College Rock Music Guide: 15 Famous College Rock Songs

College rock refers to the non-mainstream rock music that was popular on college radio in the 1980s. College rock encompassed many genres, including punk rock, post-punk, new wave, synth-pop, and jangle pop.

While college rockers were once considered edgy, their music gradually became mainstream. Many of the bands found on college rock playlists—such as R.E.M., the Smiths, the Cure, and Elvis Costello—might now be considered classic rock acts.

College rock evolved from disparate musical scenes and encompassed many musical genres. What united the genre was a shared appeal to the relatively sophisticated audiences tuned in to college rock radio in the 1970s and ’80s.

• Punk rock roots: Many college rockers came of age on 1970s punk acts like the New York Dolls, Ramones, Bad Brains, and the Sex Pistols. Some college rock artists, like the Replacements, wore this influence on their sleeves. Others, like R.E.M., more consciously spanned out in other directions.
• Local scenes: Many American and English cities served as college rock hubs. They included Athens, Georgia (home to R.E.M., the dB’s, and the B-52s), Minneapolis-St. Paul (home to the Replacements and Hüsker Dü), and Boston (home to Pixies, Mission of Burma, and Dinosaur Jr). In England, towns like Liverpool (home of Echo & the Bunnymen) and Swindon (home of XTC) supported their own crop of college rockers.
• Transition to alternative rock and indie rock: The term "college rock" remained in use through the mid-1990s, but eventually it gave way to terms like "alternative rock" and "indie rock." "Alternative" now refers to rock music—some of it borderline mainstream—built around guitars and classic rock influences (as opposed to hip-hop or dance-pop). For instance, grunge music was categorized as "alternative" but received regular play on commercial radio and MTV. "Indie" now refers to bands who record for independent record labels and are further removed from the mainstream music industry.

College radio stations launched some of the most iconic music of the 1980s modern rock era. Top songs from college rock bands include:

1. 1. "Radio Free Europe" by R.E.M. (1983): When R.E.M. burst onto the scene in 1983, the chiming riffs of guitarist Peter Buck and oblique lyrics of singer Michael Stipe were too off-center for mainstream radio. College radio embraced them, however, and eventually made them stars.
2. 2. "Sheila Take a Bow" by the Smiths (1987): The Smiths were known for guitarist Johnny Marr's undeniable melodic hooks and vocalist Morrissey's wry, coy, darkly comic lyrics. Interpersonal conflict drove the band apart, but they proved to be immensely influential on future generations of bands.
3. 3. "Left of the Dial" by the Replacements (1985): Led by singer Paul Westerberg and the Stinson brothers—bassist Tommy and guitarist Bob—the Replacements were at once chaotically sloppy and undeniably catchy.
4. 4. "Here Comes Your Man" by Pixies (1987): A leading act among Boston's numerous post-punk bands, Pixies became famous when Nirvana's Kurt Cobain claimed "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was his attempt to "write a Pixies song." The group was already quite popular on college radio at the time and inspired many other bands.
5. 5. "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth (1988): New York art punks Sonic Youth teetered between Glenn Branca-inspired noise collages and subtle pop reminiscent of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. They easily outlasted the college rock era but eventually broke up due to intra-band struggles in 2011.
6. 6. "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes (1983): The Violent Femmes' reputation was largely built on their self-titled debut album, released in 1983 and laden with hits—none bigger than "Blister in the Sun."
7. 7. "Cities" by Talking Heads (1979): Talking Heads brought funk and global influences to the college rock scene. Singer David Byrne combined these upbeat musical influences with philosophical lyrics that resonated with the college radio crowd.
8. 8. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division (1980): Brooding UK rockers Joy Division helped bring post-punk tension to college rock radio. When frontman Ian Curtis died by suicide, the remaining band members reconstituted as New Order and became a mainstream pop success.
9. 9. "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen (1984): Vocalist Ian McCulloch could croon like a mainstream rocker, but he channeled his efforts into the decidedly more alternative Echo & the Bunnymen. The choice seems to have been rewarded; over 40 years after its founding, the band remains active and supported by loyal alternative rock fans.
10. 10. "Trouble Me" by 10,000 Maniacs (1989): 10,000 Maniacs gained mainstream airplay in the 1990s, but they spent the 1980s squarely in the college rock scene. Hailing from the western New York hamlet of Jamestown, they grew into a national act thanks to the charisma of lead vocalist Natalie Merchant.
11. 11. "Chartered Trips" by Hüsker Dü (1984): While Hüsker Dü suffered from constant tension between co-songwriter and vocalists Bob Mould and Grant Hart, they were underground stars beloved far beyond their Twin Cities home base.
12. 12. "Under the Milky Way" by the Church (1988): The Church wrote hooks big enough to be on mainstream radio, but they found dedicated fans in the college rock scene, which supported them for decades.
13. 13. "Making Plans for Nigel" by XTC (1979): Led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, XTC were among the stars of the 1980s British alternative rock and post-punk scenes. Their success on American shores owed greatly to college radio airplay.
14. 14. "Blood and Roses" by the Smithereens (1986): The Smithereens mostly operated in the low-profile college rock scene, but "Blood and Roses" was a mainstream success, peaking at Number 14 on Billboard's mainstream rock charts.
15. 15. "The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness" by the Feelies (1980): Unlike many college rock bands, The Feelies did not embrace the post-punk aesthetic, and (perhaps relatedly) they never found commercial success. Nonetheless, their sound appeared to inspire other college rock groups—most notably R.E.M.

Become a better musician with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Tom Morello, St. Vincent, Sheila E., Timbaland, Itzhak Perlman, Herbie Hancock, and more.