Hole is a long-standing 90s grunge institution, and there’s not a corner of the genre they haven’t touched in some shape or form. Modern heavy-grunge-punk bands, especially those fronted by women, often look to Hole for inspiration.
Listeners, meanwhile, turn to Courtney Love & Co. to vent anger and frustration, or to wallow in heartbreak and the overwhelming experience of girlhood. If you’re a Hole fan looking for something similar with a modern attitude, this one’s for you.
The Velveteers
The Velveteers initially formed as a duo with teenagers Demi Demitro and Baby Pottersmith meeting in 2014. Jonny Fig joined in 2020, creating a dual-drumming setup with Pottersmith to replace a traditional bass guitar. They debuted in 2021 with Nightmare Daydream and in 2025 released A Million Knives. This second album drove home their preference for live studio recording and minimizing overdubs, capturing the fuzzed-out guitar sound and raw energy of a live performance. Hole fans would most likely be drawn to the all-consuming wall of sound backing Demitro’s crystalline vocals.
Die Spitz
Die Spitz formed in Austin, Texas, with childhood friends Ava Schrobilgen and Eleanor Livingston meeting Kate Halter and Chloe de St. Aubin around 2022. Their debut album, Something to Consume, dropped in 2025 to overwhelming critical acclaim. While the band doesn’t really consider themselves punk, they would still appeal to Hole fans with their melodic approach to grunge. With influences ranging from Nirvana to Veruca Salt to PJ Harvey, Die Spitz is a modern take on heavy grunge that often defies expectations.
Surfbort
Surfbort formed in 2014, helmed by Dani Miller, and released their debut LP Friendship Magic in 2018. The follow-up was Keep On Truckin’ in 2021, with the band announcing their third album, Reality Star, for March 2026. Their style is Hole-adjacent, but with an attitude that often rages out of control in a distinctly modern way. They’re loud, nasty, bright-colored punks with a penchant for the irreverent. Essentially, there’s no containing Surfbort when they really get going, and there’s no reason to try.
Gully Boys
Gully Boys were a recent discovery of mine, and their debut self-titled LP was my personal top album of 2025. They lean more alt-pop than Hole fans might typically go for, but the underlying Gully Boys attitude is raucous, messy, and punk as hell. The four-piece from Minneapolis has actually named Hole as an influence, but they also pull from brighter styles like No Doubt, which gives them an extra edge on their edge. Overall, Gully Boys puts out a sound that’s hard to define, but you definitely know it when you hear it.
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