this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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Alternative Nation: The Fediverse's Alternative and Indie Music Community

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Alternative Nation : The Fediverse's largest alternative and indie music community! All things alternative music, from 80s college rock to today's indie and all the amazing alternative music in between. Welcome home, music nerds!

Some of y'all may remember MTV's Alternative Nation or 120 Minutes, awesome programs & incredible ways to discover #music back in the 80s & 90s...

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DAY 10 of the 30 Day Song Challenge, alternative music styles!

I'M NOT CRYING! YOU'RE CRYING!!!

Each day I’ll post the challenge and you share some of your favorite alternative & indie songs that meet the challenge!

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Sufjan Stevens "The Only Thing"

The entire Carrie & Lowell album, really. I won't lie, that song in particular has made me tear up a few times. It's about the death of a loved one (his mother in this case).

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Something I Can Never Have - Nine Inch Nails

From the first time I heard this song up until today it just hits my emotions completely. Now to go sad cry on Saturday!

[–] ArgentRaven 4 points 1 year ago

Sputnik by Smile.

It starts out about Laika, the dog that the USSR sent into space and died, and goes downhill from there.

They seem to be a relatively unknown band, but if you like it, try "Staring at the Sun" for something not so downer.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6hRYeC9mjFK2nrm6guHAM0?si=sD0HrcxyQuuIDVbBxBTvfg

[–] SandLight 4 points 1 year ago

Cavetown really hits that a lot for me, but this song has made me so listening to the album because I can't stop thinking about past pets.

https://youtu.be/qdlOco92FOY

As a side note, you should listen to Lemon Boy from the same album.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Phil Elverum from The Microphones and Mount Eerie lost his wife to cancer and then wrote an album about it called A Crow Looked at Me. It is absolutely heartbreaking. Here's the opener from the album.

Real Death - Mount Eerie

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There's plenty of sad songs in this thread but this is the "this isn't cathartic it's just devastating" kind of sad that can only come from real, deep, somber, visceral pain

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's a great way of putting it. It's devastating and honestly difficult to listen to. But maybe someone needs to hear it so that's why I posted it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Absolutely, Phil's an incredible artist that doesn't get nearly as much attention as he deserves

[–] BonesOfTheMoon 4 points 1 year ago

Amanda Ann Platt and the Honeycutters, "Boneyard".

https://youtu.be/nQ_74hfJm_E

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I had trouble finding something recent, but this works, I think, just older.

Chris Bell - I am the cosmos

https://youtu.be/7VfJ8dGsAws

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Here’s one I’d forgotten about. This live version is really nice (slow starter)

Crippled Black Phoenix - Burnt Reynolds

https://youtu.be/gMqjERPps2Y?feature=shared

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yesterday - Atmosphere

Here's some alternative hip hop that might make you cry

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for this. "Puppets" was also one of my better finds recently.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Atmosphere has a lot of good songs. The Waitress is another good one from the same album.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead

https://youtu.be/nZq_jeYsbTs

"I'm not here.

This isn't happening."

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Here are five, though they get slightly more mainstream as you go down the list.

EDIT: I'm trying to fix the links. Gimme a sec.

EDIT 2: Here are the music videos and fan lyric videos. I'm giving up on Beatbump, HyperPipe, and YT Music.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
[–] ren 4 points 1 year ago

Ugh! Yes. Their cover. Woof! Gets ya good.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

oh it's gotta be "Forever" by Bruderschaft (featuring vocals by Ronan Harris of VNV Nation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBugs8pgtK0

This song is uncompromisingly beautiful: a poem of love and dedication from a son to a dying father.

[–] xfts 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

grandson - Heather Hits me right in the feels every time.

[–] ren 3 points 1 year ago

This one may seem strange, but I love "Leaving New York" by REM, always got me in the feels, but the live version from REM Live, the desperation in his voice and the moaning. It gets me https://youtu.be/OEwI3yKMxkI?si=6rYShLIzeCZZa4UU

But recently... Mitski's new song, "Bug Like An Angel" makes me cry every time - especially when watching the video https://youtu.be/5WW7cuAm-7Y?si=xGFW_cIhng-SY0Sa

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Small Hands - Keaton Henson

Keaton Henson makes some beautiful somber music

[–] gAlienLifeform 3 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Bear's Den - Pompeii
This version, specifically.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day and for the same reason. I miss you, Dad. Nine years.

[–] Biokatt 3 points 1 year ago

This one is an old, sad favorite of ours: Katy Song - Red House Painters

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

@ren @alternativenation

This one always gets me, double so with the video.

Massive Attack - Live With Me (2006)

https://youtu.be/AIIovpUQiro

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sad musics' my jam! Enjoy being down in the dumps today

Edit the Sad Parts - Modest Mouse

Indie rock

Spectral Bride - Giles Corey

Folk, noise

My Madonna - Two Galants

Indie rock, folk

MANY HANDS - Lingua Ignota

TW: Rape, abuse, religious trauma

Appalachian, avant garde, noise

Twenty Four Hours - Joy Division

Post punk

ego death - foxtails

Screamo

To a Husband at War - I Hate Myself

Emo

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

You have a awesome username

[–] AcornCarnage 3 points 1 year ago

Harvey Danger - Jack the Lion

Sorry to punch you all in the gut.

[–] cordillera 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The Arcade Fire's Haiti

https://youtu.be/tGvpUgo7ayY Controversies with members of the band aside, this song makes me cry every time. I have no connection to Haiti but the poignant vocals really pulls at your heart strings and makes you mourn for a lost homeland. The French lines really help too.

[–] ren 2 points 1 year ago

I have an AF song too that used to get me so emotional about my daughters - but I couldn’t remember the title yesterday. A line about β€œif I had a daughter”, maybe from Suburbs??? But yeah, the song is in me now.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Elliott Smith - Everything means nothing to me

[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] ren 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

for a hot second I thought this was Enigma’s β€œReturn To Innocence”

[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh wow, yeah, I forgot all about that song, but different end of the 90s and different vibe entirely there

[–] ren 2 points 1 year ago

I read the title first! lol

[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago
[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago
[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago
[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago
[–] gAlienLifeform 2 points 1 year ago