Alternative Airplay Explained

Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks between 1988 and 2009, and Alternative Songs between 2009 and 2020) is a music chart published in the American magazine Billboard since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played songs on alternative and modern rock radio stations. Introduced as Modern Rock Tracks, the chart served as a companion to the Mainstream Rock chart (then called Album Rock Tracks), and its creation was prompted by the explosion of alternative music on American radio in the late 1980s. During the first several years of the chart, it regularly featured music that did not receive commercial radio airplay anywhere but on a few modern rock and college rock radio stations. This included many electronic and post-punk artists. Gradually, as alternative rock became more mainstream (spearheaded by the grunge explosion in the early 1990s), alternative and mainstream rock radio stations began playing many of the same songs. By the late 2000s, the genres became more fully differentiated with only limited crossover. The Alternative Airplay chart features more alternative rock, indie pop, and pop punk artists while the Mainstream Rock chart leans towards more guitar-tinged blues rock, hard rock, and heavy metal.

The chart is based solely on radio airplay ranked by a calculation of the total number of spins each song receives per week. As of 2012, approximately 80 alternative radio stations across the United States are electronically monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.^[1] The chart had 30 positions when it was introduced in September 1988 and expanded to 40 positions on September 10, 1994.^[2]

The chart was renamed to Alternative Songs beginning with the June 20, 2009, issue after Billboard fully absorbed Radio & Records, whose similar chart was called "Alternative" and to reflect the music industry's more common use of the term.^[3] In June 2020, Billboard introduced the separate Hot Alternative Songs chart, which uses similar methodology as the Billboard Hot 100 by measuring the popularity of songs classified as alternative across all radio formats, streaming services, and sales within the United States. To avoid confusion, Alternative Songs was renamed Alternative Airplay.

History

The first alternative chart, called Modern Rock Tracks, appeared in the September 10, 1988, edition of Billboard magazine.^[4] The first number-one song of the chart was Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Peek-a-Boo", which topped the charts for two weeks.^[5] In the chart's early years, the chart was closely associated with college rock, new wave, post-punk and electronic genres with a large presence of British, Irish and Australian artists, as only 24 of the chart's first 82 number-one hits were by American acts.^[6] Bands including Depeche Mode, Pixies, the Cure, New Order and R.E.M. were amongst the most popular acts on Alternative radio in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Many rock artists do not release commercial singles in the United States. Several popular songs which were not released as commercial singles did not qualify for the Hot 100 before December 1998, but performed very well on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

In 1991, with the release of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana (which reached No. 1 on November 23, 1991),^[7] grunge became a new form of alternative rock to chart. However, grunge did not have a dominating presence on the chart in its heyday; over time, grunge would grow into popularity as a representation of alternative rock in the mainstream. Iconic grunge songs fared decently on the Alternative Songs chart but better on the Mainstream Rock Songs. For example, "Black" by Pearl Jam peaked only at No. 20 on the former but No. 3 on the latter.^{[8] [9]} This was because the college rock and new wave of the 1980s remained the dominant styles of the format, while grunge became an alternative rock style that was popular on the Mainstream Rock format.

In the mid-1990s, alternative rock songs began to crossover to Pop radio, with acts such as Green Day, the Offspring and Alanis Morissette being played on Pop stations after establishing hits on the Alternative chart. Dominant genres included pop punk and softer alternative rock, as grunge acts such as Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots did not reach No. 1, while Britpop, a form of alternative rock from the UK, was represented only by Oasis. By the late 1990s, the Alternative Songs chart was ruled by relatively lighter alternative rock bands such as Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty and Sugar Ray and a plethora of one-hit wonders.^[10]

At the turn of the century, alternative radio embraced nu-metal/rap rock with bands including Korn, Limp Bizkit and most famously, Linkin Park. Chris Molanphy of Pitchfork stated that "possibly the most loathed period for music of the last half-century, the rap-rock years—when looked through the prism of the Modern Rock chart's evolution—are a logical endpoint to a decade when alt-culture steadily de-wussified itself." Garage rock from the likes of the White Stripes and the Strokes also became hits in the early 2000s as a counter to the over-aggression of rap rock.

In the mid-2000s, the Alternative charts were ruled at the top by its most dominant members. From 2003 to 2008, the No. 1 song was by either Foo Fighters, Green Day, Incubus, Linkin Park or Red Hot Chili Peppers 49% of the time – 152 out of 313 weeks. During this time, 1990s alternative groups such as Nine Inch Nails and Weezer enjoyed their biggest success, while emo (Jimmy Eat World), indie rock (Modest Mouse) and pop punk (Fall Out Boy) also were popular. In 2007, "The Kill" by Thirty Seconds to Mars set a record for the longest-running hit in the history of the US alternative chart when it remained on the national chart for 52 weeks.^[11] Rise Against's "Savior" later broke the record by spending 65 weeks, followed around the same time by "1901" from Phoenix at 57.^[12] In 2009, Billboard renamed the chart to "Alternative Songs".

In the 2010s, the Alternative charts were led by softer indie pop and folk, and crossed over new acts to pop radio for the first time since the late 1990s, such as Foster the People, Imagine Dragons, Fun, and Gotye. The chart also began to diverge from the Mainstream Rock chart, as only 10 of 40 songs were shared between the two in November 2012, compared to 23 of 40 in November 2002.^[13] For the chart's 25th anniversary in 2013, Billboard published a list of the 100 biggest hits in the history of the Alternative chart. "Uprising" by Muse was listed at No. 1, having spent 17 weeks on the top of the chart and 53 weeks in total. "Savior" by Rise Against was listed at No. 2, peaking at #3 but staying on the chart for a record-breaking 65 weeks.^[14]

On October 11, 2018, Billboard released its Greatest of All Time Alternative Songs 30th-anniversary recap. Foo Fighters continued its reign as the chart's No. 1 act over the list's first 30 years, after leading the 25th-anniversary recap. Muse's "Uprising" retained its standing as the all-time No. 1 song. Rise Against's "Savior" again ranked at No. 2, while Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" entered at No. 3, the highest debut on the 30th anniversary songs list, following its record 20-week reign in 2017.^[15] Six bands charted at least once in the first four decades of the chart's existence – Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2 and Beastie Boys.^[16] As of 2023, only Depeche Mode, Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2 have extended that streak to five decades.^[17] Although the Alternative Songs chart "tends to be heavily male-dominated", Billboard released a list of the top-performing women in the chart's archives as part of the 30th anniversary of the Alternative Songs chart, with Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries taking the lead spot.^[18] The current number-one song on the chart is "Too Sweet" by Hozier.^[19]

Chart achievements

Artists with the most number-one songs

Source:^{[20] [21] [22] [23]}

Red Hot Chili Peppers (15)

Green Day (13)

Foo Fighters (12)

Linkin Park (12)

Cage the Elephant (11)

Acts who have reached number one in at least three decades

Four decades

Source:^{[24] [25]}

Blink-182 (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Foo Fighters (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Green Day (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Red Hot Chili Peppers (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Three decades

Source:^{[26] [27] [28]}

Beck (1990s, 2000s, 2010s)

Coldplay (2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Linkin Park (2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Modest Mouse (2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

U2 (1980s, 1990s, 2000s)

Weezer (2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

Artists with the most cumulative weeks at number one

Weeks at No. 1	Artist	Source
95		^[29]
91		^[30]
77		^[31]
73		^[32]
65		^[33]
55		^[34]
48		^[35]
46		^[36]
46		^[37]
42		^[38]

Number-one debuts

• "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" by R.E.M. (1994)^[39]
• "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006)^[40]
• "What I've Done" by Linkin Park (2007)^[41]

Artists with most chart entries

Entries	Act	Source
43		^[42]
42		^[43]
41		^[44]
37		^[45]
37		^[46]
34		^[47]
30		^[48]
30		^[49]

Artists with the most top-ten songs

Entries	Act	Source
30		^[50]
28		^[51]
26		^[52]
23		^[53]
21		^[54]
21		^[55]
18		^[56]
18		^[57]
17		^[58]
17		^[59]
16		^[60]
16		^[61]

Songs with most weeks on the chart

The following songs have charted for more than 52 weeks.

