Alternative Addiction

From MusoWiki

[edit] Who or What are we?

Alternative Addiction is a website located at www.alternativeaddiction.com which promotes new and upcoming Alternative and Modern Rock bands, focusing mostly on independent and unsigned acts.

[edit] History

Started in 1997, by one high school student, Alternative Addiction was created as a place to showcase one fan’s favorite bands and artists. Then known as the Alternative Music Page, the website consisted of a few simple charts and was hosted as a Hometown AOL page. The website at this time almost solely featured major label acts.

In 1999, the website was re-launched as Alternative Addiction, and located at www.alternativeaddiction.com. The website contained weekly news, album reviews, and a Top 10 chart featuring the ten best songs of the month as voted on by visitors to the website. In 2000, Alternative Addiction began featuring streaming audio of many of the bands on their website, one of the first fan based websites to utilize this technology. In the same year, they introduced a chart featuring mostly unknown/unsigned acts entitled “The Unknown Top 10,” and the existing Top 10 chart was renamed the “The Most Addictive Top 20.”

In 2001, Alternative Addiction began to grow dramatically, due mostly to a website redesign and several unsigned acts being signed, due in large part to the buzz created by being featured on Alternative Addiction. Many of the bands were featured in the bands “Unknown Band of the Month” feature, which is known to have featured bands such as 3 Doors Down, Train, Five For Fighting, Greenwheel, and Graham Colton.

In 2002 the website began selling CD compilations entitled “The Addiction” a series of compilations that the website releases semi-annually. The compilations feature 20 bands, all unsigned or independent. Thousands of these compilations have been sold since 2002. The website also began featuring streaming video in the summer of 2002, the first video being “Unwell” by Matchbox Twenty.

In 2003, Alternative Addiction began selling digital music from Unsigned Bands, the first being “The Sound Of… by Cloud Ten.” Around the same time, the website began to offer Free Downloads from many unsigned and major label bands. There was also an integrated digital store, sponsored by Liquid Audio that Alternative Addiction launched in the fall of 2003 featuring digital tracks for sale by Major Label artists. The store was removed a year later when Liquid Audio was dissolved, however Alternative Addiction continues to sell albums and singles from unsigned bands.

In 2004 Alternative Addiction began streaming an online radio station, known as Alternative Addiction Radio. The station was originally launched in conjunction with Live365.com, but soon was spun off on its own. Featuring both Unsigned and Major Label acts, the station featured music that tailored to the website’s niche audience.

In 2005 Alternative Addiction began sponsoring regional tours for a number of unsigned bands featured on their website, and sponsored a label showcase in New York City, as well as one in SXSW in Austin. In 2007 they sponsored a label showcase in Los Angeles, and co-sponsored several festivals throughout the country.

In 2008, the website launched their own Podcast, and a revamped radio station that allows for song requests and more user interactivity.