A less embarrassing phrase I overuse is grunge counterprogramming, which I have heroically deployed to describe anything on the radio from 1991 to 1995 that was milder, sweeter, less caustic and self-loathing, and more melodious than Nirvana or Soundgarden or what have you. Think Counting Crows, or Hootie and the Blowfish, or the Gin Blossoms, or even a sweet-but-caustic power pop bro like Matthew Sweet.
