About

Since 1995, ALARM Magazine has acted as an advocate for music, art, and design. Our passion is in discovering and sharing exceptional, boundary-defying musicians and artists and promoting music and culture that is defining modern rock ‘n’ roll.

For over twenty years savvy readers have found ALARM buried under the mountains of mainstream enablers, hype mags, and gear journals. Our unwavering dedication to uncovering the best and most progressive bands of the contemporary rock landscape — from space rock to psychobilly and from grunge to grindcore — places an emphasis on the artists who actually move music forward.

Our Story

Chris Force began ALARM as a photocopied zine from his parents’ basement in 1995. The magazine found a small following in Boston and was supported by single-copy sales and advertisements from independent record labels like Dischord and Epitaph. By issue #5 the magazine moved to a proper printer and an international distribution deal.

Our History

In 2002 the magazine moved to Chicago. ALARM underwent its first thorough redesign by Mark Pearsall who created the foundational design direction. The magazine was later redesigned by art director Lindsey Turner and again advanced by Spencer Matern. The magazine has worked with many of the best music writers in the industry including music editors Andrew WilliamsJamie Ludwig and Scott Morrow and arts editor Buck Austin.

ALARM Magazine has featured beloved bands and future favorites alike, ranging from Mike PattonQueens of the Stone AgeAirThe Mars VoltaEl-PRussian CirclesAtmosphereJon SpencerSaul Williams, and the Melvins.

For over twenty years savvy readers have found ALARM buried under the mountains of mainstream enablers, hype mags, and gear journals. Our unwavering dedication to uncovering the best and most progressive bands of the contemporary rock landscape — from space rock to psychobilly and from grunge to grindcore — places an emphasis on the artists who actually move music forward.

Chromatic: The Crossroads of Color and Music is a dynamic print presentation of independent musicians and artists who are using or exploring color in unorthodox ways. It’s a highly saturated, prismatic presentation of some of today’s most adventurous underground artists, with the same stylistic reach and aesthetic standards that readers expect from ALARM. The book includes features with Daft Punk, Blue Man GroupJónsi (Sigur Rós), Ratatat, The Dear Hunter, Rob Mazurek, Rotting Christ, Sonny Kay and more.

Events

ALARM has thrown release parties, listening parties, after-parties, secret shows, concerts, gallery openings, fashion shows and art events. ALARM has produced Lollapalooza after-shows, invite-only shows to see The Melvins & Dub Trio and worked with hundreds of event partners like Red Bull, Jameson, Absolut, CMJ and Toyota.

Invisible: Overlooked Albums and Unseen Artists is a 240 page full color book featuring Mike PattonKonono No. 1MatmosJG ThirlwellThe LocustLiarsTrentemøllerMark JenkinsCarolina Chocolate DropsTrans AmTobaccoPhantogramRJD2Sleepytime Gorilla MuseumDaedelusTim BarryWu Fei, and much more.“ALARM has been the go-to source for everything in music.” – Indie Rock Reviews

“ALARM succeeds over the online portals — and the coffee-table mags fronting for event planners — because they eschew elitism for inclusion. Everything from the writing to the art to the physical design is inviting. The participants genuinely want to share their discoveries with enthusiasm, as opposed to keeping them buried under a veneer of smug hipster fronting.” – Jason Pettigrew, Alternative Press

“[ALARM’s] type of diligent attention to what percolates beneath the usual ‘new releases’ as worthwhile, challenging, and stubbornly independent art bodes well for the future of criticism.” – John L. Murphy, PopMatters

“Drop the mouse and step away from the computer. ALARM will make you fall in love with print music journalism all over again.” – Matthew Fernandes, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Praise for Chromatic:

“A riot of ideas sure to engage anyone interested in visual communication.” – Buzz Poole, The Millions

The ALARMIST

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