The Rise of ‘Y’Allternative’: The Genre Where Country Meets Indie Rock

Some call it y’allternative. Others call it alternative country. Some call it insurgent country music. All of those labels refer to, more or less, the same type of music. And that is alternative, stylistically-unique country-inspired music.

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So, more specifically, what is y’allternative music? Y’allternative or alternative country can be defined as a loose, broad subgenre of country that moves more toward alternative genre influences, like roots rock. The differences between mainstream or traditional country music and alternative country also involve differences in chord progressions, lyricism, and subject matter. In general, y’allternative is basically a loosely country sound with very noticeably different elements. Where mainstream country often focuses on things like patriotism and romance with conventional chord progressions, y’allternative focuses on more subversive subjects and utilizes odder, less predictable musical formulas.

The History and Story Behind Y’Allternative Music

Y’Allternative was inspired by traditional singer/songwriters from the 1930s and 1940s. Artists like Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle are all considered inspirations behind the alternative country musical movement.

Alternative country, likewise, also has a lot of similarities to punk rock that one definitely won’t hear in traditional country music. Y’allternative music often has a nonconformist edge to it, much like punk rock. Likewise, country rock music also inspired alt-country, as it paved the way for country musicians to bend and mold the country sound with other genres.

Y’allternative would really kick off in the 1990s, and it’s still growing today. Though, plenty of musicians that one would consider y’allternative debuted before the 90s kicked off. Jason And The Scorchers and The Jayhawks are a few examples that started in the 1980s.

The y’allternative and alternative country labels didn’t become particularly popular until one special album was released that changed the game: Uncle Tupelo’s 1990 album No Depression. Many fans of the genre consider this to be the first true alt-country record. Uncle Tupelo released a few more albums after that, and along with their growth, other y’allternative bands came to be. Outfits like Wilco and Son Volt were born soon after, along with groups like Freakwater and Drive-By Truckers.

Y’allternative continues to grow well into the 2020s, and the genre’s evolution has only been getting more exciting, unique, and, well, weird. If you’re burnt out on traditional country music, alternative country might be a good subgenre to dive into.

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