[3] The first issue of Alternative Press was distributed at concerts in Cleveland, Ohio beginning in June 1985 by AP's founder, Mike Shea to advocate for bands playing underground music.

By the early 2000s, after resisting attempts to reform and design the so called "fanzine," Shea and Bobby Crist breathed new life into the publication and sought new avenues for its survival, revamping the magazine and marketing it in many venues.

In the fall of 2020, Alternative Press was sold to MDDN, owned by Good Charlotte members Benji and Joel Madden.

[6] In the 2020s, AP's digital and print content has shifted toward highlighting rising artists and introducing them to the magazine's audience.

The editorial shift has expanded their coverage to broader avenues that touched on lifestyle, culture, and style conversations within the alternative sphere.

[6] 2022 saw Avril Lavigne debut on their March Issue,[8] and other notable cover stars that year included Demi Lovato,[9] Louis Tomlinson,[10] Spiritbox,[11] and Arctic Monkeys.