THE HISTORY OF INDIE MUSIC

As an Indie Music fan I have been called everything from music snob to hippie. Although it doesn't bother me at all, I often wonder if the angry people calling me silly names really knew what Indie Music was. Most people probably hear a term like "Indie Music" and just associate it with certain types of music, but technically that is incorrect. To remedy that problem, I'd like to spend some time talking about the history and evolution of Indie Music and from the time it was born until today.

Indie Music is technically short for "Independent Music" and defines a category of musician that prefers to produce his or her own music rather than sign with a major record label. Although there are record labels that sign these musicians, technically Indie Music record labels specialize in small time productions that do not come close to rivaling that of the major record labels you are most familiar with. Often, these small Indie Music labels are collections of similar artist and form a network of aspiring musicians rather than a collection of random music artists produced in the typical cookie cutter fashion.

Indie Music is said to have its beginnings in the 1960's where most of the music was pop, Rock n' Roll, and R &B. A band called Velvet Underground emerged during this time that started producing all of its music individually. They tried to create their own style of music that branched out from the mainstream and although they did not sell many records, their original members still make music today.

As Indie Music progressed through the 70's and 80's it became known as progressive rock, which transformed into alternative music in the 90's. Although bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana brought alternative music mainstream, there were still hundreds of Indie Bands in the background producing great, but generally unnoticed music.

Today Indie Music has become a genre of its own that is generally a blend of rock, folk, and acoustic music. Raw and emotional music still seems to be the norm, which is why the Indie fan base is so attached to their music. In the days of bubble gum rock and cookie-cutter boy/girl bands, it is refreshing to still be able to find music that speaks to its audience rather than sells to it.

Unfortunately, finding good Indie Music can be difficult because the major record labels continue to subvert quality music by flooding the market with bad music. However, if you look hard enough on sites like Last.fm or Amazon (has a great recommendation service) you may find an Indie Band that suits your taste.

I like Indie Music because the Indie Music Artists aren't trying to polish who they are. You get to hear the music as it would sound in their room as they play to their spouse, siblings, or children. It shouldn't be this hard to find good sounding music, but maybe that's what makes it so rewarding to listen to.

Article Source:Nathan Hangen