Through which artists did KROQ-FM help define the sound of alternative radio?

Let’s be real-KROQ didn’t just “help define” alternative radio; they practically wrote the playlist for a generation that liked its angst with a synth hook. You’re looking at bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, and New Order, who got massive rotation in the ’80s when most stations still thought “alternative” meant a side project nobody heard. Then came the grunge boom with Nirvana and Soundgarden, and later Red Hot Chili Peppers and No Doubt crossed over into mainstream without losing the weird edge. I’d bet a chunk of the “alt-rock canon” exists because KROQ’s DJs got sick of playing the same hair metal and decided to gamble on a guy mumbling about a man in a box.