Ongoing History of New Music

If there was ever a Big Bang moment for alternative rock, 1976 might be it.

In Part 2 of our look at the birth of alternative rock, we follow punk's rise from New York to the UK, where bands like The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Damned helped kick off a musical revolution. What started as a small scene became the foundation for just about every form of alt-rock that came after.
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1976 wasn't just another year in music. It marked the birth of punk rock and launched alternative culture as we know it. From the gritty stages of CBGB to the first records by the Ramones, Blondie, Patti Smith, and Talking Heads, we trace how a handful of outsiders sparked a movement that would eventually become alt-rock. It's the story of rebellion, creativity, and a year that changed the sound of modern music.
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Ever wonder which pieces of technology changed music forever? From Thomas Edison’s phonograph and the invention of the microphone to the Walkman, the iPod, and today’s streaming platforms, we take a geeky trip through the biggest innovations that transformed how music is created, recorded, distributed, and enjoyed.

Plus the stories behind headphones, magnetic tape, synthesizers, CDs, and digital recording, while looking ahead to what AI and future tech could mean for music.

If you love music, gadgets, and the stories behind how we got here, this one’s for you.
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Think we were done with alt-rock one-hit wonders? Not quite.

After our original deep dive into the biggest alternative one-hit wonders since 1976, the emails and DMs kept pouring in.

You pointed out...rightfully so... songs we missed, artists we overlooked, and a few bands that many people think are one-hit wonders but actually aren't.

So we're back for one more sweep through the archives.

Along the way, we uncover some fascinating stories about mysterious bands, unlikely hits, and artists who built entire careers on a single song. We also set the record straight on acts like a-ha, Fastball, Tonic, Orgy, Lit, and others who don't quite fit the one-hit wonder label.

No rankings. No logarithmic formulas. Just great songs, surprising backstories, and a little unfinished business.

Because sometimes all you need is one hit.
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Trip-hop was one of the coolest sounds of the 1990s, blending hip-hop beats, dub, soul, and moody atmospheres into something completely new.

And to be honest, I can't believe we haven't done a deep dive on it yet!

So it's time to fix that.

We trace its roots from the streets of Bristol to artists like Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, and DJ Shadow, exploring how a dark, experimental underground movement became one of alternative music's most influential sounds.

This is the story of Trip-Hop
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