Post-grunge is a derivative of
Grunge music that became popular in the late 90s. The genre is primarily marked by its use of the apathetic, droning vocals, downtuned guitars and
Hard Rock/
Punk aesthetics commonly associated with Grunge, but also removing the unusual structures and
prog-like time signatures that Grunge was also known for,
then slowing it down. In other words, taking, running-with and exploiting the more commercially viable qualities of Grunge while watering down its oddity and offending harshness. Yeah, this genre
doesn't go over well with the underground music scene, and its large popularity is sometimes accused of causing
Alternative Rock to lose its experimental qualities, not to mention leading to numerous bands previously snatched up by major labels after
Nirvana's breakthrough being unceremoniously dumped
*.
The genre has been known to use the rock-like compositions and structure often rejected by their predecessors in Grunge, modernized with sombre, brooding lyrics. In this sense, the movement could be considered (
ironically) the
Spiritual Successor to
Hair Metal, whose pop beats and polished production brought heavy rock to a widespread audience (Post-grunge is also well known for its "soul-searching" ballads). Ironically, many post-grunge bands take more influence from Poison, Cinderella and
White Snake than
Nirvana; post-grunge players generally think of the old grunge-greats as idols/heroes rather than influences, with more of an interest in stylistic emulation over artistic aspiration (the subtle difference between a direct or indirect influence from grunge can affect how well-received a post-grunge band is, both critically and to their audience). Post-Grunge tends to focus more on lyrical structure than music,
often the opposite stance of early grunge artists. Though the genre is rooted primarily in
Alternative Rock, make no mistake: Post-grunge was tailor-made for the mainstream
* record-holders are almost entirely post-grunge bands.]] In essence, it took no influence from what Grunge was, but took every influence from what Grunge became: a commercial darling.
The rise of Post-grunge has gone to dominate and even embed itself in the standardly recognized sound of
hard rock as most people can hear, creating the assumption that Post-grunge is the only form of modern rock. This has had the flip-side effect of some of the more straight-forward, contemporary rock groups
* The kind who take their influence from the deep-seated 70's and 80's hard rock staples (Black Stone Cherry, Rev Theory, Hinder, Saving Abel, Buckcherry, My Darkest Days, etc.)
being lumped in with post-grunge, despite having no or next-to no alternative qualities in their rock
* Nickelback is a particularly odd case of this, taking on a more stadium/pop sound in their later albums and thus joining this group while still carrying the post-grunge label as an
Artifact Title, probably because of their lead singer's scratchy voice
. There is a bit of cross-over involved as well: Saliva, Shinedown, 3 Doors Down and Chris Daughtry like to dabble in/pay tribute to "regular" hard rock when they can, adding to this confusion. It seems the only way to escape this is to play
very old-fashioned retro-rock, such as
Garage Rock revival, new
Blues Rock,
neo-psychedelia,
traditional-metal revival or modernized
Power Pop.
For better or worse, the genre's stylings have entered most current popular music to some degree, and it isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Also note that (
repeat after me)
good Post-grunge does exist. Try to avoid the particularly grating examples.
Bands typified as Post-grunge:
First-wave Post-grunge:
New Millennium style post-grunge:
- 3 Doors Down (likely one of the lesser-hated examples)
- 12 Stones
- Art of Dying
- The Calling
- Creed (one of the more infamous examples)
- Crossfade
- Daughtry (widely recognized as one of the heaviest things to come out of American Idol)
- Default
- Matchbox 20
- Nickelback
- Papa Roach (later work)
- Puddle Of Mudd (although they have strong Alt Metal influences as well)
- Seether
- Switchfoot (Probably the most critically acclaimed next to The Foo Fighters)
- Tantric (with a heavier emphasis on acoustic guitars than most bands)
- Theory of a Deadman
Post-grunge/Alt-metal crossover:
Some post-grunge bands take more after
Tool and
Alice in Chains than
Pearl Jam or
Nirvana, while some like to add a heavier edge to their sound as not to be lumped with their softer post-grunge contemporaries while maintaining their alternative status. Thus, the overlap with
Alternative Metal was inevitable. Note that all or most post-grunge bands fall under the
Hard Rock umbrella (a genre related to alt-metal and
heavy metal), but post-grunge bands with similarities to metal aren't necessarily an example of alt-metal. Given their similar pop-leanings, normally when a post-grunge band makes their sound heavier they become
nu-metal rather than pure alt-metal; achieving the sound of alt-metal requires a distinctly guitar-driven, alternative rock approach with less of the aggression and simplicity associated with nu-metal
* Also note that post-grunge/alt-metal bands tend to sound very far from the "normal", Guns N' Roses/Bon Jovi-style hard rock described earlier, aside from the odd
Genre Shift. In other words, Papa Roach, who practiced more standard-fare nu-metal early in their career only to switch to post-grunge later, wouldn't be an example of post-grunge/alt-metal crossover. Post-grunge/alt-metal crossover bands melodically tend to follow more in line with classic grunge,
Alternative Rock and NWOBHM on the mid end of the
Mohs Scale of Rock and Metal Hardness. These include:
- Alter Bridge (made of Creed minus Scott Stapp... and they became better for it. Possibly the only post-grunge band in existence who overlaps with progressive rock and speed metal).
- Breaking Benjamin (have had run-ins with the nu-metal label, but they generally are not considered to be part of it.)
- Chevelle (most obvious example of the Tool influence within Alt-metal/post-grunge)
- Drowning Pool (third album onward)
- Flyleaf (has the distinction of being the only female-fronted band listed here).
- Godsmack (most obvious example of the Alice in Chains influence within Alt-metal/post-grunge)
- Onesidezero (another Tool influenced band)
- Presence (last album only)
- Red ( A Christian Rock example)
- Saliva (bordering on nu-metal for their early work)
- Shinedown (varies by the Mohs Scale of Rock and Metal Hardness for which genre they fit in more)
- SOil (not coincidentally, their original singer Ryan McCombs went on to join Drowning Pool and play on their third album)
- Staind (have had run-ins with the nu-metal label)
- Stone Sour (Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor occasionally lapses into this genre when singing melodically)
- Taproot (have had run-ins with the nu-metal label)
- Three Days Grace (later work showcases their post-grunge side more)
- Trapt (as mentioned above about modern rock groups being labeled post-grunge, Trapt is probably one of the many victims of this)
Here's
a way to pass the time: count how many of these bands:
- Come from California, the southern US or western Canada.
- There's a good reason for the last one; Chad Kroeger loves seeking out bands who sound similar to himself so he can sign them (in the hopes of "bringing back rock n' roll"). This is a a side-effect of Nickelback being based out of Vancouver.
- Insist on being called straight-rock, Alternative Rock or "real" grunge.
- Either have a vocal hatedom, or are (more charitably) viewed as middle-of-the-road, comfort-food rock.
- Have been called Christian Rock at some point.
- Funny thing is that Switchfoot started as a Christian Rock act.
- Have a member with a Kurt Cobain-like hair cut and goatee combo.
- Chad Kroeger actually seemed to evolve into it. When Nickelback first came around his hair was very long and he had a beard
- John Foreman from Switchfoot also evolved into it due to pressure from record executives to look edgier. When the band started, Foreman had short, spiked hair with very little gruff. Foreman has had the same look since 2003.
- Sing like Eddie Vedder.
- Or in light of this, claim their vocalizations were influenced by Jim Morrison.
- Have major radio success
.
- You've heard a softer Signature Song of on the radio lately? (possibly an acoustic ballad)
