3 Alternative Rock Vocalists Who Defined the Sound of the 1990s

The article identifies Kurt Cobain, Alanis Morissette and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke as three vocalists who helped define the sound of 1990s alternative rock. It argues that their contrasting styles made the decade recognisable and continued to influence later musicians.

Cobain’s gravelly, forceful singing is linked to grunge; Morissette’s rough-edged, cathartic delivery is represented by “You Oughta Know”. Yorke’s emotional vocals, paired with Radiohead’s electronic influences, are associated with songs including “Creep”, “No Surprises” and “Fake Plastic Trees”.