alternative pop
what it is
Alternative pop (also known as alt-pop and often confused with indie pop) is a term used to describe pop music with broad commercial appeal that is made by figures outside the mainstream, or which is considered more original, challenging, or eclectic than traditional pop music.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make alternative pop a playlist
turn these 31 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is alternative pop?
Alternative pop (also known as alt-pop and often confused with indie pop) is a term used to describe pop music with broad commercial appeal that is made by figures outside the mainstream, or which is considered more original, challenging, or eclectic than traditional pop music.
What are good alternative pop albums to start with?
Try Zig by Poppy, young forever by Nessa Barrett, Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li, and LANY by Lany.
Who are some women making alternative pop?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/alternative-pop/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making alternative pop, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20