Redefining Indie Music

Sofie Dooley

Indie music: arguably the most common identifier of modern alternative music. Recently, I’ve been thinking: why is the term “indie” so vague? How do so many contrasting artists fall under the same umbrella? To answer this question, let us define the genre, identify its origins and modern state, and lastly, discuss my predictions. 

     The first ever indie band to grace the music industry is arguably rock/folk band The Grateful Dead when they broke off from the Warner record label in 1972 to start their own, independent label, Grateful Dead Records. In 1977, British punk band Buzzcocks released their first independent record, the Spiral Scratch EP, and successfully sold over 15,000 records. Inspired by Buzzcocks, many bands that are now recognized as being brit-pop, such as The Cure, The Smiths and Talking Heads, expanded the culture of the genre by creating not only a new sound but independent artist scenes and fanzines. 

In the following years, many other independent record labels sprung up in the United Kingdom punk scene, including labels such as Rough Trade, 4AD (Pixies and The Breeders) and Mute, alongside “boutique” labels such as Rockathon, Subpop and Matador Records. Boutique labels have almost become interchangeable with independent labels, defined by not being one of the four major record labels (EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.) The trend caught on in the United States  in early 1978 when Greg Ginn of Black Flag formed SST records in Washington, DC and Ian Mckaye of both bands Minor Threat and Fugazi created his independent record label Dischord records in Long Beach, California. 

Originally, indie music was defined by independence in the process of making and distributing music. However, the genre soon shifted to being recognized by its distinct sound, defined by guitar driven instrumentals, authenticity over virtuosity, and experimental factors. This change began when the general public began labeling bands like Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. as indie artists despite their extended time spent on major record labels, which ultimately led to the fade of the genre’s authenticity. 

 Indie musicians are now defined even more so by fashion choices, such as eyeliner and dyed hair, alternative aesthetics and upbeat instrumentals. The term is becoming increasingly vague as it strays far from the original definition that was directly attached to the element of independence. This has led to indie music becoming synonymous with alternative rock. Even more recently, the presence of social media and shifts in the streaming economy have prompted bands like Wilco and Guided by Voices to ground themselves to the authentic origins of the genre. 

Many artists dislike the vagueness of the term ‘indie music,’ as the ambiguity almost evokes the feeling of a lack of rebellion or specified audience implying a lack of uniqueness, contradicting the original intentions for the term. Looking on the bright side, however, the indie music scene is still a space for experimentation and originality, and the future's looking bright for artists looking to branch off the current state of commercial music.