 250 New Wave/College Rock Songs

New Wave/College Rock: Top 250 Songs

This is really two lists in one. I attempted making one list devoted to new wave and another to college rock, but they overlapped enough that it made more sense to combine them. New wave was a synth-driven musical genre in the 1980s helmed by bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, and the Cure. College radio stations helped give an audience to that music as well as more guitar-focused bands like U2 and R.E.M. While often gathered under the banner of “alternative rock,” a significant number of bands which started on the fringe had, by decade’s end become the mainstream. More than 50 lists focused on one genre or the other (or both) were aggregated to create this list. I opted to stretch the list to 250 songs to encompass all the songs that would rank in the top 100 in one list or the other. Peaks on the two lists, if they were separated out, are indicated with CR (college rock) and NW (new wave). Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. Spotify Podcast: Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast episode The Best of New Wave which references songs on this list. Premiered: September 28, 2022. You can also listen to the entire list on Spotify here. 1. New Order “Blue Monday” (1983) NW #4, CR #16 2. Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (1980) CR #1, NW #48 3. Soft Cell “Tainted Love” (1981) NW #1, CR #92 4. The Cure “Just Like Heaven” (1987) CR #13, NW #25 5. Modern English “I Melt with You” (1982) NW #7, CR #71 6. The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?” (1981) NW #2 7. Violent Femmes “Blister in the Sun” (1983) CR #2 8. Echo & the Bunnymen “The Killing Moon” (1984) CR #5 9. Devo “Whip It” (1980) NW #12, CR #84 10. Depeche Mode “Just Can’t Get Enough” (1981) NW #15, CR #68 11. Gary Numan “Cars” (1979) NW #3 12. Depeche Mode “People Are People” (1984) NW #10 13. The Church “Under the Milky Way” (1988) CR #3 14. The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?” (1984) CR #9, NW #96 15. Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime” (1981) CR #26, NW #45 16. Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen” (1982) NW #13 17. Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget about Me” (1985) NW #11 18. Dead or Alive “You Spin Me Round Like a Record” (1985) NW #5 19. R.E.M. “Radio Free Europe” (1981) CR #4 20. The Cure “In Between Days (Without You)” (1985) CR #34, NW #50 21. Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1982) NW #6 22. Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star” (1979) NW #8 23. A Flock of Seagulls “I Ran” (1982) NW #9 24. New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle” (1986) NW #31, CR #74 25. Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls” (1985) NW #18 26. Talk Talk “It’s My Life” (1984) CR #33, NW #86 27. Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink” (1981) CR #26, NW #97 28. A-ha “Take on Me” (1984) NW #14 29. The Pixies “Here Comes Your Man” (1989) CR #7 30. Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” (1985) CR #14 31. The B-52’s “Rock Lobster” (1979) NW #33 32. Big Country “In a Big Country” (1983) NW #17 33. Madness “Our House” (1982) NW #20 34. Talking Heads “Burning Down the House” (1983) NW #34 35. Tears for Fears “Mad World” (1982) NW #28 36. Midnight Oil “Beds Are Burning” (1987) CR #57, NW #82 37. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” (1982) NW #23 38. The Jesus & Mary Chain “Just Like Honey” (1985) CR #10 39. The English Beat “Save It for Later” (1983) NW #55, CR #91 40. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” (1983) NW #16 41. The Clash “Rock the Casbah” (1982) NW #62, CR #90 42. Echo & the Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar” (1987) CR #17 43. Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio” (1983) NW #74, CR #83 44. The Jam “A Town Called Malice” (1982) CR #50 45. Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” (1983) NW #24 46. Split Enz “I Got You” (1980) NW #19 47. The Vapors “Turning Japanese” (1980) NW #26 48. Billy Idol “White Wedding” (1982) NW #21 49. Duran Duran “Girls on Film” (1981) NW #29 50. The Go-Go’s “Our Lips Are Sealed” (1981) NW #37 51. The Cure “Close to Me” (1985) CR #275 52. Yazoo “Don’t Go” (1982) CR #70, NW #99 53. Jane’s Addiction “Jane Says” (1988) CR #8 54. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” (1988) CR #6, NW #90 55. XTC “Senses Working Overtime” (1982) CR #41 56. Thomas Dolby “She Blinded Me with Science” (1982) NW #27 57. They Might Be Giants “Ana Ng” (1988) CR #12 58. Psychedelic Furs “Love My Way” (1982) NW #32 59. Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985) NW #43 60. Icicle Works “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” (1984) NW #70 61. Nena “99 Red Balloons” (1983) NW #35 62. The Cult “She Sells Sanctuary” (1985) CR #30 63. Tears for Fears “Shout” (1984) NW #30 64. XTC “Dear God” (1986) #29 CR 65. Camper Van Beethoven “Take the Skinheads Bowling” (1985) CR #11 66. Love & Rockets “So Alive” (1989) CR #21 67. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978) NW #22 68. The Sugarcubes “Birthday” (1987) #15 CR 69. The English Beat “Mirror in the Bathroom” (1980) NW #49 70. Naked Eyes “Always Something There to Remind Me” (1983) NW #36 71. Romeo Void “Never Say Never” (1982) NW #59 72. INXS “Don’t Change” (1982) CR #48 73. Berlin “The Metro” (1983) NW #38 74. Oingo Boingo “Dead Man’s Party” (1985) CR #39 75. U2 “I Will Follow” (1980) CR #23 76. The Fixx “One Thing Leads to Another” (1983) NW #53 77. Tom Tom Club “Genius of Love” (1981) NW #88 78. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” (1981) NW #52 79. Bauhaus “She’s in Parties” (1983) CR #18 80. After the Fire “Der Kommissar” (1983) NW #40 81. Animotion “Obsession” (1985) NW #41 82. Siouxsie & the Banshees “Cities in Dust” (1985) CR #59 83. Culture Club “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982) NW #51 84. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “Enola Gay” (1980) NW #66 85. Peter Schilling “Major Tom (Coming Home)” (1983) NW #76 86. XTC “Making Plans for Nigel” (1979) NW #54 87. Missing Persons “Destination Unknown” (1982) NW #79 88. Bow Wow Wow “I Want Candy” (1982) NW #39 89. R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987) CR #47 90. Yazoo “Situation” (1982) NW #84 91. General Public “Tenderness” (1984) NW #92 92. Pixies “Monkey Gone to Heaven” (1989) CR #20 93. The Stone Roses “I Wanna Be Adored” (1989) CR #27 94. The La’s “There She Goes” by (1988) CR #42 95. The Stone Roses “She Bangs the Drums” (1989) CR #40 96. The Plimsouls “A Million Miles Away” (1982) CR #76 97. The Replacements “Left of the Dial” (1985) CR #19 98. Hüsker Dü “Don’t Wanna Know if You Are Lonely” (1986) CR #22 99. Men at Work “Down Under” (1981) NW #44 100. Thompson Twins “Hold Me Now” (1983) NW #46 101. Ultravox “Vienna” (1980) NW #61 102. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” (1977) NW #57 103. The Police “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” (1980) NW #63 104. ABC “The Look of Love” (1982) NW #47 105. When in Rome “The Promise” (1989) NW #64 106. Spandau Ballet “True” (1983) NW #73 107. The Knack “My Sharona” (1979) NW #87 108. The Clash “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” (1982) CR #66 109. Kajagoogoo “Too Shy” (1983) NW #80 110. Peter Gabriel “Games Without Frontiers” (1980) CR #96 111. Squeeze “Tempted” (1981) NW #56 112. Public Image Ltd. “Rise” (1986) CR #28 113. INXS “Need You Tonight” (1987) NW #60 114. The Primitives “Crash” (1988) CR #46 115. Roxy Music “More Than This” (1982) 116. The Boomtown Rats “I Don’t Like Mondays” (1979) NW #58 117. Pixies “Debaser” (1989) CR #32 118. R.E.M. “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” (1984) CR #49 119. Erasure “A Little Respect” (1988) NW #89 120. The Specials “Ghost Town” (1981) CR #94 121. Billy Idol “Dancing with Myself” (1981) 122. Wang Chung “Dance Hall Days” (1984) NW #77 123. The Cars “Just What I Needed” (1978) NW #95 124. New Order “True Faith” (1987) 125. Kim Wilde “Kids in America” (1981) NW #65 126. David Bowie “Let’s Dance” (1983) CR #78 127. Pretenders “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special)” (1979) NW #90 128. Depeche Mode “Never Let Me Down Again” (1987) CR #80 129. Blondie “One Way Or Another” (1978) NW #68 130. David Bowie “Ashes to Ashes” (1980) CR #79 131. Haircut 100 “Love Plus One” (1982) NW #42 132. Blondie “Rapture” (1980) 133. Bananarama “Cruel Summer” (1983) NW #75 134. The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986) 135. Re-Flex “The Politics of Dancing” (1983) NW #78 136. Sinéad O’Connor “Mandinka” (1987) CR #61 137. The Cure “Boys Don’t Cry” (1979) 138. Siouxsie & the Banshees “Peek-a-Boo” (1988) CR #52 139. Peter Murphy “Cuts You Up” (1990) CR #53 140. Black Flag “Rise Above” (1981) CR #36 141. The Replacements “I Will Dare” (1984) CR #37 142. The B-52’s “Private Idaho” (1980) 143. Pixies “Where Is My Mind?” (1988) CR #44 144. Mission of Burma “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” (1981) CR #31 145. Squeeze “Pulling Mussels from the Shell” (1980) NW #83 146. The B-52’s “Love Shack” (1989) CR #67 147. Adam Ant “Goody Two Shoes” (1982) NW #85 148. M “Pop Muzik” (1979) NW #72 149. Men at Work “Who Can It Be Now?” (1981) NW #69 150. The Cars “You Might Think” (1984) NW #71 151. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” (1987) CR #56 152. Gang of Four “I Love a Man in Uniform” (1982) CR #77 153. The Dead Milkmen “Punk Rock Girl” (1988) CR #51 154. Visage “Fade to Grey” (1980) NW #67 155. The Cure “A Forest’ (1980) CR #60 156. Depeche Mode “Everything Counts” (1983) CR #85 157. The The “This Is the Day” (1983) 158. The Smiths “This Charming Man” (1983) CR #65 159. U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) CR #93 160. The Cars “Shake It Up” (1981) NW #93 161. ‘Til Tuesday “Voices Carry” (1985) 162. Bronski Beat “Smalltown Boy” (1984) NW #81 163. A Flock of Seagulls “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph)” (1982) NW #100 164. The Human League “Keep Feeling Fascination” (1983) NW #94 165. The Cure “Why Can’t I Be You?” CR #95 (1987) 166. Suicidal Tendencies “Institutionalized” (1983) CR #35 167. The Smiths “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” (1986) CR #97 168. Echo & the Bunnymen “The Cutter” (1983) CR #75 169. Dinosaur Jr. “Freak Scene” (1988) CR #38 170. Magazine “A Song from Under the Floorboard” (1980) CR #43 171. B-Movie “Nowhere Girl” (1982) CR #96 172. Bob Mould “See a Little Light” (1989) CR #58 173. 10,000 Maniacs “Like the Weather” (1987) CR #73 174. The Cure “Love Song” (1989) 175. The Minutemen “Corona” (1984) CR #45 176. Julian Cope “World Shut Your Mouth” (1986) CR #86 177. Cocteau Twins “Lorelei” (1984) CR #64 178. They Might Be Giants “Don’t Let’s Start” (1986) CR #87 179. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983) 180. U2 “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) 181. Simple Minds “Alive and Kicking” (1985) NW #98 182. Concrete Blonde “Still in Hollywood” (1986) CR #66 183. ABC “Poison Arrow” (1982) 184. The Go-Go’s “Vacation” (1982) NW #91 185. The Clash “Train in Vain “Stand by Me)” (1979) 186. Killing Joke “Eighties” (1984) CR #69 187. Nine Inch Nails “Head Like a Hole” (1989) CR #54 188. Faith No More “We Care a Lot” (1985) CR #55 189. Elvis Costello “Veronica” (1989) CR #72 190. Violent Femmes “Kiss Off” (1983) CR #81 191. Orange Juice “Rip It Up” (1982) CR #63 192. World Party “Ship of Fools (Save Me from Tomorrow)” (1986) 193. The Replacements “Bastards of Young” (1985) CR #84 194. Depeche Mode “Personal Jesus” (1989) 195. The Police “Spirits in the Material World” (1981) 196. Erasure “Oh L’Amour” (1986) 197. Duran Duran “Rio” (1982) 198. Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark “If You Leave” (1986) 199. The Smiths “Girlfriend in a Coma” (1987) CR #82 200. Nik Kershaw “Wouldn’t It Be Good” (1984) 201. Alphaville “Forever Young” (1984) 202. Berlin “Sex (I’m A…)” (1983) 203. Violent Femmes “Add It Up” (1983) 204. Eurythmics “Here Comes the Rain Again” (1983) 205. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Two Tribes” (1984) 206. Elvis Costello “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding” (1978) 207. R.E.M. “Fall on Me” (1986) 208. R.E.M. “The One I Love” (1987) CR #98 209. Lone Justice “Ways to Be Wicked” (1985) CR #99 210. Morrissey “Every Day Is Like Sunday” (1988) 211. Fugazi “Waiting Room” (1988) CR #88 212. The Jam “That’s Entertainment” (1980) 213. The Waterboys “The Whole of the Moon” (1985) 214. The Dead Milkmen “Bitchin’ Camaro” (1985) 215. Suzanne Vega “Luka” (1987) 216. U2 “New Year’s Day” (1983) 217. Heaven 17 “Let Me Go” (1982) 218. Eurythmics “Love Is a Stranger” (1982) 219. Elvis Costello “Everyday I Write the Book” (1983) 220. The Romantics “Talking in Your Sleep” (1983) 221. Tubeway Army “Are Friends Electric?” (1979) 222. Culture Club “Karma Chamelon” (1983) 223. Tears for Fears “Pale Shelter” (1982) 224. Depeche Mode “Master and Servant” (1984) 225. The Cure “Let’s Go to Bed” (1982) 226. Elvis Costello & the Attractions “Radio Radio” (1978) 227. Madness “One Step Beyond” (1979) 228. INXS “The One Thing” (1982) 229. Dead Kennedys “Holiday in Cambodia” (1980) CR #98 230. Martha & the Muffins “Echo Beach” (1980) 231. X “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene” (1980) CR #99 232. U2 “With or Without You” (1987) 233. The Feelies “Fa cé-La” (1979) CR #100 234. The Smithereens “Behind the Wall of Sleep” (1986) CR #93 235. Lloyd Cole & the Commotions “Perfect Skin” (1984) CR #97 236. Joe Jackson “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” (1979) 237. The Meat Puppets “Lake of Fire” (1984) 238. Nirvana “About a Girl” (1989) 239. The B-52’s “Channel Z” (1989) 240. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” (1978) 241. Cowboy Junkies “Sweet Jane” (1988) 242. Aztec Camera “Oblivious” (1983) 243. Happy Mondays “24 Hour Party People” (1987) 244. Joe Jackson “Steppin’ Out” (1982) 245. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Higher Ground” (1989) 246. Psychedelic Furs “The Ghost in You” (1984) 247. Stephen Duffy “Kiss Me” (1985) 248. Billy Idol “Rebel Yell” (1983) 249. Pixies “Gigantic” (1988) 250. Depeche Mode “Enjoy the Silence” (1990) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” First posted 6/9/2017; last updated 3/29/2025.

