During the 1980s, alternative metal appealed mainly to alternative rock fans, since virtually all 1980s alt-metal bands had their roots in the American independent rock scene.
V 80. rokoch sa alt-metalové kapely uchádzali prevažne o priazeň alt-rockového publika, keďže prakticky všetky alt-metalové skupiny tej doby mali korene v americkom nezávislom rocku.