Weeks	Song	Artist	Source
88	"Monsters"		^[62]
76	"Broken"		^[63]
65	"Savior"		^[64]
64	"First"
63	"Trampoline"		^[65]
58	"Do I Wanna Know?"
57	"1901"
56	"Wish I Knew You"
55	"Sit Next to Me"
54	"Enemy"
53	"Feel It Still"
	"Uprising"

Songs with most weeks at number one

The songs with 16 or more weeks at number one.

Weeks	Song	Artist	Year	Source
20	"Feel It Still"		2017	^[66]
	"One More Time"		2023–24
19	"Madness"		2012–13
18	"The Pretender"		2007
	"Monsters"		2020–21	^[67] ^[68]
17	"Uprising"	Muse	2009–10
16	"Scar Tissue"		1999
	"It's Been Awhile"		2001
	"Boulevard of Broken Dreams"		2004–05
	"High Hopes"		2018–19	^[69]

Songs that have taken the longest time to reach number one

Weeks	Song	Artist	Source
42	"Running Up That Hill"		^[70]
33	"Out of My League"		^[71]
	"Novocaine"	The Unlikely Candidates	^[72]
32	"Just Pretend"	Bad Omens	^[73]
	"Mountain at My Gates"		^[74]
	"Animal"	Neon Trees	^[75]
31	"Toxic"		^[76]
	"1901"	Phoenix	^[77]
30	"Dissolve"	Absofacto	^[78]
29	"Feel Good Drag"	Anberlin	^[79]
	"Back Against the Wall"	Cage the Elephant	^[80]
	"Safe and Sound"	Capital Cities	^[81]
	"Little Talks"	Of Monsters and Men	^[82]
	"Records"	Weezer	^[83]

Albums with at least three number ones

Source:^[84]

5 songs

MeteoraLinkin Park ("Somewhere I Belong", "Faint", "Numb", "Lying from You", "Breaking the Habit", 2003–04)

3 songs

Scaled and Icy Twenty One Pilots ("Shy Away", "Saturday", "The Outside", 2021–22)

Social CuesCage the Elephant ("Ready to Let Go", "Social Cues", "Skin and Bones", 201921)

Trench Twenty One Pilots ("Jumpsuit", "Chlorine", "The Hype", 2018–19)

EvolveImagine Dragons ("Believer", "Thunder", "Whatever It Takes", 2017–18)

Only by the NightKings of Leon ("Sex on Fire", "Use Somebody", "Notion", 2008–09)

Echoes, Silence, Patience & GraceFoo Fighters ("The Pretender", "Long Road to Ruin", "Let It Die", 2007–08)

Stadium ArcadiumRed Hot Chili Peppers ("Dani California", "Tell Me Baby", "Snow (Hey Oh)", 2006–07)

With TeethNine Inch Nails ("The Hand That Feeds", "Only", "Every Day Is Exactly the Same", 2005–06)

American IdiotGreen Day ("American Idiot", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "Holiday", 2004–05)

CalifornicationRed Hot Chili Peppers ("Scar Tissue", "Otherside", "Californication", 1999–2000)

Jagged Little PillAlanis Morissette ("You Oughta Know", "Hand in My Pocket", "Ironic", 1995–96)

DookieGreen Day ("Longview", "Basket Case", "When I Come Around", 1994–95)

Achtung BabyU2 ("The Fly", "Mysterious Ways", "One", 1991–92)

Top female performers (1988–2018)

Source:

Position	Artist
1	Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries)
2	Meg White (The White Stripes)
3	Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie & the Banshees)
4	Shirley Manson (Garbage)
5	Alanis Morissette
6	Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson (The B-52s)
7	Gwen Stefani (No Doubt)
8	Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs)
9	Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir (Of Monsters and Men)
10	Hannah Hooper (Grouplove)

Other chart achievements

• Blink-182's album One More Time... has generated songs with the highest total number of weeks spent at number one, with thirty-three weeks total. Red Hot Chili Peppers' album Californication and Linkin Park's album Meteora come next with thirty weeks each.
• Sum 41 have had the longest time between number-ones (22 years, 5 months and 3 weeks), with "Fat Lip" (2001) and "Landmines" (2023).^[85] The record was previously held by The Killers, who waited 13 years and 6 months, between "When You Were Young" (2006) and "Caution" (2020) for their next number one.^[86]

• Fifteen songs released on an independent record label have reached number one on the chart. The first three were "Come Out and Play" by The Offspring, "What It's Like" by Everlast and "Panic Switch" by Silversun Pickups.^[87] These were followed by "1901" by Phoenix, "Lay Me Down" by The Dirty Heads featuring Rome Ramirez, "Do I Wanna Know?" by Arctic Monkeys, "Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf)" by Awolnation, "The Sound of Winter" by Bush, "First" by Cold War Kids, "Bored to Death" by Blink-182, "Take It All Back" by Judah & the Lion, "No Roots" by Alice Merton, "Sober Up" by AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo, "Trampoline" by Shaed and "Running Up That Hill" by Meg Myers.
• Although Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" did not hit number one on the chart, peaking at number two on July 2, 1994,^[88] it became the Modern Rock Tracks year-end number one single of 1994,^[89] the only song to do so without ever being number one on the weekly chart.
• In August 2013, Lorde became the first woman to top the chart since Tracy Bonham in 1996 when her song "Royals" reached number one in August 2013;^[90] the next woman to top the chart was Elle King with her song "Ex's & Oh's" which hit the top spot in September 2015.^[91] In September 2013, Lorde surpassed Alanis Morissette to become the woman with the longest-running single at number one when "Royals" spent its sixth week at number one.^[92] Since then, four other women have also topped the chart, Alice Merton (2018), Lana Del Rey (2019), Billie Eilish (2019), and Meg Myers (2020), as have female-fronted bands Shaed (2019), Cannons (2021), and Paramore (2023).
• Lorde is the youngest solo artist to reach number one, achieving this feat at the age of 16 with "Royals".^[93]
• Billie Eilish holds the records for most number ones on the chart for a soloist and most number ones for a female artist or band with female vocals, having topped the chart four times.^[94]
• Fall Out Boy hold the record for the longest wait between their first entry and their first number one single on the chart, when "Love from the Other Side" reached the top in March 2023, 17 years and 9 months after they debuted on the chart with "Sugar, We're Goin Down" in June 2005.^[95]
• Debbie Harry holds the record for the longest gap between entries on the chart: "Kiss It Better" last appeared on the chart in January 1990 and she did not reappear again until a featured credit on "Soul Train" by Just Loud in December 2018, 29 years later. Kate Bush has the longest gap between entries for a lead artist: "Rubberband Girl" last appeared on the chart in January 1994, and she did not chart again until a re-release of her 1985 single "Running Up That Hill", which debuted on the chart 28 years later in June 2022. Blur has the longest gap between entries for a band: "Crazy Beat" last appeared on the chart in May 2003, and they did not chart again until "The Narcissist" debuted on the chart 20 years later in June 2023.^[96]

See also

• List of Billboard number-one alternative hits

External links

• Current Alternative Airplay chart, Billboard.com.