R.E.M.: Top 100 Songs

This list has been moved here. First posted 9/22/2011; updated 6/18/2024.

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Music Maker Inductees (June 2022)

Top 10 Alternative Rock Acts Originally posted 6/22/2022. January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog! To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This fourteenth class of music maker inductees is comprised of the top alternative rock acts (see the full top 100 list here). These are the top 10 from that list, minus previous inductee David Bowie. See the full list of music maker inductees here.

Elvis Costello (1954-) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

New wave/punk rock singer/songwriter born in London in 1954. Inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Alison” ranks as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s top 200 songs of all time. “Radio Radio” ranks as one of the top 50 punk rock songs of all time. “Pump It Up” and “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding” are both in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s top 500 songs of all time. “Veronica” and “The Other Side of Summer” both topped the alternative rock chart. My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, Armed Forces and Imperial Bedroom rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Nirvana (active 1987-1994) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

Pioneering grunge group formed in Aberdeen, Washington, by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain with bassist Krist Novoselic and eventual drummer Dave Grohl. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era and the Grammy Hall of Fame. That song, “Come As You Are,” and “All Apologies” rank in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. They charted 13 times on the mainstream and/or alternative rock chart, including five #1’s. Nevermind is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century and is in the Grammy Hall of Fame and National Recording Registry. That album, In Utero, MTV Unplugged in New York, and their self-titled 2002 greatest-hits collection rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Pearl Jam (active 1990-) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

Grunge band formed in 1990 in Seattle, Washington by singer Eddie Vedder, bassist Jeff Ament, and guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. “Alive” and “Jeremy” rank in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. They reached the mainstream and/or alternative rock chart 46 times from 1992 to 2020, including seven #1’s. Ten is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century and is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. That album, Vs., and Vitalogy all rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

The Police (active 1977-1986) / Sting Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

Singer/bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers, and drummer Stewart Copeland formed The Police formed in Newcastle, England, in 1977. They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sting has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Roxanne,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” and “Every Breath You Take” rank in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. The latter is in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era and won the Grammy for Song of the Year. The Police reached the mainstream rock chart 11 times, including three #1’s. Sting reached the mainstream and/or alternative rock chart 17 times, including 4 #1’s. All five of the Police’s studio albums rank in the top 1000 albums of all time, as does Sting’s first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles. Synchronicity is also featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century and is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Read more.

Radiohead (active 1985-) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

The experimental rock group formed in Oxford, England, in 1985 with singer Thom Yorke, brothers Johnny Greenwood (guitar) and Colin Greenwood (bass), guitarist Ed O’Brien and drummer Phil Selway. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. “Creep” and “Paranoid Android” rank in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. The Bends and OK Computer are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century. The latter is also in the National Recording Registry. Those albums as well as Kid A, Hail to the Thief, and In Rainbows also rank the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

R.E.M. (active 1980-2011) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

Rock group formed in Athens, Georgia, by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. The band have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Radio Free Europe,” “The One I Love,” “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” “Everybody Hurts,” and “Losing My Religion” rank in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. The latter is also featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era. They reached the alternative rock and/or mainstream rock chart with 39 songs, including nine #1’s. Murmur and Automatic for the People are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century. They have five more albums that rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

The Smiths (active 1982-1987) / Morrissey (1959-) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

Rock group formed in 1982 in Manchester, England, by singer Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce. “How Soon Is Now?” ranks in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. It’s one of four of their songs that rank in the DMDB’s top new wave/college rock songs. The Queen Is Dead is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century. As a solo act, Morrissey reached the alternative rock chart a dozen times, including #1 with “Tomorrow” and “The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get.” Read more.

U2 (1976-) Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

Rock group formed in Dublin, Ireland, by Bono (vocals), The Edge (guitar), Adam Clayton (bass), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums). Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Charted on the mainstream rock and/or alternative rock chart with 60 songs, including 14 #1 songs. They have seven songs in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs, including “With or Without You,” which is also featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, and “Beautiful Day,” which is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Digital Era and won Grammys for Song and Record of the Year. They have 12 albums that rank in the top 1000 albums of all time, including The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, which are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century. Read more.

The Velvet Underground (active 1965-1970) / Lou Reed Inducted June 2022 as a “Top 10 Alternative Rock Act”

The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed have both been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Velvet Underground also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. VU’s songs “Heroin” and “Sweet Jane” are on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list. Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” ranks in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. he also topped the alternative rock chart with “Dirty Blvd.” and “What’s Good.” Velvet Underground & Nico is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century. All four of the band’s studio albums rank in the top 1000 albums of all time, as do Reed’s albums Transformer and Berlin. Read more.

