Talk:Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is an alternative metal band in conjunction with grunge

Hello all, I want to propose that we change the genre of Alice in Chains from "rock" to "metal" or "alternative metal." I propose this because AiC's music very much fits the description of "metal" (https://www.britannica.com/art/heavy-metal-music) (https://bingleymusiclive.com/musical-genres-glossary/metal/) (https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/10/magazine/heavy-metal-weighty-words.html). Please read the sources to fully grasp my point, but for a short overview, my second source says "Metal is a genre of music that is characterized by its heavy sound, aggressive lyrics, and powerful instrumentation. It typically features distorted guitars, pounding drums, and intense vocals. Metal music often explores themes of rebellion, anger, and darkness, making it a favorite among those who enjoy music with an edge." Obviously, listening to albums such as AiC's Facelift, Dirt, and Alice in Chains (self-titled) certainly fit that criteria. In order to pursue objective truth, this change is necessary. TheCarolingCarolinian (talk) 16:28, 2 September 2026 (UTC)

I'm not sure. Not all of their releases fit that description. Jar of Flies and Sap definitely aren't metal, and grunge is the genre they're most cited as being a part of. The genre in the introduction should be general enough to fit everything they've released in order to not be WP:UNDUE. Since metal is a subgenre of rock, metal is included in the metal description. Issan Sumisu (talk) 20:30, 6 September 2026 (UTC)

I would actually like to argue that both Sap and JoF are metal as well as "grunge" due to their more drawn out sound. Not to mention, grunge is a media label and doesn't quite reflect the sound that most Washington bands incorporated (for example, STP is often lumped into the "grunge" genre, yet they and many of their fans denied this categorization).

I don't think it's right to label AiC as solely a "grunge" band and only mention that they incorporate heavy metal when their music is clearly, as my sources support, much more heavy metal (or alternative metal as I said) than rock.

Also, heavy metal has become its own distinct genre of music, rather than a subsidiary of rock. An example of this is how the USA used to be a colony of Great Britain, but through much transformation, it became its own massive distinct country, disconnected from GB. Likewise, the genre of metal is so big and diverse and has undergone so much transformation, and is also thought of as independent from rock, that it is no longer a genre of rock.

Therefore, after reading all of this, I implore you to at least consider my proposal a little more. I absolutely know that my opinion isn't a random one, but that there are many people who also agree with me. I wholeheartedly believe that changing AiC's genre from grunge to metal (and also mentioning that they incorporate rock as well) will do them and the reader more justice in the pursuit of objective truth than what they Wiki article currently says.

It has been four days since I first posted my proposal, thank you for taking the time and consideration to reply to it. That means a lot to me :) TheCarolingCarolinian (talk) 22:20, 6 September 2026 (UTC)

This conversation is not about musical characteristics, as you are arguing, it is about neutrality of sources. The lead genres in Wikipedia articles are supposed to be generalised to encompass all the genres a band are sourced as in order to not favour one single perspective. If you look in the musical style section, alternative rock, hard rock and grunge are also well sourced, which are not styles of metal. There have been a lot of discussion on the talk for Heavy metal music as to whether it is a subgenre of rock and the consensus is always that it is. So, "rock band" encompasses how they play metal, while "metal band" does not encompass how they play rock. Issan Sumisu (talk) 07:13, 7 September 2026 (UTC)

Also, using glossary definitions to support your argument won't work, as we use what reliable sources describe the music as to dictate the main genre(s) to use, not our own perspectives. 4TheWynne (talk • contribs) 10:07, 7 September 2026 (UTC)

One of my sources was from the Wiki page for heavy metal. TheCarolingCarolinian (talk) 13:04, 7 September 2026 (UTC)

The problem with "rock band" is that since metal is so distinct from rock, people will usually separate the two and view them as different. And, like I've been arguing, they don't play "rock." They play metal in the first place.——————————————————————————How do we get to the position where we can change the genre? What must I say in order to reach a point that is agreeable to both parties? TheCarolingCarolinian (talk) 13:10, 7 September 2026 (UTC)