College radio was alt-rock's ‘80s epicentre before this loosely defined genre exploded into the ‘90s mainstream with unprecedented force. Embracing post-hardcore and punk as much as the oddball end of New Wave, the anything-goes scene fed on influences as diverse as ska and psychedelia—the only qualifier being that a sound didn't play by commercial rules. The picks favoured by campus DJs combined Sonic Youth's raw, arty New York noise with R.E.M.'s enigmatic jangle and The Cure's gothic affections. But there's still much to dance to—starting with New Order's ear-catching, spiralling synth-pop.