Indie Music

[Gaelbert]

Yes, I'm white. (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/30/40-indie-music/)
With that out of the way, how many people listen to this genre? I do. I can't even define what the genre is, except for muttering something like "less heavy, sometimes happy rock/pop that's not quite commercial or something." And I don't quite think the definition is based off of whether the artist is signed or not. I listen to the Decemberists and consider them quite good, yet they are signed. Anyways, what are some good indie bands y'all listen to? My library is somewhat limited, but I'll give it a go.
The Decemberists
Neutral Milk Hotel
The Arcade Fire
Elliott Smith
Coconut Records
Death Cab for Cutie (not quite sure if they're indie, but oh well)
Vampire Weekend
Sufjan Stevens
Hello Saferide
And remember, with indie, the more obscure the better.

[Jae]

Totally is a matter of being signed. Although you can be independently signed vs some major record deal.

I dont like to listen to anything that isnt indie. Im a little less anal about it now but I used to refuse an artist if they were signed. anyways...
bright eyes, the editors, mc lars, iron and wine, the shins, Cary brothers <3, etcetc most of my favorite old bands are indie that ive forgotten about thanks to disgusting pop culture.

and im fairly sure death cab isnt but idk

[Sneak]

Personally, I define indie as more of a sound thing, but maybe that's just me.

Oh No! Oh My!
Vampire Weekend
The Mountain Goats
Rogue Wave
Arcade Fire
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Sufjan Stevens
The Wombats
Iron & Wine
Art Brut
Bloc Party
We Are Scientists
The Decemberists
The Hold Steady, if they count
The Flaming Lips, if they count as indie, I'm not so sure about them
Death Cab for Cutie
Pavement
The Shins
Spoon

And then there are a bunch of other bands that I love that aren't indie.

I'm pretty sure all those count as "indie," or at least most of them. I'm still not quite clear on how it's defined, but whatever. I just listen to music that I like the sound of.

And yes, I am white too. :P

[Closet_Skeleton]

Independant is not a genre.

[Jorkens]

Totally is a matter of being signed. Although you can be independently signed vs some major record deal.
You have to be kind of careful with that sort of definition, though - if you strictly mean 'music on independent record labels' you start including stuff like early Kylie and Jason Donovan hits, or lots of early nineties rave smashes, which I don't think most people would think of as 'indie'!

I don't know what would be a better definition, although it traditionally seems to be characterized by attitudes and approaches that aren't in line with what would lead to mainstream success. In the UK these days it basically just means 'guitar based music that isn't metal' - I mean it's kind of hard to see a sense in which bands like The Kooks or The Hoosiers are independent...

[Sneak]

I just look up the band on wikipedia, and if it says "indie," I count it. :smalltongue:

[Powerslave44]

Independant is not a genre.

Quoted for truth.

[valadil]

It's always bothered me that independent is treated as a genre. I've tried to convince myself that the term indie really just means "hipster music" and not "unsigned artist."

[Sneak]

It's always bothered me that independent is treated as a genre. I've tried to convince myself that the term indie really just means "hipster music" and not "unsigned artist."

That really is what it means. No one uses "indie" to refer to an unsigned artist. Would an unsigned metal band be considered "indie?" No.

[Artemician]

That really is what it means. No one uses "indie" to refer to an unsigned artist.

I do. filler

[Closet_Skeleton]

I do.

Ah, that's nice for you.

(sorry but your avatar provokes patronisation)

My film studies course basically taught me that independant is a meaningless term nobody can agree on.

The problem with saying that unsigned bands are independant is that the term in theory refers to the record label being independant from bigger record labels, with the band being independant through association.

[Tom_Violence]

I dont like to listen to anything that isnt indie. Im a little less anal about it now but I used to refuse an artist if they were signed. anyways...

Why, pray tell? What difference does it make if a band is signed or not? As Closest Skeleton said, there's a big difference between bands and labels.

Its pretty straightforward where the term came from - in the 80s a lot of bands started putting out their own records, often in a very 'garage industry' kind of way, either because they didn't want the big-name labels, or the labels wouldn't have them. It mostly started out as punk bands doing it politically, but over time more and more 'alt rock' bands got in on it too.

Nowadays the term applies equally much to the genre of music as to the economics of it. A lot of people seem to have a problem with that, but languages change over time. Its kinda one of the fun things about them. By and large, a vast number of people use the work 'indie' to refer to the sound of the music so, no matter where the word comes from, that's a meaning of it now.

[Artemician]

Why, pray tell? What difference does it make if a band is signed or not? As Closest Skeleton said, there's a big difference between bands and labels.

I'd imagine it's the Its Popular so it Sucks (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ItsPopularNowItSucks) phenomenon in action.


Its pretty straightforward where the term came from - in the 80s a lot of bands started putting out their own records, often in a very 'garage industry' kind of way, either because they didn't want the big-name labels, or the labels wouldn't have them. It mostly started out as punk bands doing it politically, but over time more and more 'alt rock' bands got in on it too.

Nowadays the term applies equally much to the genre of music as to the economics of it. A lot of people seem to have a problem with that, but languages change over time. Its kinda one of the fun things about them. By and large, a vast number of people use the work 'indie' to refer to the sound of the music so, no matter where the word comes from, that's a meaning of it now.

I realize this.

