this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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Alternative Nation: The Fediverse's Alternative and Indie Music Community

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Alternative Nation : The Fediverse's largest alternative and indie music community! All things alternative music, from 80s college rock to today's indie and all the amazing alternative music in between. Welcome home, music nerds!

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DAY 10 of the 30 Day Song Challenge, alternative music styles!

I'M NOT CRYING! YOU'RE CRYING!!!

Each day I’ll post the challenge and you share some of your favorite alternative & indie songs that meet the challenge!

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[–] MelonYellow 7 points 2 years ago

Sufjan Stevens "The Only Thing"

The entire Carrie & Lowell album, really. I won't lie, that song in particular has made me tear up a few times. It's about the death of a loved one (his mother in this case).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

Something I Can Never Have - Nine Inch Nails

From the first time I heard this song up until today it just hits my emotions completely. Now to go sad cry on Saturday!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead

https://youtu.be/nZq_jeYsbTs

"I'm not here.

This isn't happening."

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Sputnik by Smile.

It starts out about Laika, the dog that the USSR sent into space and died, and goes downhill from there.

They seem to be a relatively unknown band, but if you like it, try "Staring at the Sun" for something not so downer.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6hRYeC9mjFK2nrm6guHAM0?si=sD0HrcxyQuuIDVbBxBTvfg

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Here are five, though they get slightly more mainstream as you go down the list.

EDIT: I'm trying to fix the links. Gimme a sec.

EDIT 2: Here are the music videos and fan lyric videos. I'm giving up on Beatbump, HyperPipe, and YT Music.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

I had trouble finding something recent, but this works, I think, just older.

Chris Bell - I am the cosmos

https://youtu.be/7VfJ8dGsAws

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Cavetown really hits that a lot for me, but this song has made me so listening to the album because I can't stop thinking about past pets.

https://youtu.be/qdlOco92FOY

As a side note, you should listen to Lemon Boy from the same album.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yesterday - Atmosphere

Here's some alternative hip hop that might make you cry

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Thanks for this. "Puppets" was also one of my better finds recently.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Atmosphere has a lot of good songs. The Waitress is another good one from the same album.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Phil Elverum from The Microphones and Mount Eerie lost his wife to cancer and then wrote an album about it called A Crow Looked at Me. It is absolutely heartbreaking. Here's the opener from the album.

Real Death - Mount Eerie

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There's plenty of sad songs in this thread but this is the "this isn't cathartic it's just devastating" kind of sad that can only come from real, deep, somber, visceral pain

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

That's a great way of putting it. It's devastating and honestly difficult to listen to. But maybe someone needs to hear it so that's why I posted it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Absolutely, Phil's an incredible artist that doesn't get nearly as much attention as he deserves

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Amanda Ann Platt and the Honeycutters, "Boneyard".

https://youtu.be/nQ_74hfJm_E

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Here’s one I’d forgotten about. This live version is really nice (slow starter)

Crippled Black Phoenix - Burnt Reynolds

https://youtu.be/gMqjERPps2Y?feature=shared

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

This one is an old, sad favorite of ours: Katy Song - Red House Painters

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

oh it's gotta be "Forever" by Bruderschaft (featuring vocals by Ronan Harris of VNV Nation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBugs8pgtK0

This song is uncompromisingly beautiful: a poem of love and dedication from a son to a dying father.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Ugh! Yes. Their cover. Woof! Gets ya good.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

grandson - Heather Hits me right in the feels every time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

Small Hands - Keaton Henson

Keaton Henson makes some beautiful somber music

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day and for the same reason. I miss you, Dad. Nine years.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

Bear's Den - Pompeii
This version, specifically.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Elliott Smith - Everything means nothing to me

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

@ren @alternativenation

This one always gets me, double so with the video.

Massive Attack - Live With Me (2006)

https://youtu.be/AIIovpUQiro

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Sad musics' my jam! Enjoy being down in the dumps today

Edit the Sad Parts - Modest Mouse

Indie rock

Spectral Bride - Giles Corey

Folk, noise

My Madonna - Two Galants

Indie rock, folk

MANY HANDS - Lingua Ignota

TW: Rape, abuse, religious trauma

Appalachian, avant garde, noise

Twenty Four Hours - Joy Division

Post punk

ego death - foxtails

Screamo

To a Husband at War - I Hate Myself

Emo

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

You have a awesome username

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

Harvey Danger - Jack the Lion

Sorry to punch you all in the gut.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The Arcade Fire's Haiti

https://youtu.be/tGvpUgo7ayY Controversies with members of the band aside, this song makes me cry every time. I have no connection to Haiti but the poignant vocals really pulls at your heart strings and makes you mourn for a lost homeland. The French lines really help too.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I have an AF song too that used to get me so emotional about my daughters - but I couldn’t remember the title yesterday. A line about β€œif I had a daughter”, maybe from Suburbs??? But yeah, the song is in me now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

for a hot second I thought this was Enigma’s β€œReturn To Innocence”

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Oh wow, yeah, I forgot all about that song, but different end of the 90s and different vibe entirely there

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

I read the title first! lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago