Genres: Rock: Classic Alternative & Punk

Cool, confident, sharp, and smart party music for punk divas and new wave dandies who wanna dance.

The first wave of punk bands in Britain produced some of the fastest, hardest, and grittiest rock music the world had ever heard. Hold on and get ready for "anarchy in the U.K."

One of the most eclectic sub-genres in rock music, new wave features the punk-influenced, synth-dominated sound that defined pop music in the early 1980s.

When the only way to keep your adrenaline up is to work yourself into a neurotic frenzy, these near-psychotic tracks will make sure you don't fall asleep at the wheel or your desk.

Sink into the gently serrated sound of shoegaze, that amorphous strain of British indie pop of the late '80s and early '90s. All the original shoegazer hits are here, from all the key figures in the scene that celebrated itself.

Punk rock was born in New York City, but by the late '70s the genre's infectious primitivism had reached cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, where bands began playing a tougher, thrashier style of punk.

Hendrix may have said "You'll never hear surf music again," but he was wrong. Surf's reverb and twang has been an essential influence on the punk, new wave and indie eras, not to mention those acts that took surf itself into modern times.

Post-punk artists who felt the funk, from both the U.S. (Liquid Liquid) and the U.K. (Gang of Four).

Some girls buy their music on import vinyl. Some girls think all the best rock 'n' roll was made between 1965 and 1984. Some girls think it's important to stay cool even at their most impassioned. Jessa is one of those girls.

New York City is the birthplace of punk rock, and like the city that birthed it, the punk rock scene in the late 70s was diverse, contentious, noisy and unlike any other in the world. This is the sound of CBGB's and Max's Kansas City.

Dance the night away to the stacked jukebox in a steamy dive bar on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

This collection of melodic, jangly pop/rock from emerging artists and their inspirations evokes the early days of spring. Listen to this while you savor the season's sublime mixture of warm sun and cool air.

Calling all creepers and fiend-chasers. This roundup of psychobilly and horror punk is sure to have you on your worst behavior.

Garage rock and other hard-rocking songs from the '60s and early '70s that helped pave the way for The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, and other early punk rock bands.

Let the moody restlessness of late '70s/early '80s post-punk help you shake off that after-lunch lull. These predominantly British acts offer up the aural equivalent of an afternoon cup of coffee.

The sound of an unhinged party in a dingy basement, this collection of restless and aggressive grunge showcases the awesomely heavy side of '90s alt-rock.

From Black Flag to Daniel Johnston, this playlist showcases some of the artists who influenced the short but incendiary career of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Listen to essential songs by Iggy & The Stooges as well as their greatest influences, contemporaries, and followers.

This is the funky, abrasive, and distinctive sound of downtown NYC's various post-punk scenes of the late '70s and early '80s.

Krautrock is the British label given to the crop of German bands to emerge in the late '60 - the first generation born into post-war Germany. What united these artist wasn't a singular style, but a shared frustration and willingness to experiment.

Motorik, German for "motor skill," is a propulsive 4/4 drum pattern popularized in 1970s Germany by acts like Neu that's perfect for cruising down the Autobahn. This playlist features modern and classic songs built on the Motorik rhythm.

For those who spent their university days hanging around the campus radio station during the heyday of college radio. Journey back to the time when all the best music could be found to the left of the dial.

Developed in the 1980s, Math rock is a guitar-based genre influenced by progressive and experimental rock known for using odd time signatures, interlocking rhythms and complex arrangements.

Listen to essential songs by The Only Band That Matters (and its members' side projects) as well as their greatest influences, contemporaries, and followers.

Born of the '90s DIY scene in the Pacific Northwest, the riot grrrl movement features bands that combine aggressive vocals and empowering lyrics with thrashing punk instrumentals.

Not for the squeamish, this collection is the best punk, metal, and indie rock to vent your frustrations to. Get your aggro on.

Listen to female rockers from the punk era to today's indie girl-crushes who use smarts, speed and sex appeal to get their point across.

In their 30 years together, R.E.M. helped shape the post-punk musical landscape. From the bands who inspired them to their contemporaries on the college radio scene, explore how the boys from Athens helped change everything

Born from post-punk and new wave influences, college rock describes the brand of alternative rock that dominated college radio playlists in the 1980s, before alternative rock went mainstream with the grunge movement in the 1990s.

Whether you're quitting your job, complaining about the government or otherwise sticking it to The Man, these classic punk songs will make the perfect soundtrack for your moment of defiance.

Bouncy, jangly, and upbeat songs from classic soul to '80s alternative and today's indie rock. Break through the mid-afternoon lul.

The history of industrial music, from its pre-punk roots to its first wave pioneers in the post-punk era to its modern-day genre offspring -- this playlist includes EBM, coldwave, industrial rock, power electronics and more.

As the '80s became the '90s, Manchester's lively, drug-fueled music scene smashed together dance music and psychedelia with wild-eyed glee. Recall the acts that peaked during 1989's New Summer of Love, as well as the bands that book-ended the era.

The American punk underground spawned some of the most creative, fiery and fiercely independent bands of the 1980s. Listen to the groups that paved the way for grunge, emo and pop-punk's commercial ascent in the 1990s.

As garish as the decade could often be, the 1980s were also a time of musical sophistication. Especially in the post-punk UK, a suave persona and musical creativity were admirable traits even among DIY indie types.

Fuzzy, noisy, primal rock where passion is paramount has existed almost as long as rock itself. Explore the history of lo-fi from the garage-psych '60s through the post-punk '70s and the DIY '90s until today.

Embracing all things melancholy, these post-punk acts unabashedly reveled in the morbid and the miserable. Return to the time before goth became just another uniform choice for aspiring teenage rebels.

New wave, post-punk, synth pop, proto-goth, new romantic, mod and ska revival cuts from 1978-1984. No disco.

During the 1980s and '90s, D.C. was the place to be for hardcore. Enjoy the finest bands from that time and place, as well as their latter-day incarnations that branched out in different sonic directions.

After proving their pop sensibilities with the multi-platinum album Rumours, Fleetwood Mac released Tusk, one of the great double-albums of the '70s. Here are songs from (and inspired by) the era when classic rock, California pop, and new wave collided.

You may have dumped me, but I still have my Moog. Classic synth pop from the '80s to today, all detailing the down side to love.

This brooding set of synth-pop features acts ranging from Tubeway Army to LCD Soundsystem.

A champion of pop art and the original manager of The Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol left an indelible impression on American pop culture. Listen to songs from the musicians who congregated at The Factory during the '60s and '70s.

An eclectic playlist of songs about mortality and evil.

Boozy rock, cool synth pop, and some nocturnal melodrama for stumbling home at 4:00 a.m.

Not simply songs about autumn, but alternative tunes that bear an autumnal vibe, from melancholy piano ballads to rustic folk, these songs will give you that falling-leaves-and-chilly-breeze feeling.

If your kids want to jump around the living room with you, no need to reach for the cheesy children's music. Keep your sanity, indulge your offspring, and please your ears by tapping into these goofy, catchy tunes by some of your own favorite artists.

Let these uplifting songs help you rise from slumber and start your day in grand form. From big 1980s sounds to contemporary alt-rock and electronica, this mix will have you feeling like you can take on the world.

Let these emotional indie tunes bring you back to that perfect time of uncertainty, when your feelings (and music) couldn't matter more.

Nothing can coax you into a deep sleep quite like the soothing, ethereal sounds of dream pop's finest artists. Drift off into dreamland with these ethereal sounds.