However, this doesn't stop me from using the term to denote its original meaning, both in music and elsewhere. Indie games, Indie software, Indie music - I understand that English is a malleable language, and that people do use words in new ways.

Doesn't stop me from disliking it though.

[Powerslave44]

I'd imagine it's the Its Popular so it Sucks (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ItsPopularNowItSucks) phenomenon in action.

Something about a the head of a nail here. This is really only one part of the unhealthy obsession with being a unique snowflake though, I don't know why I still bother trying to bring logic to the table.

[Tom_Violence]

I realize this.

However, this doesn't stop me from using the term to denote its original meaning, both in music and elsewhere. Indie games, Indie software, Indie music - I understand that English is a malleable language, and that people do use words in new ways.

Doesn't stop me from disliking it though.

Fair enough, each to their own etc. Just seems a bit futile to me. Words will change, and this one changed a long long time ago. The original meaning hasn't been lost - its just that not many people use it these days since its functionally not very useful, at least with regards to music. The status of the original meaning has largely gone and as a descriptor is has very little power. Continue to use it all you like, but just be aware that many people will probably need some clarification as to what you really mean.


Something about a the head of a nail here. This is really only one part of the unhealthy obsession with being a unique snowflake though, I don't know why I still bother trying to bring logic to the table.

Yeah, I agree. Does a band's music inhernetly change when a contract is introduced? Are unsigned bands necessarily better than signed ones? I listen to bands for the music - what am I doing wrong? :smallconfused:

[Joran]

Not a band, but I enjoy Jonathan Coulton. Tack on Paul and Storm also.

[Moff Chumley]

Totally is a matter of being signed. Although you can be independently signed vs some major record deal.

I dont like to listen to anything that isnt indie. Im a little less anal about it now but I used to refuse an artist if they were signed. anyways...
bright eyes, the editors, mc lars, iron and wine, the shins, Cary brothers <3, etcetc most of my favorite old bands are indie that ive forgotten about thanks to disgusting pop culture.

and im fairly sure death cab isnt but idk

Well, thats more than a little elitist.

[Sneak]

No offense to anyone, but people who don't like things because they're "popular" get on my nerves more than a little. I just listen to "indie" music because I like how it sounds. It's aesthetically pleasing to me. It has nothing to do with being signed or not (frankly, I have no idea if the bands I listen to are independently signed or not).

[zeratul]

Not a band, but I enjoy Jonathan Coulton. Tack on Paul and Storm also.

Heh, they're both awesome, have you seen them do jon's version of baby got back together?

Stuff I listen to that is considered indie is the postal service, the decemberists, death cab for cutie, neutral milk hotel, and some other stuff like that. That's indie as in the genre though I have no idea if any of those bands are signed or unsigned and I don't really care.

[Tragic_Comedian]

I don't know if he's indie or not, but Voltaire is probably the closest to indie I listen too. I'm not really sure if I like They Might Be Giants or not, and I don't know if they're indie either. I'm pitiful.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I listen to Indie music!
Heck, I play Indie music, in both senses of the word.

[Mx.Silver]

Well, thats more than a little elitist.

I think a fair amount of genres are created for the express purpose of being elitist. Music being the thing that tends to bring out the elitism in people. I've noticed a similar pattern within the 'metal' style sub-genres, often going something along of the lines of:
"No, those bands are [insert sub-genre here] and therefore not real metal."
Other genres probably have their own examples too.

Personally, I don't really know what constitutes Indie. My taste is fairly eclectic though, so odds are there'd be something that fits. Editors and Arcade Fire have been mentioned, whom I both like, and I've heard Porcupine Tree get labelled as such before (although they seem more like Prog to me).

[Vaynor]

These are some of the bands I like that I consider indie or close to indie.

Arcade Fire
Belle & Sebastian
Colossal Yes
Dr. Dog
Malajube
Math and Physics Club
Neutral Milk Hotel
Of Montreal
Robbers on High Street
Shout Out Louds
Spoon
Tegan and Sara
The Unicorns
Wolf Parade


No offense to anyone, but people who don't like things because they're "popular" get on my nerves more than a little. I just listen to "indie" music because I like how it sounds. It's aesthetically pleasing to me. It has nothing to do with being signed or not (frankly, I have no idea if the bands I listen to are independently signed or not).

My opinion is that it doesn't matter if it's popular/unpopular as long as you like the music. I just happen to like indie music, and though I don't dislike popular music, I just tend not to enjoy most of it.

[The Extinguisher]

I listen to post-rock.

A good 50% of it all is going to be unsigned. The rest is probably small record labels.

But in the end, what does it matter. I really don't get the "It's Popular Now it Sucks" mindset. Shouldn't you feel good to be a part of something that's a success. Or is having to play show after show after show after show in order to eat a good thing now?

[Powerslave44]

You have any good post-rock suggestions for something along the same lines as Mono or Explosions?

[Tom_Violence]

There is one context that I can think of in which the 'Popular is Actually Bad" line holds, and that's live shows. Given that atmosphere is incredibly important there, having a room full of a bunch of hipsters who won't move their asses for the love of god and evidently only turned up to be 'seen in the scene' is more than a little infuriating.

Anyway, here's a recommendation of an amazing 'indie' band for y'all: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Go check them out, post haste! And their first album was a self-release, so that should just please everyone.