A New Millennium, and There’s NOTHING Good on the Radio
April 29, 2007 by InBlaze
Filed under Indie Music History
If the early ’90s was a catastrophe for the indie scene, the new millennium has been a huge success. It seems as though the big labels have poached every genre they possibly can, that bands are rejecting them en masse, and that the Internet has provided a way to get the music out to fans that has never before been attempted. The result is accessible, quality music in almost every conceivable drama.
In this atmosphere, it has become impossible to identify music by its sound, or even by its sales. Best selling albums such as those put out by The Postal Service or Panic! At the Disco illustrate the new reality that is the indie music scene. Both bands are in fact pretty experimental in nature, with the Postal Service focus on electronica and Panic’s eclectic sound of every conceivable musical sound. There are still elements of soul, rock, and mellow listening to be found on the indie scene, and many bands popular through the ’90s (such as Collective Soul and Candlebox) are now on their own labels or established indie labels.
In this atmosphere, there is a lot of conflicting opinion as to what indie music entails. Two definitions can be thought about here. The first is fairly simple, established in the ’90s; an indie act is any one that is not signed on with the big three labels. Another way to define the indie scene is in comparison to the acts signed by big labels, and played on the radio. Any recent listen to a local station should alarm music fans everywhere: the same artists or style of music is played over and over again, on every single radio station. Big labels laud themselves for being a mix, but the truth is there is a lot of R&B, even more pop, and a few dozen acts considered "rock" thrown in to appease those who do not know better.
Fans who do not like the feeling of wanting to stick augers in their ears have turned en masse to the potential of the internet. Because of the ability of the medium to disseminate music worldwide, it has become a major promotional tool for indie artists of all genres. Style of music seems no longer to be an issue, as grunge, punk, mellow, and electronica artists are often found on the same pages, if not under the same label.
In this true do it yourself era, there is more potential to have success as an independent artist without compromising your music or your message than ever before. On the downside, fans who might consider themselves hardcore "indie" also seem at a loss to define the movement, and thus any music that has any likability factor is dismissed. Fortunately, this attitude is present only at one end of the spectrum, as is the case with most things in life. So, if someone is trying to tell you that an artist is not indie because they sold a certain amount of records, you might want to look into how those records were sold and who produced the album. Perhaps now more than ever before, music has the opportunity to truly be judged (for the first time by both sides) by the quality instead of by the amount of sales.
Hi, I wanted to send an email but for the life of me I can’t understand how to do that on your site?!
I like this site, and would add that new folk is also part of the indie scene, if not more indie than indie, as folk has always been on the fringes. I would also like to introduce you to lindsay d’arcy http://www.lindsaydarcy.com who is one of such indipendent artist’s you might like to take a look at.
Besides that, the site is great, well written - would like to see more concert reviews, myspace reviews and pictures - lots of them..
Cheers
Foobs
First off. Great article. You are completely correct and Indie music is alive and well. My company is one of the many websites out there that help unsigned and indie label music artists get more exposure. I get the opportunity everyday to hear some of the greatest indie music from across the world everyday.
My problem with all of this is the record labels. I truly hear music that I can’t believe these groups haven’t been signed yet. We try to help them with this problem by posting links to where their CD can be purchased and also link their profile with website addresses and everything else we can do to help them make it independently. I feel like if we all worked together this could happen. Maybe we wouldn’t even need the major labels and these artists could actually get some of the money from their music sales.
My company http://www.want2bdiscovered.com does not have competition in my eyes. If all the other companys that do what we do worked together globally I think alot more could be accomplished. CD baby, Soundclick, Pure Volume, Taxi etc… Right now we are LIVE streaming on our homepage the performance opportunities that we offer the artists on our website so that thousands of people all over can watch them perform LIVE from their couch. Can it get any easier to get the music right into the fans faces!!
Anyway, Indie artists can make it and should never quit doing what they love to do. Also if anyone is interested in supporting unsigned and indie label music artists start now and check out our website on June 22nd 2007 and watch our 1st LIVE stream performance and then come back for our June 27th LIVE show. Its a voting LIVE showcase so vote for the artist you think deserves to go to the semi-finals!
@want2bdiscovered.com
Great work!
Indie music bands and individuals need initiatives and projects like the one you have built.These things will really boost the indie music arena. The Major Record companies look more into profit rather than talent. But People like you make sure that the world comes to know about True Talent
Keep up the good work mate.
Well said. I enjoyed reading this. I cannot stress enough how much I hate these so called popular radio stations. It’s the same old garbage over and over played every day at the same hour. Indie music labels is about the only kind of label I support as well. I wish kids these days would get more involved and what they are missing out on.
Sad that the major record labels have, for the most part, become more profit-based than being music/talent oriented organizations. Maybe that’s what happens when any art-based medium’s first generation is replaced or supplanted by the next. It happens in music, and that’s why now female “singers” like Britney Spears are anointed as “superstars” even though their talent is, shall we say, lightweight at best, a travesty of music at its worst.
I have heard bands that have been signed that I wondered why they were ever signed then I have heard bands that cannot get that break that are just amazing and there should be no reason why they have not gotten a deal. I think that it is all messed up and you have people choosing talent that have no clue what they are doing, it is all about them paying them money to get signed.
The problem in my opinion is that it is really hard to find the good indie online for all the junk - sure, there’s some great stuff out there, but now everyone is empowered to produce music and distribute it from the comfort of their own home, there are people with more delusion than talent inflicting their ’skills’ on everyone.
Still, there’s some great stuff out there too, if you’re willing to experiment.
I think the problem, basically, is that record companies used to be run by either musicians or persons who loved music until the early 1980s. Then they were replaced by accountants who cared more about the company’s bottom line rather than finding and nurturing REAL talent.
