the runaways

This star-studded pro-choice album remains unreleased, but is more relevant than ever

In the 1990s, a pro-choice benefit album Choice: The Freedom Remix was set to feature an all-star cast. Years later, the album still hasn’t been fully released, but is as relevant as ever.

A history of riot grrrl, from “Rebel Girl” to “Racist, Sexist Boy”

In 1991, Anita Hill testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee about being the target of sexual harassment from African-American judge Clarence Thomas at his Supreme Court confirmation hearing. The hearings were televised, and Hill’s lurid testimony sent bolts of shock and disgust across an America yet to become completely tabloidized. When this all-white, all-male committee […]

15 metal artists who went solo and blew audiences away even more

Whether it’s a less than amicable split with their former band or an unfulfilled urge to pursue a different path of musical creativity, the biggest names in the metal world have tried going solo at one point. However, it takes a certain caliber of artist to hold up a career under their name alone, whether […]

11 singers who helped define the vocal style of punk rock in the ‘90s

The ‘90s: the decade punk went mainstream. First, SoundScan made radio safe for Nirvana and the grunge-ified hordes. Then Green Day and other pop-punk acts moved in and squatted at the top of the Billboard charts. True, it seemed to be finished two years later, only to be reinvigorated at the turn of the century. […]

These 11 singers steered the course of punk and hardcore in the ’80s

The idea of compiling a list of the greatest punk singers of the ‘80s might seem a bit odd. After all, this was when hardcore rose and quickly dominated all things punk. And let’s face it: Hardcore vocalists are more noted for bellowing than actual singing, per se. Not that late ‘70s punk harbored many […]

15 albums from 1995 that are a perfect gateway into the world of punk

In 1996, Your Punk Professor interviewed the Clash’s distinguished lead guitarist Mick Jones for a proposed Alternative Press piece on punk’s original guitar heroes. Though it remains unpublished, I asked in the course of it what he thought of Rancid. Jones waxed effusive, noting he’d met the Berkeley punk traditionalists in the course of a […]

25 films that capture the history of punk, riot grrrl and beyond

A new wave of punk has taken the world and internet by storm. Recently, there has been a spike in movies about the feminist punk movement, and TikTok users have repopularized bands such as Bikini Kill and X-Ray Spex. In 2021, the history and legacy of riot grrrl appears across all social media platforms as […]

20 books written by or about women musicians to add to your reading list

When searching a bookstore for music memoirs, it’s likely that the shelves are packed with men such as Kurt Cobain, Johnny Cash and Keith Richards. While it may seem that there are fewer books written by or about women musicians, they are growing in numbers. Women in the music industry refuse to be silenced, and, […]

41 women empowerment anthems that should be played as loud as possible

With Women’s History Month coming to a close today, it’s vital to carry these messages of intersectional feminism and empowerment throughout every day to come. These musicians aren’t only wonderful leaders in the music industry spanning over decades—they’re using their platform to spread messages of self-love and growth as well as sharing stories of hardship […]

10 Joan Jett-inspired artists who are breaking boundaries just like her

“Joan Jett doesn’t play rock ’n’ roll,” I wrote two years back, reviewing her SXSW showcase for The Austin Chronicle. “She is rock ’n’ roll.” It’s true. The individual born Joan Marie Larkin in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, embodies the music and spirit better than anyone this side of Keith Richards. As Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong […]

10 essential alternative '90s bands fronted by women you should know

The ’90s were chock-full of absolute icons, and no, we’re not referring to the Princess Diana Beanie Baby or JNCO jeans when we say that. From Nirvana to *NSYNC, pop and grunge ruled the airwaves. However, it seems like some women-fronted acts don’t get nearly enough credit for all of their contributions to the music […]

10 alternative musicians who founded more than one successful band

No lie, as exciting as it is when our favorite musicians take on new projects, it’s always a little disconcerting. After all, we have to wonder if they’re going to live up to the greatness we’ve come to expect. That said, a number of alternative artists have already proved that success doesn’t have to be a […]

10 essential ‘70s punk bands from Los Angeles you should already know

Punk was, by design, meant to be small and regional. True, bands might break out and become national or even international. But the overarching idea was keeping things small and accessible. You wanted to be able to reach out and touch your favorite band in a small sweaty club, maybe have a beer with the […]

These 15 albums from 1991 laid the foundation for punk as we know it

Welcome to Alternative Press’ pick of the 15 best punk albums of 1991. It was a momentous year, one in which underground culture burst into the mainstream, taking punk and all its offshoots with it. Blame it on one album: Nirvana’s Nevermind.  Many punkier-than-thou types will moan when seeing this album’s inclusion. They’d be denying […]

15 punk guitarists of the ’90s who paved the way for the genre’s future

Welcome to Alternative Press’ pick of the 15 best punk guitarists of the ’90s. One notable difference between this list and the other two we’ve compiled is the inclusion of several women. Punk did much to democratize rock ’n’ roll in the ’70s, with many pioneering all-female (the Runaways, the Slits) or mixed-gender lineups (X-Ray […]

20 women in metal who don't need a microphone to take center stage

With bands such as Lacuna Coil and Nightwish fronting the charge for the ladies in a scene largely dominated by men, there’s no need for the term “female-fronted metal” in 2020. The women powering the metal realm without a microphone in their hands deserve credit for shattering the glass ceiling. In the spirit of celebrating […]

These 10 soundtracks might be better than the movies they were from

When movie adaptations and remakes are released, they usually generate the same initial response. “Was it better than the book?” “Is it as good as the comic?” We’re guilty of that, too. But really, we’re the ones asking if the soundtrack was any good. It’s that mindset  that inspired this countdown of soundtracks that might […]

10 musicians with hobbies you probably didn’t know about

Musicians are just like us—they also do strange things when boredom takes over. While many artists talk about their love of making TikTok dances or binge-watching Netflix, a few rock stars prefer hobbies that are a little more unusual.  We thought it’d be fun to find 10 musicians who have interesting hobbies, from beekeeping to collecting […]

Here are 10 frontwomen who killed the boys’ club in rock

Since the inception of the alternative music scene, men have been at the forefront. Historically, they have determined who can participate and are allowed in their spaces, creating a “by men, for men” mentality. As a result, the “boys’ club” of the indie, punk and the alternative underground emerged. Since then, women have had to […]

10 scene favorites who rocked their solo project debuts

Sometimes after a band break up, a band member will bounce back to save our broken hearts from drowning in sadness with an amazing solo project. Other times, musicians complete and record a tracklist on their own that doesn’t fit in with their main band.  Here are 10 solo project debuts that we just couldn’t […]
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