City With Best Alt Music Scene: 1980's

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

Let's not forget The Jayhawks!

I tend to think of them as a '90s band, but their first LP probably did come out in the late '80s.

A few more great '80s bands from Minneapolis are
Trip Shakespeare
The Gear Daddy's
Babes in Toyland

School of Fish (Three Strange Days) was partially based in Mpls

[b. frank]

Nobody has mentioned Athens, Georgia yet?

It gave us: REM (the epitome of an "alt" band), the B-52s, and Pylon among a bunch of other lesser-knowns.

None of those are my personal favorites but you can argue that Athens shaped the style that we call Alternative Rock.

[Island_OnThe_Land]

Originally Posted by b. frank

Nobody has mentioned Athens, Georgia yet?

It gave us: REM (the epitome of an "alt" band), the B-52s, and Pylon among a bunch of other lesser-knowns.

None of those are my personal favorites but you can argue that Athens shaped the style that we call Alternative Rock.

Yes, ATHENS must be included on any TOP 5 list for the decade. In addition to REM & Pylon, I'd throw in Love Tractor (an all instrumental band).

On a per capita basis, ATHENS and MINNEAPOLIS could make a case for being No. 1 & 2.

[MplsTodd]

Another city to consider is Hoboken, NJ, which in the early '80s was home to (correct me if I'm wrong--I know several of the Dbs were originally from North Carolina, but recall that they settled on the west side of the Hudson River):

The Db's
The Feelies
The Bongos

All great jangle-guitar influenced pop bands (they were basically the bridge between power pop bands and alt-rock)

[Interpol76]

Manchester, England.... Joy Division, The Smiths, Stone Roses, New Order