Alt Rock Isn’t Dead

If you grew up on Sirus XM’s Channel 36 and find yourself hopelessly searching for the sounds of your childhood, this playlist has you covered. While we can’t ressurect the 2000s-2010s sound of our favorites, we can search for the artists who have mastered the art of imitation. The albums featured here promise to scratch the itch of your alt rock needs while simultaneously shedding light on talented bands paving their own paths. These artists have managed to create that terribly freeing, airy sound of proper alt rock while maintaining top production standards. Good for fans of: The Killers, Nothing But Thieves, Vampire Weekend, The Black Keys, Broken Bells, The Strokes, The Wombats, Cage The Elephant, Foals, The xx, Arctic Monkeys, Young The Giant, Palace, Private Island, The Kooks, alt-j, Band of Horses, Death Cab For Cutie, Arcade Fire, COIN. 

The Portal - Balu Brigada

A warm welcome to the newest (and most promising) members of the genre. The excellent singles released leading up to this debut album successfully prepared me to be thoroughly pleased. This well-produced, funk-infused alt rock record feels youthful and true to the young brothers behind the band while simultaneously perfecting the recipie used by the genre legends 10+ years ago. A beautiful, sophisticated blend of sounds, Portal is here to revive us and Balu Brigada is here to stay.

Bèau Mondè - The Dead Bolts

Despite only releasing their first record in 2022, The Dead Bolts feel like they are beating the alt rock legends at their own game. Ladies and gentlemen, this is how its done. The group has returned more pumped than ever before to (successfully) capture angst and adventure somewhere near the sonic crossroads of a reborn Palace X The Killers. Flaunting masterful guitar and songwriting, The Dead Bolts have the energy to keep alt rock thriving and I’m thrilled.

Heavy Pulp - The Technicolors

The Technicolors have been on a 10-year run - consistenly providing alt rock goodness even after the major decline of the genre. Their newest album, Heavy Pulp, demonstrates their persistance. They have the sound down to a T - betwene Brennan Smiley’s voice (which was made for the genre) and the classic blend of everything from piano to tamborine to Strokes-like strings, I am eternally grateful for The Technicolor’s presence.