Modern rock is term commonly used to describe a rock music format found on American commercial radio. Generally beginning with late 1980s punk but referring especially to rock music since the 1990s, the phrase "modern rock" is used to differentiate the music from "classic rock", which focuses upon music recorded in the 1960s and 1970s. More specifically, the modern rock format consists of commercial radio stations that primarily play alternative rock. As such, the format is also frequently called alternative radio.^[1] For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... For the magazine, see Classic Rock (magazine). ... Alternative music redirects here. ...

A few modern rock radio stations existed during the 1980s, such as WLIR-FM in New York City and WFNX in Boston.^[1] Modern rock was solidified as a radio format in 1988 with Billboard's creation of the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The 1988 episode of the VH1 show I Love the '80s discussed INXS, The Cure, Morrissey, Depeche Mode, and Erasure as modern rock artists representative of that year. But it was the breakthrough success of the grunge band Nirvana in 1992 that resulted in a large number of American radio stations switching to the format.^[1] Many rock radio stations now refer to their format as modern rock. Modern rock stations primarily play current artists like an active rock station would, but active rock radio stations also mix their current music with classic rock. As alternative rock's popularity in the mainstream declined, heavy metal, nu metal, rap metal, pop punk, emo and other commercially successful forms of rock music also became popular on modern rock radio. WLIR, known as The World Famous WLIR, is a modern rock station that broadcasts on the 107. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... WFNX is a New England commercial alternative music radio station. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... Modern Rock Tracks is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. ... I Love 1988 is the ninth episode of VH1s nostalgia series I Love the 80s. ... VH1 (VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. VH1 and sister channel MTV are currently part of the MTV Networks division... I Love the 80s is a television program that was produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and later for American TV audiences by VH1. ... INXS (pronounced In Excess) are an Australian rock group. ... This article is about the rock band. ... For other uses, see Morrissey (disambiguation). ... Depeche Mode are an electronic music group that formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex, England. ... This article is about the a musical group Erasure. ... “Grunge” redirects here. ... This article is about the American rock band. ... Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in Canada and the United States. ... Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in Canada and the United States. ... For the magazine, see Classic Rock (magazine). ... Alternative music redirects here. ... “Heavy metal” redirects here. ... Nu metal (also called aggro metal, or nü metal using the traditional heavy metal umlaut) is a musical genre that has origins in the mid 1990s. ... Rap metal is a musical genre that takes influence from both rap music and heavy metal music. ... Pop punk is used for two separate subgenres of punk rock music: the kind typically found on Lookout! Records, which stray very little from the three-chord formula that The Ramones pioneered, as well as a newer subgenre of melodic, more emotional punk, which includes by bands like NOFX and... Emo is a genre of rock music. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ...

Modern rock is considered by some to be a specific genre of alternative rock^[2]. Many fans of alternative and indie rock criticize modern rock as being too homogenized, and merely a poor imitation of the original styles. Some indie rock fans also criticize alternative rock as being no different from modern rock, and consider both to be imitations; however, alternative rock is seen as having once been the same as indie rock, unlike modern rock, which is considered to be a product of radio airplay. Still, despite such criticisms, modern rock continues to be one of the dominant forms of rock music on mainstream radio stations. Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ...

References and Footnotes

Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Campus radio
• Modern Rock Tracks

Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. ... Modern Rock Tracks is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. ...

External links

• Billboard's Top 25 Modern Rock Tracks