Best Alternative Metal Bands

154 bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Slipknot 1995, United States Nu Metal, Alternative Metal, Metalcore	Slipknot (1999) #228 Iowa (2001) #701 Vermilion (2004) [Single]
2	Tool 1990, United States Alternative Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock	Lateralus (2001) #143 Ænima (1996) #201 10,000 Days (2006) #301
3	In Flames 1990, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal	Colony (1999) #171 The Jester Race (1996) #182 Whoracle (1997) #297
4	System of a Down 1994, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Toxicity (2001) #218 Mezmerize (2005) #585 System of a Down (1998) #1018
5	Katatonia 1991, Sweden Death Doom Metal, Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal	Dead End Kings (2012) #1635 The Great Cold Distance (2006) #1672 Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001) #1791
6	Alice in Chains 1987, United States Heavy Metal, Grunge	Dirt (1992) #264 Facelift (1990) #1555 Alice in Chains (1995) #1923
7	Rage Against the Machine 1991, United States Rap Metal, Alternative Metal	Rage Against the Machine (1992) #98 Evil Empire (1996) #4758 The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) #5780
8	Deftones 1988, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal, Rap Metal	Around the Fur (1997) #852 White Pony (2000) #1277 Covers (2011) [Compilation]
9	Disturbed 1996, United States Nu Metal, Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal	Inside the Fire (2008) [Single] The Night (2009) [Single] Ten Thousand Fists (2005) #1701
10	Korn 1993, United States Nu Metal, Alternative Metal	Korn (1994) #768 Life Is Peachy (1996) #2117 Take a Look in the Mirror (2003) #2308
11	Sepultura 1984, Brazil Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Nu Metal	Beneath the Remains (1989) #26 Arise (1991) #112 Schizophrenia (1987) #227
12	Five Finger Death Punch 2005, United States Groove Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock	The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1 (2013) #2589 Hard to See (2009) [Single] American Capitalist (2011) #5170
13	Alter Bridge 2004, United States Hard Rock, Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge	Fortress (2013) #1293 One Day Remains (2004) #1827 Blackbird (2007) #2309
14	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1130 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
15	Soilwork 1996, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal, Metalcore	Övergivenheten (2022) #557 The Ride Majestic (2015) #819 The Living Infinite (2013) #872
16	Babymetal 2010, Japan Trance Metal, Alternative Metal, Power Metal, Melodic Metalcore	BxMxC (2020) [Single] Pa Pa Ya!! (feat. F.Hero) (2019) [Single] Metal Forth (2025)
17	Avatar 2001, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal, Nu Metal, Metalcore	So Sang the Hollow (2021) [Single] Hail the Apocalypse (2014) #1868 Avatar (2009)
18	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #882 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1719 Arche (2014) #1720
19	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #602 Transcendence (2016) #900 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1722
20	Sevendust 1994, United States Nu Metal, Alternative Metal, Groove Metal	Alpha (2007) Black Out the Sun (2013) Truth Killer (2023)
21	Breaking Benjamin 1999, United States Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge, Hard Rock	Phobia (2006) #2972 Dear Agony (2009) #2533 Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin (2011) [Compilation]
22	Bring Me the Horizon 2004, United Kingdom Metalcore, Alternative Metal, Alternative Rock, Deathcore	Sempiternal (2013) #550 Suicide Season (2008) #1575 Post Human: Survival Horror (2020) [EP] #2776
23	Within Temptation 1996, Netherlands Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Alternative Rock	Mother Earth (2000) #1225 The Unforgiving (2011) #1180 The Silent Force (2004) #1535
24	Evanescence 1995, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Fallen (2003) #2375 Origin (2000) [Demo] The Open Door (2006) #9104
25	Noizegarden 1992, Korea Alternative Metal, Stoner Metal	Noizegarden (1996) #683 1992-1999 (Deluxe Remastered Edition) (2014) [Compilation] ...But Not Least (1999) #6153