Notes and References

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3. Chart Beat: Pink, Black Eyed Peas, Shinedown . Gary Trust . . June 10, 2009 . January 16, 2020.
4. Alternative Chart 25th Anniversary: Top 50 Artists, Most Top 10s, Most No. 1s & More. Billboard. August 7, 2017.
5. Web site: Siouxsie & The Banshees. www.popradiotop20.com. August 7, 2017.
6. Web site: Radio-Friendly Unit Shifters Pitchfork. pitchfork.com. September 9, 2013 . en. August 7, 2017.
7. Web site: Nirvana – Chart history Billboard. www.billboard.com. en. August 7, 2017.
8. Web site: Pearl Jam – Chart history Billboard. www.billboard.com. en. August 7, 2017.
9. Web site: Pearl Jam – Chart history Billboard. www.billboard.com. en. August 7, 2017.
10. News: Indie Rock's Tuneful Death Rattle. Hyden. Steven. October 1, 2013. Grantland. August 8, 2017. en-US.
11. Web site: 30 Seconds to Mars Breaks Modern Rock Record. February 2, 2007. Kaj. Roth. Melodic. April 23, 2013.
12. Billboard. Extended Stays. Trust. Gary. October 2, 2010. 42. 122. 39. March 11, 2016.
13. Jangle All The Way: New Acts Soften Alternative Airwaves. Billboard. August 8, 2017. en.
14. Alternative Chart 25th Anniversary: Top 100 Songs. Billboard. August 8, 2017.
15. Foo Fighters Top Act, Muse's 'Uprising' No. 1 Song in Alternative Songs Chart's 30th Anniversary Recaps. Billboard. November 19, 2018.
16. Nine Inch Nails Extend Alternative Songs Streak With 'Less Than'. Billboard. August 8, 2017.
17. U2 Extends Alternative, Mainstream Rock Airplay Records With 'Atomic City'. Billboard. October 12, 2023. October 14, 2023. Rutherford. Kevin.
18. Zellner . Xander . October 11, 2018 . Dolores O'Riordan, Alanis Morissette, Hayley Williams & More: The Top 30 Female Artists in the Alternative Songs Chart's History. live . . https://archive.today/20200405163320/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8479043/alternative-songs-female-artists-cranberries-alanis-paramore . April 5, 2020 . July 4, 2020.
19. Alternative Airplay. August 24, 2024. Billboard. August 20, 2024.
20. Green Day Lands 11th No. 1 on Alternative Songs With 'Still Breathing'. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. January 24, 2017. January 28, 2017.
21. Cage the Elephant Alternative Songs Chart History. Billboard. April 2, 2024.
22. Web site: Twenty One Pilots are the first to achieve this chart feat in two years.. Altpress. 2020.
23. Linkin Park Logs 12th Alternative Airplay Chart No. 1 With 'Lost'. Billboard. March 18, 2023.
24. Web site: Blink-182 Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. May 20, 2023.
25. Green Day Breaks Alternative Songs No 1s Record. April 14, 2020. Billboard. April 18, 2020.
26. Beck Scores Record-Breaking No. 1 on Alternative Songs with 'Up All Night'. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. December 7, 2017. December 8, 2017.
27. Web site: Weezer Leads Alternative Airplay Chart in Third Decade With 'Hero' . MSN Entertainment . Rutherford . Kevin. August 18, 2020 . August 19, 2020.
28. Modest Mouse Adds Alternative Airplay No. 1 in Third Decade With 'We Are Between'. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. August 19, 2021. August 19, 2021.
29. Web site: Foo Fighters Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. January 22, 2024.
30. Web site: Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. January 17, 2024.
31. Web site: Linkin Park Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. January 17, 2024.
32. Web site: Twenty-One-Pilots Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. January 17, 2024.
33. Web site: Green Day Chart History − Alternative Airplay. Billboard. June 11, 2024.
34. Web site: Imagine Dragons Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. March 19, 2024.
35. Web site: Blink-182 Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. February 25, 2024.
36. Web site: Muse Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. January 17, 2024.
37. Web site: Cage the Elephant Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. April 21, 2024.
38. Web site: The Black Keys Chart History – Alternative Airplay. Billboard. April 2, 2024.
39. Alternative Airplay: September 24, 1994. Billboard. February 19, 2023.
40. Alternative Airplay: April 22, 2006. Billboard. February 19, 2023.
41. Alternative Airplay: April 21, 2007. Billboard. February 19, 2023.
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43. Web site: Pearl Jam – Chart History. Billboard. June 4, 2024.
44. Web site: Foo Fighters – Chart History. Billboard. January 22, 2024.
45. Web site: Red Hot Chili Peppers – Chart History. Billboard. November 22, 2022.
46. Web site: Green Day – Chart History. Billboard. January 22, 2024.
47. Web site: Weezer – Chart History. Billboard. August 24, 2023.
48. Web site: Coldplay – Chart History. Billboard. March 25, 2022.
49. Web site: Linkin Park – Chart History. Billboard. February 22, 2023.
