Modern Rock chart vs. Mainstream Rock chart???

[Zoocoustic]

I've always followed the Billboard charts very closely for U2 (BTW, congrats to U2 for landing Vertigo at #46 on the Hot 100 - which is the "big" chart), however I've never understood the difference between the "Modern Rock" chart and the "Mainstream Rock" chart.

Can anyone help???

 

[u2ulysses]

Mainstream Rock stations play things like the Stones or Bon Jovi. These artists will never cross over to the modern rock stations. Modern rock tends to play alternative and newer rock artists as well as those not necessarily in the mainstream, even if they've hit it big. For example, Green Day, U2, Pearl Jam, REM, etc., have all had huge albums, but they are still considered a bit "alternative" - hence they will chart on the Modern Rock Charts.

U2 has crossed over many times, but usually they'll hit the Modern Rock charts first.

 

[bsp77]

Recently, I have noticed that Mainstream Rock stations have become fascinated with Post-Grunge and Alt-metal. They are actually fairly similar now to Modern Rock, except Mainstream Rock stations tend to focus on what they consider 'Real Rock' now. Basically, think of a Modern Rock station, but they don't play stuff like The White Stripes, Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, The Killers, etc. In other words, they kinda suck. They just seem out of touch. Also, they throw in an older songs by bands like AC/DC and GNR just to keep it intesesting.