Is indie different from rock?

Who was the first indie band?

The story of indie music as we know it begins with Buzzcocks’ Spiral Scratch EP. First released in April 1977, this influential four-track 7” from the iconic Manchester pop-punk quartet is widely recognized as rock’s first independently-funded and distributed disc.

What is the history of indie rock?

Indie rock. The commercial breakthrough from these scenes was led by four bands: The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives and The Vines. Emo also broke into mainstream culture in the early 2000s. By the end of the decade, the proliferation of indie bands was being referred to as “indie landfill”.

What is indie music based on?

According to Emily Dolan, indie is predicated on the distorted music of the Velvet Underground, the “rebellious screaming” of early punk, and “some of rock’s more quirky and eccentric figures”, such as Jonathan Richman. Pitchfork ‘ s Nitsuh Abebe identifies the majority of indie as “all about that 60s-styled guitar jangle”.

What happened to indie rock in the 1980s?

Some prominent indie rock record labels were founded during the 1980s. During the 1990s, grunge bands broke into the mainstream, and the term “alternative” lost its original counter-cultural meaning. The term “indie rock” became associated with the bands and genres that remained dedicated to their independent status.

Why are indie bands so popular?

It’s a great perk to have, and all of the best indie rock bands may not have the biggest album sales – but by retaining their indie cred, it allows them to become popular beyond the scope of indie music. So, what are the best indie bands?

What defines rock music?

Rock music, also called rock and roll, rock & roll, or rock ‘n’ roll, is a form of popular music that emerged in the 1950s and is defined as “a form of music with a strong beat”—it is difficult to be much more explicit about it.

What is rock music?

The Collins Cobuild English Dictionary, based on a vast database of British usage, suggests that “rock is a kind of music with simple tunes and a very strong beat that is played and sung, usually loudly, by a small group of people with electric guitars and drums,” but there are so many exceptions to this description that it is practically useless.

What is hard rock music?

Hard rock is typically described as music that uses heavy drums, bass lines, guitar riffs, and vocals that are an easy listen. Music with lyrics that express strong emotions is also considered hard -rock music. An example of this would be The Beatles! Their songs can be very emotional and dramatic.

Is rock music the same as rock and roll?

If not, it wasn’t. Rock music is defined by rhythm, not melody. Rock is in 4/4 time with the heavy beats being 2 and 4. Rock and roll in the ’50s has exactly this in common with all of your “sub-genres” that you consider to be “rock” today.

Is rock a form of music with a strong beat?

Dictionary definitions of rock are problematic, not least because the term has different resonance in its British and American usages (the latter is broader in compass). There is basic agreement that rock “is a form of music with a strong beat,” but it is difficult to be much more explicit.

Are Arctic Monkeys indie?

Arctic Monkeys are generally considered part of the indie rock scene alongside similar contemporary guitar bands such as The Libertines, The Futureheads and Franz Ferdinand.

What is the Arctic Monkeys music?

The Arctic Monkeys’ music is classified as Indie rock, Indie pop, post-punk revival, garage rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock, hard rock, and recently space pop and glam rock genres. They are an English rock band that was formed in 2002 and are considered to be one of the earliest bands that gained their popularity via the internet.

What is Arctic Monkeys’ “R U Mine”?

R U Mine? By distilling the sounds of Franz Ferdinand, the Clash, the Strokes, and the Libertines into a hybrid of swaggering indie rock and danceable neo-punk, Arctic Monkeys became one of the U.K.’s biggest bands of the new millennium.

How did Arctic Monkeys make history?

As a result, Arctic Monkeys made history as the first independent label band with five consecutive number 1 albums in the UK. The album received widespread critical acclaim and brought Arctic Monkeys their third nomination for the Mercury Prize. The album also won the Brit award for Best British Album.

What was Arctic Monkeys’ first release without Nicholson?

Arctic Monkeys’ first release without Nicholson, the single “Leave Before the Lights Come On”, came on 14 August 2006. Turner said that the song was one of the last songs he wrote before their rise to fame, and suggested that “it feels very much like it could be on the album”.

Is Ed Sheeran indie rock?

Originally an indie artist selling music independently on his own label starting in 2005, Sheeran released nine EPs, steadily gaining public and critical acclaim, resulting in his signing to Atlantic Records in January 2011.

Who is Ed Sheeran?