26	Lacuna Coil 1997, Italy Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal	Swamped (2004) [Single] Comalies (2002) #3463 Swamped (Promo) (2004) [Single]
27	Trivium 1999, United States Melodic Metalcore, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal	Ascendancy (2005) #164 Shogun (2008) #719 In the Court of the Dragon (2021) #822
28	Mudvayne 1996, United States Nu Metal, Alternative Metal, Progressive Metal, Groove Metal	Dig (2001) [Video] Happy? (2005) [Single] L.D. 50 (2000) #1940
29	Clawfinger 1989, Sweden Rap Metal, Nu Metal, Alternative Metal	Clawfinger (1997) #3291 Hate Yourself With Style (2005) #7841 A Whole Lot of Nothing (2001)
30	Amaranthe 2008, Sweden Trance Metal, Melodic Metalcore, Melodic Death Metal	Amaranthe (2011) #1033 Damnation Flame (2023) [Single] Manifest (2020) #3207
31	Sleep Token 2016, United Kingdom Alternative Metal, Progressive Metal, Art Pop	This Place Will Become Your Tomb (2021) Take Me Back to Eden (2023) #7348 Even in Arcadia (2025) #9840
32	Rob Zombie United States Industrial Metal, Heavy Metal, Groove Metal, Alternative Metal	Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor (2013) Hellbilly Deluxe (1998) #5646 Past, Present & Future (2003) [Compilation]
33	Mushroomhead 1993, United States Nu Metal, Alternative Metal, Industrial Metal	XIII (2003) #2645 Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children (2010) XX (2001) #8237
34	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Pork Soda (1993) #6056 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP] Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #6661
35	Devin Townsend Canada Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, Ambient	Terria (2001) #559 Ziltoid the Omniscient (2007) #1128 Empath (2019) #1169
36	Stone Sour 1992, United States Alternative Metal, Hard Rock, Post-Grunge	House of Gold & Bones: Part 2 (2013) Meanwhile in Burbank... (2015) [EP] House of Gold & Bones: Part 1 (2012)
37	Delain 2002, Netherlands Symphonic Metal	The Human Contradiction (2014) #2150 Apocalypse & Chill (2020) #3698 We Are the Others (2012) #4143
38	In This Moment 2005, United States Alternative Metal, Metalcore, Nu Metal	Blood at the Orpheum (2014) [Live] Ritual (2017) #7002 The Dream (2008) #8356
39	Otep 2000, United States Alternative Metal, Nu Metal	Sevas Tra (2002) #6493 House of Secrets (2004) Smash the Control Machine (2009)
40	Machine Head 1991, United States Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, Nu Metal	The Blackening (2007) #347 Unto the Locust (2011) #597 Burn My Eyes (1994) #769
41	A Perfect Circle 1999, United States Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Industrial Rock, Hard Rock	Eat the Elephant (2018) #3523 Mer de Noms (2000) #6903 Thirteenth Step (2003) #7607
42	Hoobastank 1994, United States Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge, Nu Metal, Funk Metal	The Reason (2003) #7313 Every Man for Himself (2006) Hoobastank (2001)
43	Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway 2003, United States Alternative Metal, Alternative Rock, Hard Rock	Scars on Broadway (2008) #3297 Dictator (2018) #5732 Addicted to the Violence (2025)
44	Ill Niño 1998, International Alternative Metal, Metalcore, Nu Metal	Ill Niño / Slipknot (2003) [Split] Revolution Revolución (2001) One Nation Underground (2005)
45	Limp Bizkit 1994, United States Nu Metal, Rap Rock, Rap Metal, Pop Rock	Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000) #3220 Gold Cobra (2011) #5572 Three Dollar Bill, Yall$ (1997) #5826
46	The Unguided 2010, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Melodic Metalcore, Alternative Metal	Phoenix Down (2012) [Single] Hellven (2025) Inception (2013) [Single]
47	Life of Agony 1989, United States Alternative Metal	River Runs Red (1993) #7907 Ugly (1995) #8121 1989-1999 (1999) [Compilation]
48	Asking Alexandria 2008, United Kingdom Melodic Metalcore, Hard Rock, Trancecore	From Death to Destiny (2013) #2672 Reckless & Relentless (2011) #3378 See What's on the Inside (2021) #6577
49	Spiritbox 2016, Canada Alternative Metal, Metalcore, Progressive Metal	The Fear of Fear (2023) [EP] #5065 Eternal Blue (2021) #6421 Tsunami Sea (2025) #9539
50	Yakui the Maid Russia Alternative Metal, Post-Metal, Electronic	Flock (2020) Laughter (2018) Goodnight World (2019)

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