I think that’s why indie music and the new tech that allows listeners to not play by the big labels’ rules are going to herald a Renaissance for musicians.
well some are just aiming for the money, but some are looking for new genre’s, like boy bands moving at the alternative world, i really hate boy bands, and i hoe they will be no more boy bands coming out this 2008, its better if they make a new songs an alternative rock way of creating albums…
Not everyone likes boy bands, granted. But that term is, like indie itself, a bit too overused. For instance, does that mean we should look at the early Beatles and call them a boy band? I mean, they fit the paradigm of several young and attractive guys with musical talent and songs that girls seem to have liked a lot.
Fardreamer, I think the difference between the Beatles and “boy bands” are that the Beatles all played their own instruments, whereas boy bands generally do not. Which brings up another point: Why are they called boy “bands”? Shouldn’t they be called boy “groups” instead? Maybe if that term were differentiated then artist like Hanson could be considered a boy band, while Backstreet Boys would be considered a boy group.
“Boy bands” seem to be created by the industry not by talent. The Beatles were talented and several of the members went on to prove their talent by having a solo music career. Most of the now a days boy bands need all the back up of one another and the back up of the people that actually play instruments. I think Leighdu was right when she said they are boy groups, where as the Beatles were a band with in them.
Leighdu (and AusQtie);
I agree with the notion that “boy bands” (as we currently understand the label) should be re-named “boy groups.” There does seem to be a distinction between vocalists who have backup bands who play instruments and “actual” bands who sing as well as play their own instruments.
I don’t necessarily think that these “boy bands” lack talent. I mean they have to be marketable in some way in order to produce so many bubble gum hits, whether it be by dancing or charisma. I don’t consider being “cute” a talent, but I think there is a little bit more substance to these guys besides being just cute or it wouldn’t work. In every boy band/group I have heard, there has been at least one that has decent enough vocals to carry the group, even if the lyrics are sappy and ridiculous.
Marc, unfortunately I think that these “boy groups” are here to stay. As long as there are the little pre pubescent girls around to go nuts and buy up their merchandise, there will always be a new boy group out every year or two that will blow up.
I agree that the boy bands do not lack talent, they are just meant to be commercial sales. I think many of them need to be able to express and write for themselves and you will see some great musical talent out of them.
I also agree they are here to stay, and when they move on the next band will come about. But keep in mind that they are far and few between unlike the sexy little girl talents (like Brit) that come about.
For those it is the sex that sells and they do not have to be talented only need to look good.
Unfortunately, attagirl, I do have to agree with you. Boy Bands do tend to be manufactured just as a moneymaking enterprise by producers and entrepeneurs who exploit young singers and squeeze every dollar they can out of them. Luckily a few acts do have good talent and go beyond the boy band shtick, but it’s not always easy.
music has been a part of many people’s lives. and i think that it is very amazing that music did not come to its end. and i think it won’t end. people need music. and there are many music industries and companies that are growing. many people are getting discovered and different kinds of music as well.
Internet really has a lot to do with Indie’s growing popularity. One more thing that’s pushing Indie up are Big labels selling the same thing over and over just wrapped in a different package. They sell artists which are basically copies of one artist. They see what they think is a trend and fashion this on upcoming singers and at worse on the untalented as long as the package looks right for the part.
yes it is true Froix. we are glad because internet was discovered. it has a big role in promoting many businesses and companies. and also publications has something to do with these things too. although there are many competitions for artists and bands now a days, i still think that they are still getting recognized with their huge population.
The times have really changed for now, music has come long way and perhaps good music is lost some where, what now we have is no music it is just noise.There are hardly any melodious numbers these days.I think that the lack of melody is the major reason that even the chart busters are not remembered after few days.The new era has failed to give us great artists.
I am surprised that anyone still even bothers listening to traditional radio anymore. Why bother when you can go to an internet radio site like live365 and have more choices than you can shake a stick at. We live in an era where soundbites may become media stars but it is also a era where regular folk can create and program their own radio station…and the the result has been access to a lot of good music I would have missed if I was still listening to traditional radio.
At first i don’t like Indie music and because of they are not as popular as the one who played at radio stations. Yes, I only hear music which is played by some popular artist. then i got sick of it when some radio stations played it over and over again. geez. and then i opened myself to a different kind of music, music that not everyone know. I found that music is not about popularity, there are some music and artist aswell who are not popular but make a good music. Im happy that i’m not the kind of music lover as before.
I think that this article misses one aspect of what I would consider ‘indie’, at least as far as US sales charts are concerned, and that’s foreign-produced music. There are so many great bands that aren’t based in the US or very well known in the US that are pushing music into whole different directions than the US, and these bands are considered ‘mainstream’ in the countries their native countries. Ever since I first discovered the metal scene in countries like Sweden, Finland and France I’ve been watching them slowly become more and more popular here in the states. They still don’t register at all on sales charts, but I have found more and more US fans floating around for these bands and it’s all due to the internet.
On an unrelated note, you guys should do a piece or something for a band called “Bright Light Fever”. They recently released their second album for free (where their first one was a regular CD release from an indie label). They are currently unsigned, but they’re one of those bands where - for the life of me - I can’t figure out why they aren’t tearing up the sales charts. They’re albums are some of my most-listened-to music. Check out their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/brightlightfever
Well good article but to me INDIE is a type of music not a label known as INDIEpendent. To me INDIE is punk music which then grew from New Wave, Post Punk and Gothic to Jangle Pop which brang Indie Rock or Indie Pop. Then INDIE got badass and brang Grunge and Post Punk Revival, Garage Rock Revival and Dance-Punk .
Sometimes I don’t understand what INDIE is or is it a genre of Rock music still I think INDIE is a genre of Sub-Genres.