Definition:

Broadly speaking, I'm tagging Alternative Rock as guitar rock which is heavy on the sludge, riffage or crunch, predominantly what's commonly labelled as Grunge or Alternative Metal. For me, tagging Britpop or Pop Punk as Alternative Rock (as some do) would be a big no-no; these would fall into my Indie category. What's termed Indie Rock by writers would be listed under one of two categories by me, either Alternative Rock (if it's grungey) or Indie (if it has a bit more pop heart or jangle to it).

The Jukebox Pick (of 4,447):

 Jesus Built My Hotrod [redline / whiteline version]

 (Al Jourgensen, Bill Rieflin, Gibby Haynes, Michael Balch, Paul G. Barker)

 Ministry

  “Utterly perfect” Alternative Rock

 First out as a single in November, 1991. Promo copies included free quart of motor oil! In a blinding flash of inspiration, Ministry invited an inebriated Butthole Surfers' singer Gibby Haynes to accompany them on what turned out to be the most intense, insane slice of metal since "Ace Of Spades", chief architect Al Jourgensen cutting vocal tape and building layers on top in the weeks which followed Gibby's incomprehensible, but nonetheless memorable, one hour session. The mocking mid-song voiceover sample was spot on the money - "There's no use trying to talk, no human sound can stand up to this". Quite possibly, the greatest ever accident in the history of Rock n Roll.

Some favourite artists:

P.J. Harvey, Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, Pixies, Sonic Youth

The Jukebox pick: