What is "alternative" music defined as?

Question

What is "alternative" music defined as?

Answer 1

it depends...

different definitions of alternative-rock or alternative music in genereal were linked to different eras of time.

For instance, during the 1980s, it was a term coined to define the music that was punk-rock inspired but didn't fit in to the mainstream genre but as music. It was also linked to the music of underground rock bands during the 1980s.

During the 90s to present alternative music generally defines rock music that is an offshoot of the several spinoffs of rock music during the 80s like punk-rock, college rock, indie rock and etc.