Best Alternative Bands In Chicago
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy formed in 2001 in Glenview, IL by childhood friends Joe Trohman and Pete Wentz after meeting Patrick Stump. After releasing a self-recorded demo, Fall Out Boy released the Split EP in 2002 on Uprising Records, featuring their song "Project Rocket." In 2003, they also released a mini-LP, Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, on Uprising. After building up a cult following in the Chicago area, Fall Out Boy was signed to Island Records in 2003. Their major label debut, From Under the Cork Tree, was released in 2005, and debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 9. The band enjoyed continued success through 2009, releasing 5 commercially successful albums, touring extensively, and appearing frequently on television and in movies. In 2010, the band went on hiatus.
Alkaline Trio
Formed in Chicago, IL in 1996, Alkaline Trio is punk rock group consisting of members Matt Skiba, Dan Andriano, and Derek Grant. The Band's first EP, Sundials, was released in 1997, followed by the release of their second EP, For Your Lungs Only, in 1998. These two albums, along with the band's touring, started to gain them a sizeable following in the Midwest. That same year they released their first full album, Goddamnit, on Asian Man Records. After releasing 2000's Catch Fire, on Asian Man, the band signed to the Vagrant label. The band continues to release records, with their 7th studio album, This Addiction, released in February of 2010 on their own label, Heart & Skull.
Rise Against
Formed in 1999 in Chicago, IL, originally under the name Transistor Revolt, Rise Against is a punk rock band which has released five studio albums. In 2001 they signed to Fat Wreck Records, releasing their first two albums, The Unraveling (2001) and Revolutions Per Minute 2003, on the label. They were later signed by Dreamworks Records, but after they were purchased by Universal Music Group, Rise Against ended up on Geffen Records, a subsidiary of Universal. Their influences range from hardcore to classic punk, and their songs contain a somewhat political message. They continue touring and are working on a new album as of 2010.
Disturbed
Formed in 1996 in Chicago, Disturbed is a hard rock/heavy metal band, though some fans consider them to be nu metal. In their formative years, the band recorded demos and toured extensively without any major releases. This changed in 2000 however, with the release of The Sickness which propelled the band into more mainstream stardom. The album's hit track "Down With the Sickness" became highly popular and was used in many film soundtracks, as well as appearing in several television programs. Disturbed joined the Ozzfest tour in 2001, and formed their own tour, Music as a Weapon, thereafter. Disturbed continued to record and tour through the 2000's, releasing Believe (2001) and Ten Thousand Fists (2005), which both debuted at number 1 on the charts. The band is expected to release their fifth studio album in 2010.
Kill Hannah
Kill Hannah is an alternative/electronic rock band formed in a dorm room at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995. The band self-released their own albums from 1996-2002, which all sold out rapidly after several pressings. In 2002 the band signed with Atlantic Records, and released their debut on the label, For Never & Ever, in 2003. In 2006, Kill Hannah released their second major album, Until There's Nothing Left Of Us, which during recording drummer Garret Hammond left the band for family reasons. In 2008, the band signed with Roadrunner Records. The band continues to tour in Europe and the United States and released their new album, Wake Up the Sleepers, in 2010.
