A label rock critics used in the mid-90s to describe a genre of music which was a poppier (“bubblegum”) version of the harder sound of the alternative/grunge genre which had prevailed in the early 90s. Representative groups include Collective Soul, Bush, Third Eye Blind, and Matchbox Twenty.
"In college, I really liked Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, but later stuff like Everclear was just too bubblegrunge for me."
by 51Westside September 12, 2013