History of Indie Music
Introduction:
Independent music or famously known as ‘Indie’ music, is used as the term to describe the independence of music from major commercial record labels. These groups are mostly autonomous, self made and more precisely are pioneers. The people from this "Indie" class do everything on their own in recording, publishing and performances. Indie groups are usually not interested in taking help of any big names from Music Industry.
Birth of an Indie Music Band:
The history of Indie Music dates long back in 1960′s. The format of the music then was pop, rock and roll and a slight dash of R&B. The lyrics of the songs was inspired by peace, love and anti-war thoughts. There immerged some bands like "Velvet Underground". This was the band which could be considered as a real "Indie" band. They did everything regarding their album all on their own and created a difference in traditional music. They created songs comprising of almost everything belonging to that time. They tried the new style which was not tried by any other group. Unfortunately, the "Velvet Underground" band sold very few records of them. Even though the musicians are generating various kinds of music today, they are still amazed with the creation of "Velvet Underground".
In the era of 1970 more experimented music originated. There were numerous groups which tried diversity in music and immerged as music bands. One more new form of music aroused during this period named as "Progressive Rock". The music was distinct from hard rock of Beatles and soft music in 1960′s. This was the base of electronic instrumental era that took place in 1990. Music bands like Sire Records and Stiff Records were the most popular that time, which invented "New Wave" form of music.
Indie music took a stiff growth in 1980s. In this period a new form of music immerged known as "alternative music", which was a group formed out of distortion of garage bands. In 1990 the Indie music changed its face. The music was more promising and a missing link between modern music. The commercialization of these pioneers was on a high and they seem to be tied up with major labels than their own Indie labels. The Indie fans got upset with this. Soon the picture changed at the end of 1990s and Indie music got its original identity once again.
Indie music has changed so much over the years from the what was arguably the heydays of the late 80′s to the commercial bland indie of today.
I still think of indie music as being something put out on a small independent label rather than a genre of music that sounds a certain a way but like a lot of things the term got mangled and ruined by the NME.
I agree with mambios, Indie Music has changed a lot from the early days. I have heard about “Velvet Underground” band. Does anyone have any songs or music files of this band. I would like hear them once.
Tyler: check out “stephanie says,” “sweet jane,” and anything they’ve done with Nico. Just some of my personal favorites.
But yes, agreed that what is considered “indie” nowadays is could hardly have been considered such in years past. Although, there still is a large truly independent world out there with some amazing artists. Just as amazing as in years past!
I am a huge fan of sixties, rhythm and blues and the real rock and roll, it is nice to see that indie music developed from that, but I have two agree with the comments above, the old indie music, such as Velvet Underground (love that song fall to pieces), is a lot different from what we have nowdays
Indie bands are always the best. Even I, a total religous metalhead who jams out to Dead Poetic and Underoath, love these guys.
Thanks for sharing the history, mate!~
I don’t see “indie” music as being a sound or style. To me, it’s not like its as different from “non-indie” big label rock or pop as classical music is from rock or pop, but rather the fact that bands who are independent from pressures by the big-wigs at Sony and Warner Records. “Indie” is now such a flexible term, though, but that’s my take on this.
I hadn’t realised that the indie scene went back to the 60s. I was familiar with Velvet Underground, but thought they were a little more recent than that.
I remember the scene in the 90s, I had a lot of friends who were very into the whole indie ‘sound’, during the time when indie meant something a little different.
I hope we see a full return to roots soon.
Hello everyone.I would like to thank you for this great blog i hope people will get to understand the term of indie music and be able to make the difference.Indie music had a huge impact over people all over the world.When i first heard about this term was back in 1990′s when i first heard an Oasis song and started to look it up and read more about it.I am an Oasis fan and they had a huge impact over my life.About the band and the begining of forming a band , being independent.The band started to achieve commercial success which was a new thing for the independent music , they came to represent Brit-pop music.The music press called the band various names such as : Major-label indie , Britpop band.Indie rock was later to be associated with the commercial guitar-pop music.
The major success the band had , made them be better and better for the fans they earned through the ears and they still rock the stadium when they turn up on the stange from behind the scenes.
Indie music , indie rock music has a lot of history and my advice is to try it out , look it up , maybe you’ll like it.
Hi, I’m doing a speech on indie music vs mainstream and I was wondering if I could get the name of the author of this article for my citations page. Thanks!
Hi Tessa, You can just reference this web site. Thanks!
i was wondering what the difference between indie music and normal music like pop and R&B
The Velvet Underground was not an indie band, as all of their material was released by major labels including Verve, MGM, Atlantic, Polydor, Mercury, Sire. However, they can be considered one of the most influential rock groups of all time because of their unique sound, and experimental approach at a time when pop was king. They are also cited as having contributed much to the development of punk and alternative rock, and although they were never commercially successful, they are still remembered as a significant rock group.
i think the “best” meaning to the term indie is in reference to musicians, no matter the genre, who do not rely or depend on big-money producers to create,popularize and spread their music around.And i like the word used there “autonomy” but I would think that those mainstream artists such as Jay Sean or whoever gets to have their own say over their music as well so it doesn’t really apply.I guess the word has mostly been used for bands who have THAT definitive heavily-guitar-laden post-punk/rock sound such as Kaiser Chiefs or Arctic Monkeys(even though they are clearly both commercial successes)because they are the most common form of independent artists.
Indie Bands are now becoming a revolutionised type of genre.You can tell in the past and modern bands that the sound has changed but still the modern bands have defantly kept their sense of past melodic sounds. Indie Bands are the best!!!
Indie is not really anything new. it has technically been going on since the beginning of the first pressed record, or anyone that could get a hold of some recording gear!! Sorry to burst your indie bubble, but historically speaking it is a catch all phrase that became just another name to describe any artists that are underground despite the fact they were on a major or not!! But, let us get back to the story here of what is relevant the most to indie rock, and pop. let us start in the 1950′s. In the 50′s indie existed with rockabilly. In the 1960′s with the garage, and psych scenes. There were plenty of indie bands recording 45 rpm singles!! In the 70′s there were some underground independent stoner hard rock albums too as well. Then that brings us up to punk in the late 70′s after the stoner hard rock scene came,and went. Although, the stoner metal scene came in the 90′s as a revival of sorts to that sound. That brings us up to today!! If you want to truly get technical about it. The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed could have been one of the first so called indie rock bands signed to a major label that had a DIY aesthetic/ sensibility!!