I would have to agree with David's older post and say that, to me, the term "soft rock" sounds insulting, especially as opposed to 'alternative rock" (however, I would have to agree, that if I
had to categorize them like that, the term "soft rock" is quite fitting).
I grew up (I mean I was in my late teens) when alternative brit pop bands were very much in fashion (at least in Europe) and very "hip" , so to speak, and listening to bands like FM that were considered "oldfashioned" or "dinosaur rock" or I don't know what else, pretty much meant that you have no taste or that you are not really interested in music, you just listen to whatever comes up on mainstream radio.Believe it or not, that's the way some friends of mine think
I think it is very unfair, to say the least.
However, I couldn't care less about labels such as "alternative" or "soft" . If I like an artist, I like them because of various reasons, and not because a radio station or a Rolling Stone magazine names them something- it's the opposite thing that I find ridiculous (and I do believe that there are many people who would never be into a particular band if it didn't fall into the "appropriate" category).