What does it mean to be indie?

Jillian Zack, Contributor | 

Indie. People use this word all of the time to describe music in one way or another— but what does it actually mean? 

The proper definition of indie is: (a pop group, record label, or film company) not belonging to or affiliated with a major record or film company. 

Indie is shorthand for “independent” which is a broad term characterized by creative freedom, low-fidelity—also known as the subgenre of lo-fi—with a ‘do-it-yourself’(DIY) approach to music creation, which comes with support from independent record labels. 

Part of indie is also aesthetic, and if you think back to the over-exposed Instagram feed of 2020, you will remember baggy pants, shag haircuts, and Mother Mother blasting from every speaker. 

Emerging from underground scenes, indie music originally defined itself through the rejection of mainstream norms with diverse and experimental sounds. It encompasses a wide range of music that is produced independently, apart from commercial major record labels. 

Genre or lifestyle? 

Since indie describes a band’s outlook more than their musical style, independent musicians can range from the electronic soul style of Frank Ocean to the lyrical and melancholy sounds of The Smiths. In the indie scene, the DIY style of music is common and it tends to be more sonically adventurous and experimental

There are different subsections of indie like indie rock or indie pop. Bands and artists like MGMT, The Smiths, alt-J, Mac DeMarco, The Strokes, Vacations, Tame Impala, and the Arctic Monkeys are all in a Spotify-created playlist under the title “Indie Rock.” 

While each of these bands have a unique sound from one another, they are all considered popular due to their innovative approaches to music and distinctive soundscapes. 

Lots of these bands have long outgrown the DIY scene, but they still carry the indie label. Why? 

After bands sign to a major label, they are often met with criticism from heartthrob fans hoping they don’t change their sound. Considering the indie sound is characterized by having minimal production, a major label is the antithesis of this style. 

However, major labels notice the popularity of raw music, and have begun to replicate the indie sound by signing with artists who mimic the DIY aesthetics while not actually being independent. 

Independent versus indie

The band MGMT is not independent, in fact, they are signed to five different record labels. MGMT is labelled as indie pop, synth-pop, psychedelic pop, indie rock, psychedelic rock, neo-psychedelia, and electronic rock. Listeners and critics alike find it hard to pinpoint which genre they belong in. 

Their genre-fluid catalogue defies categorization. Genres of music are there to help people find other bands or artists with similar sounds that they like. But does indie really do that nowadays? 

Perhaps it used to, but in its current state of genre-fluidity, it’s not really helpful when searching for new music. 

An example of a great modern staple of indie rock would be the band Car Seat Headrest. Their first album Twin Fantasy was released in 2018. Rumour has it that it was recorded in their closet at home, which is about as indie as it gets.

They stayed independent, but once they gained more traction and followers, they got access to an actual studio and decided to remake their first album into the vision they originally had.

On Spotify, a playlist named “Indie Pop” has songs on it from artists like Faye Webster, beabadoobee, Mitski, Billie Eilish, Lola Young, Chappell Roan, Lana Del Rey and Clairo. 

Calling an artist “indie” today signals a specific sound or vibe, regardless of their actual independence. Sounds with dark somber lyrics are becoming increasingly popular in mainstream music as artists are shedding light on things like personal struggles and mental health.

The line between the technical definition of indie and the sound of indie, creates confusion among music lovers. Take Billie Eilish for example. She is considered indie despite having nine Grammys.

Maybe it’s because her earlier music sounded low-budget, and matched the tone and vibe of struggling singers in their bedroom. But really, we see Spotify’s algorithm-driven playlists prioritize vibe over independence, allowing artists like Billie Eilish to be branded as indie despite major label ties.

Record labels

There are two main kinds of record labels when it comes to music–indie labels and major labels. There are tons of indie labels, but only four major labels, which are referred to as the Big Four—EMI Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group.

The main difference between indie and major labels is money—the major labels have made a heavy profit over the years and therefore have the funds and means to support their signed artists by providing services like PR management and marketing, alongside industry-leading studios and equipment. 

Meanwhile, indie labels are a lot smaller in comparison, and the lower budget translates to signed artists not receiving the same amount of financial aid.

Gatekeeping

Despite indies’ increasing influence on mainstream music, a certain set of indie fans resist this shift. In underground music communities, it is common to gatekeep certain artists with an air of exclusivity, an unsaid competition of ‘who knows the most underground artists.’ This behaviour is prominently seen on SoundCloud. 

Once an artist reaches popularity and mainstream media, some fans abandon them altogether. 

Milky Chance, for example, created an indie fan base before their song “Stolen Dance” blew up and became a huge radio hit. So-called indie fans went from supporting them to deciding their newfound popularity wasn’t worth the streams. 

Fans fiercely guard underground indie acts with artists who are relatively unknown but have a dedicated following. Many of these artists thrive on the fact their music feels like a secret, something undiscovered by the majority of the population.

When those artists gain some traction, some fans panic fearing that the mainstream success will dilute the authenticity that made them special in the first place. The relationship between underground bands and their fans is built on the promise that they won’t succeed, and if they do, they lose a large chunk of their original supporters. 

How it changed

Influential rock band, Nirvana, started in the early 90s as an indie band. Eventually signing to a larger label, the band was incredibly influential in what would become well-known as indie rock over the years.

When “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was released in 1991, the music scene changed. After Nirvana blew up and gained popularity, a lot of different bands wanted to have that same alternative sound.

This brought attention to anything “grunge” with indie music falling into that category because these genres share a similar “abandon-the-world” vibe. 

When you think of indie during the ‘80s and ‘90s, you think of artists like the Pixies and The Smiths who started operating outside the mainstream music industry, playing music that was “too raw or too weird” for most people to handle. 

They would release music from tiny labels, even releasing their own music while touring the United States and playing at clandestine venues.

Eventually, indie bands made a place in mainstream music, and over the years they evolved from being underground to very well-known. 

The indie lifestyle

The ’90s marked the point when indie began shifting away from strict independence and more toward an attitude. This decade shaped indie’s profitability, turning it into just another product for major labels, clothing retailers, and the media to sell.

Now, indie means something different. 

It can be fashion or even an aesthetic. What began as a rebellion against corporate control has transcended its original meaning of independence, changing into a paradox of aesthetic rebellion and mainstream commercialization. 

So what does it mean to be indie? 

Maybe it’s liking The Smiths, maybe it’s carrying around a skateboard and not knowing how to ride it. One thing is for sure, the definition is broad. And without indie, we wouldn’t have many of the great music that we consume today.