The Ultimate Guide to 1980s Alternative Music Subgenres and What Made Them Cool
May 06, 2025Categories: 1980s Music Culture, Podcast Episode
Retro Rewind: The Ultimate 1980s Experience with Ben Martinez
Step into a time machine and travel back to the vibrant decade of the 1980s with Retro Rewind: The Ultimate 1980s Experience. Join us as we explore the iconic 80s music, unravel the colorful threads of 1980s fashion, and relive the magic of classic 80s movies and TV shows. Get the inside scoop on your favorite 1980s celebrities and discover the cultural phenomena that shaped a generation. Whether you lived through the decade or are a newcomer to its charms, this podcast is your go-to guide for all things 1980s.
Exploring the Wild, Wacky, and Wonderful Subgenres of Alternative Music
Alright, picture this: it's the 1980s. Big hair, neon everything, leg warmers that could double as rope, and music that somehow managed to be both commercial and utterly rebellious. Yep, I’m talking about the rise of alternative music back in the day, a term as broad as your uncle’s favorite pizza toppings and just as spicy.
Now, alternative wasn’t just one style — oh no. It was like a giant, weird fruit salad of sounds that didn’t quite fit into the mainstream mold. And as your trusty 80s expert (trust me, I’ve got big hair photos to prove it), let me tell you about some of the coolest subgenres that made alternative music the cultural beast that it was.
Punk Rock
Starting with the loudest, angriest kid on the block — punk rock. By the time the 80s rolled around, punk had evolved past the first wave from the late 70s. Bands like The Dead Kennedys and Black Flag weren’t just making music, they were shouting a middle finger at authority, monotony, and crappy haircuts. They were fast, furious, and perfect for headbanging in your friend’s basement when your parents were out.
New Wave
Then there was New Wave — an alternative subgenre that’s like punk’s cooler, more stylish cousin who actually cares about 1980s fashion. Think synths, quirky accents, and a love for shiny, futuristic vibes. Bands like Depeche Mode and The Cure offered this emotionally charged yet danceable music that fit perfectly with the colorful 80s pop culture scene, complete with the electric energy of 80s movies and 80s TV shows. It’s music you could listen to while watching a John Hughes flick and feel like you understood the big emotions of teenage life.
Post-Punk
Now, if New Wave was stylish and danceable, then post-punk was the moody poet brooding in the corner. It’s darker, more experimental, and tends to make you think you’re in an indie movie scene from an 80s hit drama. Joy Division is the poster child here, with a sound that’s raw and atmospheric, capturing that angsty but somehow poetic teenage malaise.
College Rock
Here’s a lesser-known but super important one: college rock. Before “indie” became a thing people wore on T-shirts, college rock bands were the heart and soul of the alternative scene, spinning on college radio stations across America. R.E.M. is the iconic group here, blending jangly guitars with cryptic lyrics, appealing to anyone who wanted something a little different from Top 40 bubblegum. It was the soundtrack of dorm room daydreams and late-night philosophical chats on campus lawns.
Goth Rock
Okay, if you ever wore all black, liked a little drama, and were way into the mysterious and macabre, then goth rock was your tribe. Bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Sisters of Mercy brought a dark, romantic intensity to alternative music. Think Shakespeare in leather, but with synthesizers and the occasional fog machine on tour.
Dream Pop & Shoegaze
Finally, for something a bit more ethereal, dream pop and shoegaze emerged late in the decade as a softer but no less cool offshoot. Bands like Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine created lush soundscapes that felt like drifting on clouds made of guitar fuzz and whispers. It’s the perfect alternative mood music for those quiet moments when you want to stare out your window — or pretend you’re in a moody 80s music video.
These subgenres prove that alternative music in the 80s wasn’t just a catch-all label. It was a diverse universe where loud met quiet, edgy met artistic, and underground met — eventually — popular. It captured a lot of different emotions, fashion statements (think leather jackets and ripped jeans), and attitudes that defined the decade’s cultural fabric.
Speaking of 80s culture, if you want a real trip down memory lane, I’ve got to mention A Mostly Magnificent Memoir. It’s a fun and heart-warming story of a kid from a small town growing up in the 1980s — think of it as your personal backstage pass to what life was really like beyond the neon and synthesizers. It captures those awkward, earnest, and sometimes hilarious moments that made the decade so unforgettable. Plus, it’s a reminder that even in a world full of crazy hairdos and wild clothes, it’s the stories that stick with us. Check it out here. Seriously, you don’t want to miss this 80s gem!
So, the next time someone tells you “alternative” was just some vague genre, hit 'em with these subgenre nuggets. From punk’s rebellion to dream pop’s dreamy haze, it was a kaleidoscope of sound that put a seriously cool stamp on 80s music and all the glorious chaos of that decade.
Catch you next time, when maybe we can talk about the untold stories behind some of the biggest 80s celebrities or the weirdly wonderful fashion trends (I’m looking at you, parachute pants).
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