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Bleached: The Beatles' White Album Effect on the US Alt-rock Explosion of 1988-95

The Beatles' White Album has been credited with a lot of things over its 50-year history, but how about as the single biggest influence on US alternative rock as it burst into the mainstream in the late '80s and early '90s? Well, it's not as crazy as you might think.

Music

The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2017

In 2017, the music world saw amazing reissues from all over the genre map, spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and jazz to soul.

Music

'Complicated Fun' Is a Thorough Study of the Glory Days of the Twin Cities Punk and Indie Scenes

The tales of a record store, a set of like-minded club owners, and a record label all tie together into a beautiful narrative of the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene.

Reviews

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 3: 60 - 41

Some songs are too weird to attract mainstream success.

Music

Counterbalance: Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade

Something I learned today: Black and white is always grey. And this week's Counterbalance takes a look at a 1984 turning point in punk. Turn on the news for the 219th most acclaimed album of all time.

Music

Hope Despite the Times: 12 Essential Alternative Rock Albums from the 1980s

For those interested in acquainting themselves with alternative rock's rich and diverse early years, Sound Affects has assembled this '80s alt-rock primer.

Music

Bob Mould: Beauty & Ruin

Legends like Bob Mould are held to a different standard, and Beauty & Ruin has just raised his bar higher.

Music

Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart to Release New Album (stream)

Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart has a new solo project releasing this summer via Domino Records.

Music

The Fishing Journal: The Fishing Journal EP

A dispatch in lo-fi aggression, the eponymous EP from Columbia, South Carolina’s the Fishing Journal is an affair more focused on catharsis than on creating new tributaries in the indie rock landscape.

Music

'Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements' Paints 'Minor Band' with Major Strokes

The first-ever documentary about The Replacements reminds fans that we are not alone in our firm belief that the Minneapolis misfits should have been as big as The Rolling Stones.

Reviews

Bob Mould: 7 September 2012 - New York

Bob Mould gave a great performance to a barely half full audience at Williamsburg Park.

Events

5 Great Bands (Spun Off from Other Great Bands)

Not every band borne out of a great predecessor can measure up. Here are five that do.

Music

Sugar: Copper Blue / File Under: Easy Listening (Deluxe Editions)

Well-positioned after the ascension of the Alternative Nation, Bob Mould's post-Hüsker Dü band managed two great albums (and an EP) in its short lifespan. Now here's the perfect chance to dig into its tiny catalog.

Music

Dissent: American As Apple Pie: Top 20 Punk Protest Songs for July 4th

As punk music history verifies, American citizenry are not all shiny, happy people. These 20 songs reflect the other side of patriotism -- free speech brandished by the brave and uncouth.

Music

Jason Clackley: To the Few and Far Between

Jason Clackley's leanings as a singer and songwriter are equal part Blake Schwarzenbach, Bob Mould, and Ronnie Spector, and that's probably the only time I'll say that about anyone, ever. His vision is few and far between.

Music

Hüsker Dü: The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock

What the world really needs is a straight-up account of one of the most important rock groups of all time, Hüsker Dü. Now we have it in the form of music scribe Andrew Earles.

Music

Pop Ten

The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 1: 100 - 81

The 70 Best Albums of 2019

The 20 Best Metal Albums of 2019

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 5: 20 - 1

The 20 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2019

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '90s - Part 1 (100 - 81)

Jackie Chan's 10 Best Films

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 2: 80 - 61

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Mixed Media

Collapse Expand Mixed Media

PM Picks

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Bleached: The Beatles' White Album Effect on the US Alt-rock Explosion of 1988-95

The Beatles' White Album has been credited with a lot of things over its 50-year history, but how about as the single biggest influence on US alternative rock as it burst into the mainstream in the late '80s and early '90s? Well, it's not as crazy as you might think.

The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2017

In 2017, the music world saw amazing reissues from all over the genre map, spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and jazz to soul.

'Complicated Fun' Is a Thorough Study of the Glory Days of the Twin Cities Punk and Indie Scenes

The tales of a record store, a set of like-minded club owners, and a record label all tie together into a beautiful narrative of the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene.

Counterbalance: Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade

Something I learned today: Black and white is always grey. And this week's Counterbalance takes a look at a 1984 turning point in punk. Turn on the news for the 219th most acclaimed album of all time.

Bob Mould: Beauty & Ruin

Legends like Bob Mould are held to a different standard, and Beauty & Ruin has just raised his bar higher.

Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart to Release New Album (stream)

Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart has a new solo project releasing this summer via Domino Records.

The Fishing Journal: The Fishing Journal EP

A dispatch in lo-fi aggression, the eponymous EP from Columbia, South Carolina’s the Fishing Journal is an affair more focused on catharsis than on creating new tributaries in the indie rock landscape.

'Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements' Paints 'Minor Band' with Major Strokes

The first-ever documentary about The Replacements reminds fans that we are not alone in our firm belief that the Minneapolis misfits should have been as big as The Rolling Stones.

Bob Mould: 7 September 2012 - New York

Bob Mould gave a great performance to a barely half full audience at Williamsburg Park.

Sugar: Copper Blue / File Under: Easy Listening (Deluxe Editions)

Well-positioned after the ascension of the Alternative Nation, Bob Mould's post-Hüsker Dü band managed two great albums (and an EP) in its short lifespan. Now here's the perfect chance to dig into its tiny catalog.

Jason Clackley: To the Few and Far Between

Jason Clackley's leanings as a singer and songwriter are equal part Blake Schwarzenbach, Bob Mould, and Ronnie Spector, and that's probably the only time I'll say that about anyone, ever. His vision is few and far between.

Hüsker Dü: The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock

What the world really needs is a straight-up account of one of the most important rock groups of all time, Hüsker Dü. Now we have it in the form of music scribe Andrew Earles.

Tipping the Swear Jar: How mewithoutYou Used the F-Bomb to Say More Than the F-Word

Electro's Sotomayor Merge House and Merengue on "Menéate pa' mí" (premiere)

Gab De La Vega Turns and Faces the Familiar, Strange on "YYZ" (premiere)

British Soul/Blues Artist Izo Fitzroy Asks for "Blind Faith" (premiere)

Fell Runner Celebrate the Strange Dreams of an Unlikely Hero with "Jeffrey" (premiere)

The James Hunter Six's "Brother or Other" Asks to Spread the Love in a Time of Division (premiere)

Crowhurst + Gavin Bryars Demonstrate the Powers of Collaboration With "Dead Swans of Dreams" (premiere + interview)

Matt Wilson and His Orchestra Consider Memory, Mortality With "When I Was a Writer" (premiere + interview)

Robert Vincent Considers the Human "Conundrum" (premiere)

Electropop's Σtella Shares the Funky Dance Pop of "The Break" (premiere)