NirvanaNirvana brought grunge into the mainstream and sent major labels scurrying to find new, obscure talent. (Rolling Stone/Rhapsody)
CreedCreed represent the antithesis of Nirvana: loud, obnoxious jock rock with a post-grunge pastiche. (AP Photo/Kim D. Johnson)
Pearl JamPearl Jam hit it big with their first two albums before boycotting MTV to focus on cultivating a rabid fanbase.(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, HO)
SublimeFrat rock used to be 'Louie Louie.' Sublime transformed the genre with songs like 'Date Rape.' (AP Photo/Adam Nadel)
MetallicaMetallica started the '90s off with their crossover smash, 'The Black Album.' The ensuing years were less kind. Who can forget the Napster flap? (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Limp BizkitLimp Bizkit (Barry Brecheisen/Rolling Stone)
EverclearArt Alexakis performs with his band Everclear at the 2000 Radio Music Awards at the Aladdin Theater in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2000. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)
Smashing Pumpkin...Leadsinger Billy Corgan of the American band "The Smashing Pumpkins" at their first apearance in Germany, Sunday evening, April 7, 1996 during the "Rocknacht" of the German TV - WDR in Duesseldorf's Philipshalle. It is the 12th Rocknacht live on the first German TV-Program. Next concert of the Smashing Pumpkins German tour is April 14, 1996 in Hamburg. (AP-PHOTO/Edgar Schoepal)
Hootie and the B...Hootie And The Blowfish (Barry Brecheisen / Rolling Stone)
Green DayMembers of Green Day celebrate their best alternative music video award for "Time of Your Life," at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, Thursday, Sept. 10, 1998. (AP Photo/Michael Caulfield)
DishwallaJ.R. Richards, lead singer for Dishwalla, alternative rock band performs in front of an estimated crowd of 30,000 on the third day of the Day In The Garden in Bethal, NY., Sunday, Aug. 16, 1998. (AP Photo/Ken Bizzigotti)
WeezerGuitarist Rivers Cuomo performs live with his band 'Weezer' at the Troubadour December 15, 2000 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Gary Livingston/Newsmakers)
Collective SoulCollective Soul on stage at Woodstock 94 in Saugerties, New York on August 14, 1994. (Photo by Gabe Palacio/ImageDirect)
SoundgardenSoundgarden (Mark Seliger / Rolling Stone)
10,000 ManiacsSinger Natalie Merchant poses for a photo in New York, Nov. 7, 2001. Merchant, 38, queen of 1980s college radio when she fronted 10,000 Maniacs, has sold millions of albums. She says her musical tastes haven't changed much since she was a teen-ager; she's still a folkie at heart, but she's now showing more soul with her latest solo release "Motherland." (AP Photo/Jim Cooper)
BushLead singer Gavin Rossdale performs with the band Bush during a rehearsal for an appearance on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," in New York November 21, 1996. Bush sold more than four million copies of its debut album in the U.S. and their new album, "Razorblade Suitcase," is being counted on to salvage a bad business year for rock 'n roll. (AP Photo/Joe Tabacca)
PhishLead singer Trey Anastasio, left, performs with bassist Mike Gordon of the rock band Phish during a concert in Burlington, Vt., in March 1997. The Burlington-bred band has reached national acclaim with many of its fiercely devoted fans expected to attend a big two-day concert in northern Maine Aug. 16 and 17 (AP Photo/Alden Pellett, File)
Rage Against the...Rage Against the Machine singer Zach de la Rocha during a performance at the MTV Times Square studio in New York City. (2007 Getty Images)
Nine Inch NailsTrent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails performing on the 1999 MTV Music Video Awards at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center in New York City on September 9, 1999. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)
FuelFuel performs at the Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. 5/6/01 (Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect)
Stone Temple Pil...Scott Weiland Of Stone Temple Pilots At Drai's Restaurant After The Premiere Of Great Expectations Beverly Hills, Ca, January 20, 1998. (Photo By David Klein/Getty Images)
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses-RS 539 November 17, 1989 (Timothy White / Rolling Stone)
SilverchairSilverchair (Steve Tackeff / Rolling Stone)
Gin BlossomsRobin Wilson of the band "The Gin Blossoms" gets carried back to the stage after diving into the crowd, during a Fourth of July concert at Task Force Eagle Base, in Tuzla, Thursday July 4, 1996. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
Lenny KravitzAmerican popstar Lenny Kravitz, Tuesday, March 12, 1996, performs at Vienna's sold-out City Hall. (AP Photo/Manfred Szlezak)
Matchbox 20New Artist nominee "matchbox 20" arrives for the 25th annual American Music Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Monday, Jan. 26, 1998. The group has been nominated for Best New Artist. Band members are, Kyle Cook, Paul Doucette, Adam Gaynor, Matthew Serletic, Rob Thomas and Brian Yale. No further identifications available. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
GarbageGarbage at the 1999 Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, CA on February 24, 1999 (Photo by Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)
Blues TravelerMembers of the band Blues Traveler pose in this undated publicity photo. From left; Brendan Hill, Bob Sheehan, Chandler Kinchla and John Popper. The band started the H.O.R.D.E tour in 1992 and still runs it. But this summer they stayed away from traveling with the festival, preferring to tour on their own. (AP Photo/Frank Ockenfels III, A&M)