| 100% | JANES | 5 | ___ Addiction, alternative rock band that headlined the first Lollapalooza |
| 48% | CZARS | 5 | The ___, alternative rock band that covered ABBA's track "Angeleyes" |
| 48% | REM | 3 | Georgia group that was one of the first alternative rock bands |
| 45% | VAST | 4 | Alternative rock band with the song "Touched" whose name is an abbreviation and also the title of their first album |
| 45% | RATT | 4 | Band that headlined the World Infestation Tour |
| 44% | VAMPIREWEEKEND | 14 | Indie rock band that won a Best Alternative Music Album Grammy in 2020 for "Father of the Bride": 2 wds. |
| 44% | REM | 3 | Alternative rock band that was fronted by Michael Stipe |
| 43% | COLDPLAY | 8 | Band that headlined the halftime show at Super Bowl 50 |
| 41% | WEEZER | 6 | Rock band that wouldn't let "Weird Al" Yankovic include "Buddy Holly" in his medley "The Alternative Polka" |
| 41% | REM | 3 | Alternative rock band whose first album was "Murmur" in 1983 |
| 41% | REO | 3 | 1976 rock album, or the first word of the band that made it |
| 40% | REM | 3 | Alternative rock band whose first single was 1981's "Radio Free Europe" |
| 40% | BEATLES | 7 | The ___, English rock band that released the song "What's the New Mary Jane" 28 years after it was first recorded |
| 40% | SHANANA | 7 | Doo-wop rock band that performed in the movie "Grease" |
| 40% | GIG | 3 | Booking for a rock band that's on the road |
| 39% | RACONTEURS | 10 | Rock band that issued the album "Help Us Stranger" in '19 (with "The") |
| 39% | ELO | 3 | Rock band that fills in the blanks of its song "_vi_ W_man" |
| 39% | CCR | 3 | Roots rock band that started as the Blue Velvets, for short |
| 39% | BLINDMELON | 10 | "Fruity" alternative rock band with the 1993 hit "No Rain": 2 wds. |
| 39% | TOURBUS | 7 | Vehicle for a rock band that's on the road: 2 wds. |
| 39% | LED | 3 | Rock band ___ Zeppelin...or fluorescent light alternative that glows: Abbr. |
| 39% | MONTROSE | 8 | 1970s rock band that launched the career of Sammy Hagar |
| 38% | PARK | 4 | Linkin ___, rock band that was formed in California which had the hit song "Numb" |
| 38% | ABBA | 4 | The first band in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alphabetically |
| 38% | KEANE | 5 | English rock band that sang the hit song "Somewhere Only We Know" |
| 37% | PHANTOMPLANET | 13 | American rock band that created "California," the theme song for "The O.C.": 2 wds. |
| 37% | JOYDIVISION | 11 | 1970s rock band that regrouped as New Order, and a hint to the circled letters |
| 37% | ZZTOP | 5 | Rock band whose name is suggested by the first row of this puzzle |
| 37% | LADIES | 6 | "Barenaked ___," Canadian rock band that wrote and recorded the theme song for "The Big Bang Theory" |
| 36% | REM | 3 | Georgia band considered to be one of the first alternative rock groups |