Alyssa Noel is a regular contributor to Spin magazine. Follow her @alyssanoel333.

White Noise

From the dB’s to Dinosaur Jr., how these alt-rock pioneers signed onto small record labels and inspired a new music scene.

The Underground

Obscure bands signing to small record labels changed the landscape of music in the ‘90s. A new book, Big Day Coming, tells the story of one of these pioneering bands, Yo La Tengo, and how its scrappy do-it-yourself dedication anticipated today’s music scene. By Alyssa Noel. Plus, YLT and seven other bands that helped found indie rock.