Although this would also work in the "songwriting" sub-forum, I much perfer this one.

What makes the lyrics of a song alternative? I've viewed many alternative lyrics and see defining factors but what do you people's think?

personally i don't think you should be considering the style of music when you're writing lyrics...

but from the alt music i've listened to there seems to be 2 general styles... there is either the whole relative metaphor thing with lots of 'deep' meaningful lyrics if you can figure out what the person is talking about amidst all the random words raining out of the thesaurus...

or the more literal lyrics... but those songs always seem to be either about hearbreak / anger / melancholy feelings...

but i don't define a style based on the lyrics in a song... i'd say just write what you like for the music you like regardless of how anyone might classify your music...

i don't know. i've always thought alternative bands were classed as alt for their style of music, rather than the lyrics. eh. alternative is a broad genre anyway.

Mainstream music often has lyrics on mainstream subjects I think. Love, sex etc. Of course thats quite a big generalization, but I've been listening to a lot of indie recently and the subject matter seems altogether more whacky.

more whacky? how so?

nothing makes lyrics "alternative". alternative is a word used to describe the music as a sort of edgier, less straight ahead, more experimental without being "experimental" type of rock or pop music.