Before alternative music invaded the mainstream in the 1990s, it dominated college radio. Indie bands emerged in the 1980s, appearing on college rock radio shows. As alternative remained in the underground, these bands inspired some of the biggest names in 90s alternative rock, such as Nirvana, Weezer, Green Day, and more. Here are three college rock bands from the 1980s that basically invented the holy grail of 90s bands.

Hüsker Dü

Hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota, Husker Du formed in 1979. Aside from their mark on the Twin Cities underground scene, the band influenced 90s artists such as Nirvana, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Uncle Tupelo, and many others. Specifically, their sophomore album, Zen’s Arcade, blended elements of hardcore punk and indie rock. This became highly influential and crucial to the 90s alternative rock sound. Sadly, Hüsker Dü broke up in 1988, just before alternative rock broke into the mainstream. Still, their massive influence on the decade was duly noted throughout the 90s.

Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes are among the pioneers of folk punk, fusing together traditional folk with punk rock of the late 70s. The group formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1981. Their self-titled debut album became a college rock radio hit in 1983, generating the band’s signature hit “Blister In The Sun.” Notably, the song was quite different compared to other emerging indie rock bands of the decade. It became the template for Nirvana’s acoustic side of Kurt Cobain’s songwriting. As Nirvana’s Nevermind was rising to the top of the Billboard 200 in January 1992, the band was opening for Violent Femmes on tour.

R.E.M.

Almost no other band dominated college rock radio quite like R.E.M. They were the epitome of college rock radio throughout the decade. The band famously targeted college rock radio stations, offering exclusive interviews and hand-delivering their albums. This led to their early breakout single “Radio Free Europe” becoming a staple on college radio. In the late 80s, the band started to break into the mainstream after their hit “The Only I Love” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

When alternative music broke into the mainstream in late 1991, R.E.M. became closely associated with this movement. Due to this, their 1991 album Out Of Time became their best-selling release. Additionally, lead singer Michael Stipe’s close friendship with Kurt Cobain was publicly noted during this time as well. The two became so close that Stipe was named the godfather of Cobain’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain.

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Long before Dr. Dre helped define 90s hip-hop with his otherworldly production, he was in an electro-rap group in the 80s called the World Class Wreckin’ Cru. Throughout the years, he’s been reluctant to even discuss these origins. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. If anything, it shows how one can change and find themselves in changing times, rather than being left behind and forgotten. Because that’s exactly what could’ve happened with Dre. Instead, he decided to help make beats for his friend, Eazy E, as a favor that helped him in more ways than one.

In the early 80s, World Class Wreckin’ Cru formed, debuting in the West Coast club scene. The group released a few minor hits in the early 80s, including “Surgery”, which Dre would later refer to as “corny”. Despite this, the group signed to a major-label record deal in 1985 with Epic Records. Despite Dre’s embarrassment about this era, his production potential showed on their 1985 album World Class and Rapped In Romance in 1986. The group penned a local hit, “Turn Off The Lights”, in 1986.

Much of Dr. Dre’s embarrassment about the group stems from the group’s outfits. They wore flashy outfits, with shimmering jackets and mock stethoscopes when mixing and scratching during sets. As gangsta rap emerged in the late 80s and early 90s, street cred was everything. That’s what bothered Dr. Dre so much in later years. He feared it’d come back to haunt him, and it did.

Creating N.W.A.

In 1986, everything changed when Dr. Dre was arrested for a third time for missed court appearances and multiple traffic violations. In the past, he had relied on band leader DJ Alonzo Williams to bail him out. This time, Alonzo refused. Dr. Dre then reached out to Eric “Eazy-E” Wright, whom he’d worked with previously on side projects. In exchange for bail, Dre had to become a producer for Wright’s new record label, Ruthless Records.

Upon working with Eazy-E at Ruthless, Dre felt inspired to shift his production into new terrain with a new group. Soon after, Eazy-E and Ruthless co-founder Jerry Heller brought together Arabian Prince, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, who Dre had worked with in World Class Wreckin’ Cru, to form N.W.A.

Following the band’s first release, a collaboration with The Posse, the group was on a fast track to reinvent the rap game. They did just that with their debut album Straight Outta Compton in 1989, and the rest is history. Even though Dr. Dre probably wishes he could erase some of that early history.

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