My favorite music genre has always been alternative rock. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that the alternative music scene is incredibly whitewashed. Most alternative bands are either completely white or have only one POC member. In honor of Black History Month, here are five songs by Black alternative artists to add to your Spotify playlists.
- “Garden” by Meet Me @ The Altar
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This band is reminiscent of all my favorite middle school bands such as Pierce The Veil, All Time Low or early Mayday Parade. “Garden,” their most popular song, has everything I love about alt music: catchy lyricism, creative guitar and, above all, jammability. Even though it is comparable to all these other alternative artists and songs that I love, the band still has its own distinct sound that you can’t really appreciate until you hear it!
- “Taxi” by Nova Twins
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Featured on a different song with Bring Me The Horizon, this duo gives those exact vibes. My absolute favorite element of this song and this artist in general is the distorted, satisfyingly unattractive inflections of their electronic instruments. This may be a little niche, but they remind me of an even more appealing version of Mindless Self Indulgence, an alternative rock band led by Lindsey Way, the wife of My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way.
- “Fall Asleep” by Big Joanie
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While this band is more alternative than indie, it does have some indie-leaning elements, which I love as well. This song has all the potential to go viral on TikTok with its catchy beat and the lazy-sounding voice of the lead singer. These details of the song remind me of a modern Sonic Youth.
- “Know My Name” by SATE
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With a powerhouse voice accompanied by delightfully aggressive electric guitar, SATE distinguishes herself from other alternative music, which seems redundant. She is a perfect example of Black woman breaking barriers in her respective music scene. This song is a perfect contender to be on a “Badass Women” playlist.
- “Buckshot” by The 1865
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While this is a more traditional rock band, they are criminally underrated. Also, there are so many subgenres of rock that it’s impossible to find so many artists with the exact same vibes. My favorite thing about this band, in fact, is its musical creativity — I personally have never heard anything like this before.
Black artists have always made the biggest developments in rock music, and are never given the credit they deserve for it. Not only during Black History Month, but always, support alternative Black artists — you might even expand your musical horizons!