College rock
College rock | |
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Stylistic origins |
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College rock is rock music that played on student-run university and college campus radio stations located in the United States and Canada in the 1980s and 1990s. The stations' playlists were often created by students who avoided the mainstream rock played on commercial radio stations.[1][2]
Characteristics
College rock originated less as a genre term and more as a signal of the medium, college radio, by which college rock acts were often heard. As a result, the genre featured a high degree of diversity and eclecticism, meaning that "on college radio ... screaming noise, retro
History
College rock was an outgrowth of the new wave and post-punk musical scenes that developed in the late 1970s. Though not as avant-garde as post-punk or abrasive as hardcore punk, the genre tended to veer further from the synth-heavy mainstream.[4] As explained by Rolling Stone, college rock's origins can be placed in Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia and several college rock bands, such as R.E.M. The genre would expand to include a diverse array of regional scenes in several cities throughout the United States, particularly Minneapolis, home of the Replacements and Hüsker Dü, and Boston, home of Pixies and Throwing Muses.[5] The genre also came to include several British alternative acts who incorporated elements of jangle pop or post-punk romanticism in their music, with bands such as the Smiths, the Cure, and the La's achieving success on American college radio stations.[1]
Key to the success of college rock was the success of college radio stations throughout the United States. Ian Svenonius of
In the sixties, when FM radio was less typical, the FCC issued many Class D radio licenses to universities, which allowed them to create noncommercial stations on the little-used left side of dial (typically 88.1–90.5 FM). Despite residing in the hinterlands, many of their signals were powerful, with tens of thousands of kilowatts.[4]
Many college radio stations during this period sought to promote music that went against the commercial style of the 1980s. Svenonius characterized these stations as being "staffed by music enthusiasts who worked without pay, and who saw college rock as a desperately needed alternative to the platinum tedium of 'classic' and Top 40 drivel."[4] Reflecting the erudite tastes of these students, college rock programs were generally less militant and blunt than punk, but often featured a degree of activist sensibility. In contrast with many indie and punk bands, college rock acts often signed to major labels, albeit without becoming flagship acts for their record companies.[4]
Other mediums began tracking college rock during this period. The
By the early 1990s, college rock as a genre had been surpassed by grunge and indie rock in the alternative sphere. Svenonius points to NPR's aggressive campaign against left of the dial college stations as a cause: seeking to remove competition in this airspace, NPR reduced many college stations to closed circuit formats, if the stations were continued at all.[4] Many remaining stations reformatted to capture the more abrasive styles of indie rock.[3] Many 1980s college radio music directors went on to pursue successful careers in the mainstream American music industry.[6]
Notable examples
American artists came from a variety of regions, with many succeeding in college towns. Spurred by the success of bands such as
Although not considered college rock bands in their native country, several UK-based acts also achieved success on the college rock circuit. Many of these acts, including the Smiths, the Cure and the La's, grew out of the UK's alternative scene and achieved greater mainstream success there. Other acts, such as Elvis Costello[8] and Graham Parker,[9] grew out of the British initial new wave scene and transitioned to the underground college circuits during the 1980s.
Similarly, Australian acts such as the Hoodoo Gurus[10] and Midnight Oil appeared in college rock circles in the US.
References
- ^ a b c "College Rock". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ a b "About.com: College Rock - Alternative When Alternative Wasn't Commercial". 80music.about.com. 2011-02-01. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
- ^ a b c Murray, Noel (12 September 2012). "1992: The year college rock died". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Svenonius, Ian (23 October 2015). "The Rise and Fall of College Rock". The New Republic. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Dolan, Jon (19 November 2020). "Music at Home: College Rock". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ a b Wendy Fonarow (28 July 2011). "Ask the indie professor: why do Americans think they invented indie?". The Guardian.
- ^ Wise, Brian (8 February 2004). "Eclectic Sounds of New Jersey, Echoing From Coast to Coast". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Ciabattoni, Steve (16 August 1999). "The Elvis Costello Variety Show". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc.: 10. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ "ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY". KCRW. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Hoodoo Gurus Bio, AllMusic