Adult Alternative Songs, Top 250+: 1990-2021

Adult Alternative: Top 250+ Songs, 1990-2021

In 1996, Billboard magazine lanched the adult album alternative (AAA) chart. The radio format is a spinoff of the album-oriented radio stations focused on classic rock from the ‘60s and ‘70s. While artists like Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen are staples of classic rock, their current material was largely neglected by those stations. Alongside these heritage acts, AAA played mainstream-rock-oriented alternative acts like the Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, Hootie & the Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Dave Matthews Band, and Alanis Morissette. In 2017, the DMDB compiled a chart of the top 100 adult alternative songs based on the most weeks at #1, which has since been updated. The ranking includes all songs which spent at least 5 weeks atop the chart. In 2020, the DMDB created a second top 100 list focused on songs from 1990 to 1996 which preceded the adult alternative chart, but which fit the format. In 2021, in honor of the adult alternative chart’s 25th anniversary, Billboard published its list of the top 100 adult alternative songs based on chart performance. The list on this page combines those three lists, ranking the songs based on their overall Dave’s Music Database status. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991) 2. Adele “Rolling in the Deep” (2010) 3. Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2011) 4. Oasis “Wonderwall” (1995) 5. Gnarls Barkley “Crazy” (2006) 6. U2 “One” (1992) 7. Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth” (1999) 8. Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” (2008) 9. Coldplay “Viva La Vida” (2008) 10. Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998) 11. Radiohead “Creep” (1993) 12. Lorde “Royals” (2013) 13. Pearl Jam “Jeremy” (1991) 14. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge” (1991) 15. Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” (1995) 16. Beck “Loser” (1993) 17. Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2004) 18. No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) 19. Eric Clapton “Tears in Heaven” (1992) 20. U2 “Beautiful Day” (2000) 21. Seal “Kiss from a Rose” (1994) 22. Oasis “Live Forever” (1994) 23. Sam Smith “Stay with Me” (2014) 24. Alanis Morissette “Ironic” (1995) 25. Coldplay “Clocks” (2002) 26. Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun” (1994) 27. Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” (2006) 28. Sheryl Crow “All I Wanna Do” (1994) 29. The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (2012) 30. Train “Hey, Soul Sister” (2009) 31. Kings of Leon “Use Somebody” (2008) 32. Pearl Jam “Alive” (1991) 33. R.E.M. “Everybody Hurts’ (1992) 34. Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994) 35. Silverchair “Tomorrow” (1994) 36. Train “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” (2001) 37. Oasis “Don’t Look Back in Anger” (1995) 38. Live “Lightning Crashes” (1994) 39. Stone Temple Pilots “Interstate Love Song” (1994) 40. Stone Temple Pilot “Plush” (1992) 41. Collective Soul “Shine” (1993) 42. Smashing Pumpkins “1979” (1995) 43. Green Day “Basket Case” (1994) 44. Oasis “Champagne Supernova” (1995) 45. Pearl Jam “Black” (1991) 46. Eric Clapton “Change the World” (1996) 47. Jewel “You Were Meant for Me” (1995) 48. Pearl Jam “Daughter” (1993) 49. U2 “Vertigo” (2004) 50. Green Day “Longview” (1994) 51. The Wallflowers “One Headlight” (1996) 52. Matchbox 20 “Bent” (2000) 53. Portugal, the Man “Feel It Still” (2017) 54. Pearl Jam “Better Man” (1994) 55. Weezer “Buddy Holly” (1994) 56. Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories “Stay (I Missed You)” (1994) 57. Alanis Morissette “You Learn” (1995) 58. Tracy Chapman “Give Me One Reason” (1995) 59. Smashing Pumpkins “Today” (1993) 60. Smashing Pumpkins “Disarm” (1993) 61. The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You” (1995) 62. Joan Osborne “One of Us” (1995) 63. Smashing Pumpkins “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” (1995) 64. Collective Soul “December” (1995) 65. Mumford & Sons “I Will Wait” (2012) 66. The Cranberries “Zombie” (1994) 67. Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” (1996) 68. Sting “Fields of Gold” (1993) 69. Sarah McLachlan “Building a Mystery” (1997) 70. Green Day “When I Come Around” (1994) 71. Alanis Morissette “Head Over Feet” (1995) 72. Radiohead “Fake Plastic Trees” (1995) 73. U2 “Mysterious Ways” (1991) 74. Soul Asylum “Runaway Train” (1992) 75. Jewel “Foolish Games” (1995) 76. The Verve Pipe “The Freshmen” (1996) 77. Primitive Radio Gods “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand” (1996) 78. Goo Goo Dolls “Name” (1995) 79. The Black Keys “Lonely Boy” (2011) 80. Beck “Where It’s At” (1996) 81. Live “Selling the Drama” (1994) 82. The Black Crowes “Hard to Handle” (1990) 83. Counting Crows “Mr. Jones” (1993) 84. U2 “Night and Day” (1990) 85. The Fray “You Found Me” (2008) 86. Matchbox 20 “3 A.M.” (1996) 87. KT Tunstall “Black Horse & the Cherry Tree” (2004) 88. Lenny Kravitz “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” (1993) 89. Lorde “Team” (2013) 90. Eric Clapton “Layla” (Unplugged version, 1992) 91. John Mayer “Waiting on the World to Change” (2006) 92. Fastball “The Way” (1998) 93. U2 “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” (2004) 94. Bonnie Raitt “Something to Talk About” (1991) 95. Phillip Phillips “Home” (2012) 96. Coldplay “Paradise” (2011) 97. Hootie & the Blowfish “Only Wanna Be with You” (1994) 98. Dave Matthews Band “Crash into Me” (1996) 99. X Ambassadors “Renegades” (2015) 100. R.E.M. “Man on the Moon” (1992) 101. Imagine Dragons “It’s Time” (2011) 102. Alanis Morissette “Hand in My Pocket” (1995) 103. Crowded House “Weather with You” (1991) 104. The Cranberries “Linger” (1993) 105. Smashing Pumpkins “Tonight Tonight” (1995) 106. Coldplay “Speed of Sound” (2005) 107. David Gray “Babylon” (1998) 108. New Radicals “You Get What You Give” (1998) 109. INXS “Suicide Blonde” (1990) 110. Sheryl Crow “Soak Up the Sun” (2002) 111. Blues Traveler “Run Around” (1994) 112. Florence + the Machine “Dog Days Are Over” (2008) 113. R.E.M. “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” (1994) 114. Spin Doctors “Two Princes” (1991) 115. Milky Chance “Stolen Dance” (2013) 116. Sting “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” (1993) 117. Bonnie Raitt “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (1991) 