3 Tips for Turning Alternative

Alternative culture can be extremely confusing for those unfamiliar to it to become accustomed with what it really is. Alternative music is basically music that strays from normal music genres. The music has more meaning to it and adds more emotion into its songs. In result, alternative music varies drastically on the type of music it covers. The music genre is absolutely amazing, and the way into it is no different. I know how interesting it is getting into the alternative music genre, and how I felt right at home with alternative concerts and people. I am now a frequent alternative member and listener, and it's all from following three easy steps. Without further ado, here are 3 Tips for Turning Alternative.

1. Listen to the Music
   One easy way to start getting into the alternative culture is just by listening to the music. You can do this by going on Pandora, Slacker, or any other music library station and clicking the genre labelled "alternative." This allows you to listen to the most popular alternative music songs and get a feel for what the music is all about.
2. Get Familiar and Get Active
   After listening to the music, get familiar with some of the bands. Google them or watch some of their music videos on YouTube in order to start getting more into the values each band has. A lot of them are similar, but each band has a unique set of philosophies or topics they generally like to cover in their songs. Once you fell like you are getting familiar with some bands, start interacting with them. Going onto a fan page of a band helps you to see how people are affected by you band's music and how they act on a day-to-day basis. Of course you should never change who you just because of the music you like, but you just might find yourself being able to relate with some of these fans and maybe adopting new looks. 
3. Experience the Culture
   After getting familiar with a few bands and interacting with some of the other people listening to the bands you like, try attending a concert. Select a band you really like and try to attend one of their concerts. One of the only ways you can completely submerge yourself is attending a concert full of alternative people. There, you can experience the real life music and culture. It may be a bit nerve wracking at first, but I'm sure that you'll eventually feel quite at home. Many people that listen to alternative music are friendly and out going, as can be seen with the occasional person with blue hair! Have fun, and be open to the experience. Don't forget to get some band merch as a memento of the fun!

Example of a Band to Listen to (All Time Low)