Arena rock is a style of rock music that became mainstream in the 1970s. It typically involves radio-friendly rock music that was designed to be played for large audiences.
This Queen concert in Drammen, Norway, in April 1982 shows the scale and lighting of an arena rock concert, emphasis being on the performed spectacle.
Singer Steve Perry of Journey became one of the faces of arena rock in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Alternative rock is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s with the likes of the grun
Arena rock
…hairstyles became common. Prominent examples of this genre include Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Poison. Their popularity crashed after the success of alternative rock and grunge bands who began to break through into popular consciousness with an even more abrasive sound, particularly artists influenced by the success…
R.E.M., one of the first alternative rock bands, relied on college-radio airplay, constant touring, and a grassroots fanbase to break into the mainstream.
Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth performing in July 2005
Robert Smith of the Cure performing in June 2004
Nirvana's Kurt Cobain (right) and Krist Novoselic (left) performing at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1992