What in the world is Indie, anyway? - Geeking Out

Written by: Aura R.

Hola! If you’re reading this, I’m guessing this question has crossed your mind at least once. To unravel it, we must dive deep into the rabbit hole. Luckily, I'm a music geek (by night), so I've dug up tons of info so you don't have to.

Shall we get into it?

First off, the term "indie" originates from "independent." In the music industry, it initially distinguished major music labels from smaller ones, often comprising a handful of people and genuine independent projects. Remember, the music industry as we know it is relatively recent—massive music distribution and radio became available to global audiences around the 1950s. And indie labels have existed since then too.

However, it probably wasn’t until the late '70s that the term carried cultural weight. With the counterculture explosion of punk, serving as the soundtrack of protest against an adverse political climate, indie began symbolizing rebellion and self-management against the prevailing system. Numerous famous punk, rock, and post-punk bands emerged from independent labels, especially flourishing in the UK.

Yet, capitalists being capitalists, they began competing with indie labels, both for the attention of emerging bands and their business model. Many independent labels were absorbed by majors, becoming imprint labels or subsidiaries.

Moving ahead to the late '90s and 2000s, the indie label became somewhat of an overused and excessively capitalized statement. If you're a millennial like me, you'll recall how "indie" meant something cool but not quite mainstream, accompanied by Tumblr and fashion trends. Alongside this "statement," new music styles emerged: indie-rock, indie-pop, indie-folk, and the list goes on.

So, here we are today, grappling with something utterly confusing. Is it indie because of its sound? Because it's unknown? Or because it's not a band signed to a major label?

Turns out, it’s all of the above. It just depends on your perspective, or as kids call it, POV.

Personally, I prefer going back to the roots. Even if you examine what characterizes an indie sound, the DIY ethos plays a significant role. So, I'd say indie is independent—the more independent, the better, naturally. But essentially, let’s agree that anything or anyone not under one of the big three record labels falls under this category. Does this include subsidiaries? Well, that's a debate I often have with myself.

For argument’s sake, let’s conclude that indie refers (or should refer) to bands and artists signed to labels outside the Sony, Universal, or Warner realm (if they're under a subsidiary, they should at least uphold an independent ethos). Then there are my personal music heroes—the true guardians of indie counterculture—the unsigned artists.

With this somewhat answered burning question, I urge you to explore your local scene. There are genuinely independent artists waiting to be discovered worldwide. If Spotify won’t pay them, at least let's utilize the platform to tweak the algorithm a tad. Attend gigs, buy the records, and relish those hidden gems the radio won’t air.