Carl Pettit

Soaking in the atmosphere -- the smells, the taste of the air and the sweat whipping through the hair of concert attendees -- is a big part of the spectacle and experience of a live rock show.

Music’s “hair” apparents are a numerous and colorful bunch. Funky and edgy hairstyles -- along with plain old long and flowing locks -- have characterized the rock world since rebellious teens first picked up electric guitars, and in honor of 50-something years of follicle bravery and daring 'dos, we're singling out some of our favorite artists...

Coming up with a list of the 10 best Dirty Projectors songs is a bit of daunting task. Dave Longstreth, the musician and songwriter behind this New York band’s creative output, is a man of eclectic tastes, and there’s an astounding variety of unique tracks to choose from.

Sometimes, alternative rock gods just have to yank out their power cords, click off the distortion and knock out soulful acoustic jams. And we're glad they do. While we have nothing against stacks of amps or giant walls of crackling sound, acoustic guitars let performers showcase their songwriting skills and musical chops without all the hardware and technology distracting from their talent and ar

Jane’s Addiction — founded way back in the mid-'80s — is a seminal alt-rock band with colorings of funk, punk, '70s arena rock and glam metal thrown into the mélange, just for good measure.

Yes, everyone knows Mark Wahlberg and Will Smith started out in the music biz, but since Diffuser.fm kicks it indie (no disrespect to the Funky Bunch), you won’t find them here. Read our list of 10 Rockers Who Are Surprisingly Good Actors and meet some true double threats.

Before you jump into our list of the 10 Best Mike Patton Songs, you should remember that this isn’t a list of Faith No More’s best. Yes, you’ll stumble across some great FNM tunes here, but this crooning, screaming rock 'n' roll shapeshifter has done more than front that band...

If you want to scramble your noggin with trippy hardcore punk flavored with an intense amalgam of reggae and rip-roaring metal, look no further.

Polly Jean Harvey, better known as PJ Harvey, is an English songstress and alt-rock goddess. She has been blazing a distinctive trail through the indie scene since the release of her first album in the early '90s, and the multi-instrumentalist’s raw guitar sound, wide-ranging songwriting ability (electronica, folk, indie rock, etc.) and pure vocal tenacity have made her an artistic force to be reckoned with.

While naked undulating dancers and disturbing short films defined Butthole Surfers ive shows, infectious beats, solid bass lines and outstanding guitar work — not to mention an overdose of lyrical madness stretching from everyday sleaze to cosmic poetry — made this alterative band very fun to listen to and exceedingly hard to pigeonhole. And now, for your psychedelic listening pleasure, we give you their 10 best songs.