118. Hootie & the Blowfish “Let Her Cry” (1994) 119. Goo Goo Dolls “Slide” (1998) 120. Bonnie Raitt “Love Sneakin’ Up on You” (1994) 121. Seal “Crazy” (1990) 122. Hootie & the Blowfish “Hold My Hand” (1994) 123. Elle King “Ex’s and Oh’s” (2014) 124. The Black Keys “Fever” (2014) 125. Jack Johnson “Upside Down” (2006) 126. R.E.M. “Drive” (1992) 127. Sting “All This Time” (1990) 128. John Mayer “No Such Thing” (2001) 129. R.E.M. “Shiny Happy People” (1991) 130. Sheryl Crow “Everyday Is a Winding Road” (1996) 131. Death Cab for Cutie “Soul Meets Body” (2005) 132. Train “Calling All Angels” (2003) 133. George Ezra “Budapest” (2013) 134. Sarah McLachlan “I Will Remember You” (1995) 135. Sting with Cheb Mami “Desert Rose” (1999) 136. U2 “Electrical Storm” (2002) 137. Sheryl Crow “If It Makes You Happy” (1996) 138. Radiohead “High and Dry” (1995) 139. Beck “Dreams” (2015) 140. John Mellencamp & Me’Shell Ndegeocello “Wild Night” (1994) 141. Eric Clapton “My Father’s Eyes” (1998) 142. U2 “Even Better Than the Real Thing” (1991) 143. U2 “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” (1995) 144. Sheryl Crow “My Favorite Mistake” (1998) 145. The Cranberries “Dreams” (1992) 146. Collective Soul “The World I Know” (1995) 147. Paula Cole “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” (1996) 148. Melissa Etheridge “I’m the Only One” (1993) 149. The Black Keys “Lo/Hi” (2019) 150. Gin Blossoms “‘Til I Hear It from You” (1995) 151. U2 “Staring at the Sun” (1997) 152. Bruce Springsteen “Human Touch” (1992) 153. Bruce Springsteen “Secret Garden” (1995) 154. Pearl Jam “Just Breathe” (2009) 155. Hootie & the Blowfish “Old Man & Me (When I Get to Heaven)” (1996) 156. Sheryl Crow “Strong Enough” (1993) 157. Matchbox 20 “Push” (1996) 158. Death Cab for Cutie “I Will Possess Your Heart” (2008) 159. Gin Blossoms “Follow You Down” (1996) 160. Kings of Leon “Radioactive” (2010) 161. Jewel “Who Will Save Your Soul?” (1995) 162. Beck “Up All Night” (2017) 163. U2 “You’re the Best Thing About Me” (2017) 164. Jack Johnson “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” (2005) 165. Rag ‘n’ Bone Man “Human” (2016) 166. Coldplay “Adventure of a Lifetime” (2015) 167. Paula Cole “I Don’t Want to Wait” (1996) 168. Alice Merton “No Roots” (2016) 169. The Lumineers “Ophelia” (2016) 170. Dave Matthews Band “Stay (Wasting Time)” (1998) 171. Hootie & the Blowfish “Time” (1994) 172. Arcade Fire “Everything Now” (2017) 173. The Killers “Read My Mind” (2006) 174. Jack Johnson “If I Had Eyes” (2007) 175. R.E.M. “The Great Beyond” (1999) 176. Kings of Leon “Waste a Moment” (2016) 177. Mumford & Sons “Believe” (2015) 178. John Mellencamp “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)” (1996) 179. Coldplay “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” (2011) 180. U2 “Window in the Skies” (2006) 181. Jack Johnson “You and Your Heart” (2010) 182. Duncan Sheik “Barely Breathing” (1996) 183. Sheryl Crow “A Change Would Do You Good” (1996) 184. Vampire Weekend “Harmony Hall” (2019) 185. Jack Johnson “Flake” (2001) 186. The Lumineers “Stubborn Love” (2012) 187. Counting Crows “Accidentally in Love” (2004) 188. The Wallflowers “6th Avenue Heartache” (1996) 189. The Black Keys “Go” (2019) 190. O.A.R. “Shattered (Turn the Car Around)” (2008) 191. Mumford & Sons “Guiding Light” (2018) 192. Counting Crows “Hanginaround” (1999) 193. Collective Soul “Run” (1999) 194. Michael Franti & Spearhead “The Sound of Sunshine” (2010) 195. Sarah McLachlan “Fallen” (2003) 196. Dave Matthews Band “Funny the Way It Is” (2009) 197. Dave Matthews Band “Where Are You Going?” (2002) 198. Blues Traveler “Most Precarious” (1997) 199. The Lumineers “Gloria” (2019) 200. Paolo Nutini “New Shoes” (2006) 201. Natalie Merchant “Kind and Generous” (1998) 202. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats “You Worry Me” (2018) 203. Beck “Uneventful Days” (2019) 204. John Mellencamp with India.Arie “Peaceful World” (2001) 205. Of Monsters and Men “Mountain Sound” (2011) 206. Dave Matthews Band “Everyday” (2001) 207. Norah Jones “Sunrise” (2004) 208. The Head and the Heart “All We Ever Knew” (2016) 209. Jack Johnson “Good People” (2005) 210. The Revivalists “Wish I Knew You” (2016) 211. R.E.M. “Supernatural Superserious” (2008) 212. Bruce Hornsby “Gonna Be Some Changes Made” (2004) 213. David Gray “The One I Love” (2005) 214. Dave Matthews Band “I Did It” (2001) 215. Sheryl Crow “Anything But Down” (1998) 216. Fitz & the Tantrums “Out of My League” (2013) 217. John Mayer “Bigger Than My Body” (2003) 218. Spoon “Hot Thoughts” (2017) 219. K.T. Tunstall “Hold On” (2007) 220. Snow Patrol “Just Say Yes” (2009) 221. John Mayer “Who Says” (2009) 222. Tracy Chapman “Telling Stories (There Is Friction in the Space Between)” (2000) 223. The Avett Brothers “Ain’t No Man” (2016) 224. The Lumineers “Life in the City” (2019) 225. David Gray “You’re the World to Me” (2007) 226. The Strokes “Bad Decisions” (2020) 227. The Head and the Heart “Lost in My Mind” (2011) 228. Snow Patrol “Crack the Shutters” (2008) 229. David Gray “Fugitive” (2009) 230. Death Cab for Cutie “You Are a Tourist” (2011) 231. White Reaper “Might Be Right” (2019) 232. One Eskimo “Kandi” (2009) 233. Death Cab for Cutie “Gold Rush” (2018) 234. Bakar “Hell N Back” (2019) 235. Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs “Beg, Steal or Borrow” (2010) 236. Family of the Year “Hero” (2012) 237. Norah Jones “Chasing Pirates” (2009) 238. Nathaniel Rateliff “And It’s Still Alright” (2020) 239. Serena Ryder “Stompa” (2013) 240. Norah Jones “Thinking About You” (2006) 241. Pete Yorn “Life on a Chain” (2001) 242. Dave Matthews Band “You and Me” (2009) 243. Leon Bridges “Bad Bad News” (2018) 244. Kings of Leon “The Bandit” (2021) 245. Ray LaMontagne “Strong Enough” (2020) 246. George Ezra “Blame It on Me” (2014) 247. Gomez “See the World” (2006) 248. Caamp “Officer of Love” (2020) 249. Snow Patrol “Shut Your Eyes” (2006) 250. John Butler Trio “Better Than” (2007) 251. Milky Chance with Jack Johnson “Don’t Let Me Down” (2020) 252. Dave Matthews Band “Oh” (2003) 253. My Morning Jacket “Feel You” (2020) 254. James Morrison “Nothing Ever Hurt Like You” (2008) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Adult Alternative, 1996-2020” (top 100+ list) Dave’s Music Database: “Adult Alternative, 1990-1996” (top 100 list) Billboard: “Greatest of All Time: Adult Alternative Songs” (top 100 list, 1996-2021) Dave’s Music Database: “Top 100 Adult Alternative Albums” First posted 2/26/2021; last updated 5/9/2021.