50. Web site: Foo Fighters – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
51. Web site: Red Hot Chili Peppers – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
52. Web site: Green Day – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
53. Web site: U2 – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
54. Web site: Pearl Jam – Chart History. Billboard. June 4, 2024.
55. Web site: Weezer – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
56. Web site: The Offspring – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
57. Web site: Linkin Park – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
58. Web site: The Smashing Pumpkins – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
59. Web site: Muse – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
60. Web site: Blink-182 – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
61. Web site: Cage the Elephant – Chart History. Billboard. February 20, 2024.
62. Chart History All Time Low . Billboard . Billboard . October 4, 2021 . ATLChartHistory.
63. Alternative Songs Chart the Week of May 11, 2019. Billboard. October 14, 2023.
64. lovelytheband's 'Broken' Breaks Alternative Songs Longevity Record. Billboard. March 1, 2019. March 1, 2019.
65. Alternative Songs Chart the Week of February 22, 2020. Billboard. October 14, 2023.
66. News: Rutherford. Kevin. Portugal. The Man's 'Feel It Still' Breaks Record for Most Weeks at No. 1 on Alternative Songs Chart. May 7, 2018. billboard.com. Billboard Music. November 28, 2017.
67. Unterberger . Andrew . 'Monster' Hits: Justin Bieber & Shawn Mendes, All Time Low and More Monstrous Hot 100 History . February 2, 2021 . . January 8, 2021.
68. Alternative Airplay Chart . . February 2, 2021 . January 23, 2021.
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70. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. February 1, 2020. March 3, 2023.
71. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. October 12, 2013. March 3, 2023.
72. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. March 14, 2020. March 3, 2023.
73. Bad Omens Top Alternative Airplay Chart for the First Time. Rutherford. Kevin. September 1, 2023. September 1, 2023. Billboard.
74. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. March 19, 2016. March 3, 2023.
75. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. October 2, 2010. March 3, 2023.
76. Rutherford . Kevin . June 28, 2022 . BoyWithUke Notches First No. 1 on a Billboard Songs Chart With 'Toxic' . subscription . September 16, 2022 . Billboard.
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78. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. January 18, 2020. March 3, 2023.
79. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. May 2, 2009. March 3, 2023.
80. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. March 6, 2010. March 3, 2023.
81. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. June 15, 2013. April 12, 2023.
82. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. July 21, 2012. March 3, 2023.
83. Rutherford . Kevin . February 17, 2023 . Weezer Scores Eighth Alternative Airplay No. 1 With 'Records'. February 24, 2023 . Billboard.
84. News: Rutherford. Kevin. Imagine Dragons' 'Evolve' Is First Album With 3 Alternative Songs No. 1s This Decade. March 15, 2018. billboard.com. Billboard Music. March 13, 2018.
85. Sum 41 Ends Record Break Between No. 1s on Alternative Airplay Chart With 'Landmines'. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. March 1, 2024. March 1, 2024.
86. The Killers Break Record for Longest Time Between Alternative Songs No. 1s. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. April 20, 2020. April 21, 2020.
87. Trust . Gary . Chart Beat: Lady Gaga, Kenny Chesney, Silversun Pickups . Billboard . 2 March 2024 . 17 June 2009.
88. Modern Rock Tracks . . . 106 . 27 . July 2, 1994 . June 13, 2013 . 102.
89. News: Music Notes . . December 23, 1994 . June 13, 2013 . Macdonald, Patrick.
90. Lorde First Woman in 17 Years to Top Alternative with 'Royals'. Billboard. August 16, 2013. August 16, 2013.
91. White. Emily. Elle King Is Just Second Woman to Top Alternative Songs Chart in Two Decades. September 9, 2015. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 8, 2015.
92. Lorde Links Longest Alternative Songs Reign By A Woman With 'Royals'. Billboard. September 17, 2013. September 16, 2013.
93. Billie Eilish Scores First Airplay Chart No. 1 as 'Bury a Friend' Tops Alternative Songs. Rutherford. Kevin. May 20, 2019. Billboard. July 31, 2019.
94. Rutherford . Kevin . Billie Eilish Breaks Record for Most Alternative Airplay No. 1s Ever Among Soloists . February 2, 2021 . . February 1, 2021.
95. Rutherford . Kevin . Fall Out Boy Breaks Alternative Airplay Record With First No. 1 . Billboard . 25 February 2023 . 24 February 2023.
96. Rutherford . Kevin . Blur Returns to Alternative Airplay Chart After 20-Year Break . Billboard . 21 July 2023 . 8 June 2023.