Alternative
67 cover stories
Alternative rock covers rejected the polished excess of mainstream music in favor of raw authenticity, conceptual art, and anti-commercial aesthetics. From Sonic Youth's art-world collaborations to Radiohead's digital-age anxiety.
Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple · 2020
Melodrama
Lorde · 2017
LP1
FKA twigs · 2014
The Money Store
Death Grips · 2012
Lonerism
Tame Impala · 2012
The Reminder
Feist · 2007
In Rainbows
Radiohead · 2007
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire · 2007
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Neko Case · 2006
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys · 2006
Demon Days
Gorillaz · 2005
Silent Alarm
Bloc Party · 2005
Hot Fuss
The Killers · 2004
Elephant
The White Stripes · 2003
Transatlanticism
Death Cab for Cutie · 2003
Turn on the Bright Lights
Interpol · 2002
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco · 2002
A Rush of Blood to the Head
Coldplay · 2002
Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
Bright Eyes · 2002
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips · 2002
Vespertine
Björk · 2001
Lateralus
Tool · 2001
Is This It
The Strokes · 2001
Amnesiac
Radiohead · 2001
Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
PJ Harvey · 2000
The Moon & Antarctica
Modest Mouse · 2000
Kid A
Radiohead · 2000
The Colour and the Shape
Foo Fighters · 1997
OK Computer
Radiohead · 1997
Around the Fur
Deftones · 1997
Homogenic
Björk · 1997
Crash
Dave Matthews Band · 1996
Ænima
Tool · 1996
The Bends
Radiohead · 1995
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins · 1995
Maxinquaye
Tricky · 1995
Definitely Maybe
Oasis · 1994
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Pavement · 1994
Vitalogy
Pearl Jam · 1994
Weezer
Weezer · 1994
Grace
Jeff Buckley · 1994
Parklife
Blur · 1994
In Utero
Nirvana · 1993
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins · 1993
Vs.
Pearl Jam · 1993
Dirt
Alice in Chains · 1992
Automatic for the People
R.E.M. · 1992
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers · 1991
Ten
Pearl Jam · 1991
Nevermind
Nirvana · 1991
Spiderland
Slint · 1991
Goo
Sonic Youth · 1990
Violator
Depeche Mode · 1990
Doolittle
Pixies · 1989
Technique
New Order · 1989
Disintegration
The Cure · 1989
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth · 1988
Louder Than Bombs
The Smiths · 1987
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths · 1986
Skylarking
XTC · 1986
Hounds of Love
Kate Bush · 1985
Hatful of Hollow
The Smiths · 1984
Stop Making Sense
Talking Heads · 1984
Power, Corruption & Lies
New Order · 1983
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division · 1979
Fear of Music
Talking Heads · 1979
Low
David Bowie · 1977