Top 100 Adult Alternative Albums

First posted 2/26/2021.

Adult Alternative: The Top 100 Albums, 1990-2021

In 1996, Billboard magazine launched its adult alternative chart, which was tracked radio stations focused on playing rock-oriented heritage artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and John Mellencamp, as well as newer artists like Counting Crows, Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Matchbox 20. This list reflects albums which charted at least 3 songs on the adult alternative chart or, in the case of pre-1996 releases, albums which likely would have accomplished the feat based on those artists’ accomplishments on the post-1995 charts. More than 150 albums made the criteria. The top 100 have been ranked here, based on their overall status in Dave’s Music Database. Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here. 1. R.E.M. Automatic for the People (1992) 2. Adele 21 (2011) 3. Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (1995) 4. Pearl Jam Ten (1991) 5. U2 Achtung Baby (1991) 6. Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (1995) 7. Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) 8. Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) 9. Green Day Dookie (1994) 10. Adele 25 (2015) 11. Oasis Definitely Maybe (1994) 12. R.E.M. Out of Time (1991) 13. Santana Supernatural (1999) 14. Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream (1993) 15. Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) 16. U2 All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000) 17. Coldplay X & Y (2005) 18. Coldplay Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008) 19. Hootie & the Blowfish Cracked Rear View (1994) 20. Bruce Springsteen The Rising (2002) 21. Live Throwing Copper (1994) 22. Sheryl Crow Tuesday Night Music Club (1993) 23. U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) 24. Counting Crows August and Everything After (1993) 25. Kings of Leon Only by the Night (2008) 26. Keane Hopes and Fears (2004) 27. Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication (1999) 28. Mumford & Sons Babel (2012) 29. Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium (2006) 30. Matchbox 20 Yourself or Someone Like You (1996) 31. David Gray White Ladder (2000) 32. Jack Johnson In Between Dreams (2005) 33. U2 No Line on the Horizon (2009) 34. Mumford & Sons Sigh No More (2009) 35. U2 Songs of Innocence (2014) 36. Jewel Pieces of You (1995) 37. Imagine Dragons Night Visions (2012) 38. U2 Zooropa (1993) 39. Sarah McLachlan Surfacing (1997) 40. Lorde Pure Heroine (2013) 41. Sarah McLachlan Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1993) 42. Jack Johnson Sleep Through the Static (2008) 43. Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride (2019) 44. Sting Ten Summoner’s Tales (1993) 45. Dave Matthews Band Under the Table and Dreaming (1994) 46. R.E.M. Monster (1994) 47. Florence + the Machine Ceremonials (2011) 48. R.E.M. New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996) 49. Snow Patrol Eyes Open (2006) 50. John Mayer Continuum (2006) 51. Dave Matthews Band Crash (1996) 52. Alabama Shakes Sound & Color (2015) 53. Sting Brand New Day (1999) 54. Sheryl Crow Sheryl Crow (1996) 55. Coldplay Mylo Xyloto (2011) 56. The Wallflowers Bringing Down the Horse (1996) 57. U2 Pop (1997) 58. Bonnie Raitt Luck of the Draw (1991) 59. Melissa Etheridge Yes I Am (1993) 60. The Black Keys El Camino (2011) 61. Beck Colors (2017) 62. Sherly Crow The Globe Sessions (1998) 63. Sting The Soul Cages (1991) 64. Florence + the Machine How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015) 65. Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown (2010) 66. Steely Dan Two Against Nature (2000) 67. KT Tunstall Eye to the Telescope (2004) 68. John Mayer Room for Squares (2001) 69. U2 Songs of Experience (2017) 70. The Black Keys Turn Blue (2014) 71. fun. Some Nights (2012) 72. Shery Crow Detours (2008) 73. Tame Impala The Slow Rush (2020) 74. Bonnie Raitt Longing in Their Hearts (1994) 75. Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind (1997) 76. The Decemberists The King Is Dead (2011) 77. Matchbox 20 Mad Season (2000) 78. Feist The Reminder (2007) 79. Dave Matthews Band Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King (2009) 80. The Raconteurs Help Us Stranger (2019) 81. Cage the Elephant Social Cues (2019) 82. Jack Johnson To the Sea (2010) 83. Dave Matthews Band Before These Crowded Streets (1998) 84. Goo Goo Dolls Dizzy Up the Girl (1998) 85. The Lumineers The Lumineers (2012) 86. Gin Blossoms New Miserable Experience (1992) 87. Alabama Shakes Boys & Girls (2012) 88. Shawn Colvin A Few Small Repairs (1996) 89. Train Drops of Jupiter (2001) 90. Hozier Hozier (2014) 91. Death Cab for Cutie Plans (2005) 92. Fiona Apple Tidal (1996) 93. Paula Cole This Fire (1996) 94. John Mayer Heavier Things (2003) 95. Toad the Wet Sprocket Fear (1991) 96. One Republic Native (2013) 97. Of Monsters and Men My Head Is an Animal (2011) 98. The Fray How to Save a Life (2005) 99. Joan Osborne Relish (1995) 100. Dave Matthews Band Everyday (2001) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists Dave’s Music Database: “Adult Alternative Songs, Top 250+: 1990-2021”

 

Adult Album Alternative (AAA) Acts: Top 100

Adult Album Alternative: Top 100 Acts

In 1996, Billboard magazine lanched the adult album alternative (AAA) chart. The radio format is a spinoff of the album-oriented radio format rooted in music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. AAA includes some of that genre’s most noted acts (Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen), but expands to include a variety of genres generally broader than most other radio formats, encompassing alternative rock, alt country, folk, jazz, and blues. On December 10, 2017, a top 100 list was published on Billboard. A top 50 list was updated on February 18, 2021. The list below reflects the top 50 from 2021 and then the remaining artists from the 2017 top 100 list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. Dave Matthews Band 1. Dave Matthews (solo and with band) 2. U2 3. Coldplay 4. Jack Johnson 5. Sheryl Crow 6. John Mayer 7. Mumford & Sons 8. Counting Crows 9. Death Cab for Cutie 10. Snow Patrol 11. Beck 12. The Wallflowers 13. R.E.M. 14. Ray LaMontagne 15. The Lumineers 16. David Gray 17. The Head & the Heart 18. Train 19. The Black Keys 20. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats 21. Norah Jones 22. Cage the Elephant 23. Florence + the Machine 24. Hozier 25. Of Monsters & Men 26. Matchbox 20 27. Adele 28. Ryan Adams 29. Imagine Dragons 30. Kings of Leon 31. Red Hot Chili Peppers 32. Tom Petty (solo & with Heartbreakers & Mudcrutch) 33. Sting 34. John Mellencamp 35. Eric Clapton 36. Pearl Jam 37. KT Tunstall 38. Ben Harper 39. Goo Goo Dolls 40. Spoon 41. The Fray 42. Leon Bridges 43. Sarah McLachlan 44. The Killers 45. Pete Yorn 46. The Decemberists 47. Bruce Springsteen 48. Green Day 49. Chris Isaak 50. Keane 51. Collective Soul 52. Wilco 53. Barenaked Ladies 54. Lenny Kravitz 55. Tracy Chapman 56. Melissa Etheridge 57. The Avett Brothers 58. Guster 59. Jason Mraz 60. Michael Franti 61. Bonnie Raitt 62. The Rolling Stones 63. Matt Nathanson 64. Alanis Morissette 65. Indigo Girls 66. Blues Traveler 67. Mark Knopfler 68. Tori Amos 69. Shawn Colvin 70. Jonny Lang 71. Amos Lee 72. Phish 73. Shawn Mullins 74. Brandi Carlile 75. Van Morrison 76. Robert Plant 77. Dawes 78. Arcade Fire 79. Foo Fighters 80. Neil Young 81. Grace Potter 82. John Hiatt 83. Lorde 84. Alabama Shakes 85. Pretenders 86. Mat Kearney 87. Natalie Merchant 88. Phillip Phillips 89. Santana 90. Paul Simon 91. Fitz & the Tantrums 92. Jewel 93. Michael Kiwanuka 94. Ingrid Michaelson 95. Brett Dennen 96. Paolo Nutini 97. Jackson Browne 98. John Bulter Trio 99. Old 97’s 100. Feist 101. Vance Joy 102. One Republic Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre Billboard (2/18/2021). “Greatest of All Time: Adult Alternative Artists” First posted 12/10/2017; last updated 2/18/2021.