Most indie music comprises indie rock or indie pop, and Ed Sheeran falls somewhere between the two. That is before he released his claim to fame, ‘A-team,’ and became immensely popular. From starting off as a small indie musician in 2005 to bagging his first deal with the critically acclaimed Atlantic Records in 2011, Sheeran has come a long way.

Does Ed Sheeran mix folk and pop music?

One of the most common observations that have been picked into Ed Sheeran’s music is that he mixes and matches the sound of folk music into his typical pop music. “Galway Girl,” a song released in his third album, incorporates a touch of folk music into his typical pop song.

What is Sheeran’s history in indie music?

From starting off as a small indie musician in 2005 to bagging his first deal with the critically acclaimed Atlantic Records in 2011, Sheeran has come a long way. Read this blog, ‘ What is Indie Music? ‘ to find out more about Indie Music.

What is Ed Sheeran’s best album?

Subtract is easily his best album. But it’s also the first Ed Sheeran album since his debut for which you can’t confidently predict eye-watering commercial success.

Is Taylor Swift indie rock?

Both explore indie folk and alternative rock with a more muted production compared to her previous upbeat pop songs. Swift wrote and recorded the albums with producers Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner from the National.

What genre is Taylor Swift’s music?

Swift’s music contains elements of pop, pop rock, and country. She described herself as a country artist until the 2014 release of 1989, which she characterized as a “sonically cohesive pop album”.

Who is Taylor Swift?

Country-to-pop crossover princess Taylor Swift is the undisputed leader here, and she would have dominated even further if we’d gone back another year or two. No artist, male or female, of any genre, has sold as many albums as Taylor has over the late aughts and early part of this decade.

Is Taylor Swift finally releasing an indie record?

With the surprise midsummer release of Folklore, it seems that Taylor Swift has finally put out an indie record much cooler than her others, one that even a Pitchfork editor could love.

Is Taylor Swift making music with the National?

These days, Taylor Swift is no longer being pitted in opposition to an indie act like the National; she’s making music with them.

Is Nirvana indie pop?

Since Nirvana were rooted in an indie aesthetic but loved pop music, they fought their stardom while courting it, becoming some of the most notorious anti-rock stars in history.

What is a Nirvana band?

Categories: Nirvana (band) Alternative rock groups from Washington (state) American grunge groups

Does Nirvana have a specific sound?

Nirvana was one of the pioneer bands to come out of the scene. “Grunge” doesnt have a specific sound. Every band you did mention has a different sound than the others. AIC sounds nothing like PJ and Nirvana sounds nothing like Soundgarden. The term “grunge” began to be overused and any alternative band in the 90s was “grunge”.

Who were the members of Nirvana?

Nirvana, American alternative rock group whose breakthrough album, Nevermind (1991), announced a new musical style ( grunge) and gave voice to the post-baby boom young adults known as Generation X. The members were Kurt Cobain (b. February 20, 1967, Aberdeen, Washington, U.S.—d. April 5, 1994, Seattle, Washington), Krist Novoselic (b.

What was Nirvana’s first song?

Poneman signed Nirvana, and in December of 1988, the band released its first single, a cover of Shocking Blue ‘s “LLove Buzz.” Sub Pop orchestrated an effective marketing scheme, which painted the band as backwoods, logging-town hicks, which irritated Cobain and Novoselic.

Is emo indie rock?

Emo music is a subgenre of punk rock, indie rock, and alternative rock music defined by its heavy emotional expression.

What is the difference between emo and indie rock?

• Emo is a rock sub-genre that is melodious and expressive. • Indie is a sub-genre of alternative rock that is not with mainstream record labels. • Emo mostly talks about emotional trials and conflicts. • Indie focuses on the musician’s creativity rather than popular trends.

What is emo music?

Author Matt Diehl called emo a “more sensitive interpolation of punk’s mission”. According to Merriam-Webster, emo is “a style of rock music influenced by punk rock and featuring introspective and emotionally fraught lyrics”. Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys ‘ 1966 album, is sometimes considered the first emo album.

Where did emo come from?

According to Andy Greenwald, author of Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo, “The origins of the term ’emo’ are shrouded in mystery … but it first came into common practice in 1985. If Minor Threat was hardcore, then Rites of Spring, with its altered focus, was emotional hardcore or emocore.”

Which 2010s emo bands use hardcore punk?

While many 2010s emo bands draw on the sound and aesthetic of 1990s emo, hardcore punk elements are consistently used by 2010s emo bands such as Title Fight and Small Brown Bike.

Who is considered indie?

Quite simply, Indie music definition is music that’s produced by a DIY artist, or on an independent label, without the traditional resources of a major label. Some indie artists aren’t involved with labels at all, and instead self-release their music using distributors, which we will look at later on.

Is indie music a genre?

When you hear the term “indie music”, any number of bands might come to mind. Modest Mouse, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian, The National, Mac DeMarco – these artists represent the indie music scene, and yet they are all different. Indie can be a bit of a confusing term, because by itself it isn’t a genre.

What is the difference between British indie and American indie?

Because this ‘sound’ differs, depending on where you are. I have found that many sources say that the British indie is somewhat melancholic and softer in sound. Whereas the American indie is a sort of unrefined music, having a sound that is very D-I-Y and quite rough.

What do you think of indie rock?

I believe indierock is that branch of rock that tries to avoid rock cliches and is influenced by postpunk and alternative rock of the 80s and the Velvet Underground. People tend to ca First of all I believe that a band is allowed to be signed to a major label and still be labelled “indie”.

What is independent music?

(May 2018) Independent music (also commonly known as indie music, or simply indie) is music produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries; this may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording and publishing. As a genre term, “indie” may or may not comprise independently produced music.

Is indie rock loud?

Indie rock is customarily loud, energetic and led by a charismatic frontman or woman.

Is pop rock alternative rock?

Pop/Rock » Alternative/Indie Rock » Alternative Pop/Rock Alternative Pop/Rock is essentially a catch-all term for post-punk bands from the mid-’80s to the mid-’90s. Though there is a variety of musical styles within Alternative Rock, they are all tied together since they existed outside of the mainstream.

What is the difference between rock and alternative rock?

Rock refers to the broad genre of music with stylistic origins in jazz, rhythm-and-blues, folk, and country. Alternative music, in theory, is anything that doesn’t sound like the popular music of the day. Alternative Rock is the subgenre of Rock that emerged from Underground Rock of the late 70s.

What is pop/rock music?

Pop/rock is a genre of music which includes rock music that is popular. It also includes other forms of popular music done by a primarily rock group. For instance, The Beatles are the pre-eminent pop/rock group.

Why is alternative rock more popular than indie rock?

Some were signed to major labels, making alternative rock inherently more mainstream than indie rock bands on independent record labels. Over time, alternative music has received less media attention and radio airplay, yet alt-rock (also called modern rock) remains an active component of the pop music landscape.

How does indie sound like?

Indie rock combines the guitar-based, driving rhythm of rock with that signature gritty-indie sound. This subgenre usually follows a pop form but doesn’t try to appeal to mainstream trends or commercial demands.

What makes indie music different from mainstream music?

A lot of mainstream music is not put together with much thought, and many of the lyrics are simply shallow. Also, a lot of mainstream music doesn’t have a social conscience, whereas indie music tends to be much more socially conscious. Originally Answered: what makes indie music sound like indie music?

What is the spirit of indie music?

As an artist, with the software that’s available, you can pretty much make music on your laptop, do the artwork, put it out there, and hope for the best. That really is the spirit of indie. If you’re willing to be patient, to build your audience gradually, you can remain independent.

How do you know if indie is indie?

Indie (indy) is indie because they don’t kow-tow to a major label, so it sounds like what it sounds like. Is that too vague for you? Hmmm…. Yeah, ask a dumb question get a vague answer. Down vote it if you must. Give two rat’s asses less. It’s a stupid question and the only answers that will help you are as vague as the question.

How did the Beatles influence indie music?

The Beatles inspired indie music not just in sound, but in attitude as well. The Beatles were one of the first popular bands to take full control of their sound and make album orientated music. They were socially and politically conscious and were pioneers of new recording methods. The Beach Boys had a similar effect on indie music.

Who were the first indie artists?

REM, The Smiths, Husker Du and Sonic Youth, These bands were commonly played in the United Kingdom and the United States during the 1980’s on various college radio stations. College radio stations played a huge part in the ‘Indie’ music scene.

Where did indie rock come from?

Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. [unreliable source?]

What are some notable indie pop artists?

This is a list of notable indie pop artists. Bands are listed by the first letter in their name (not including the words “a”, “an”, or “the”), and individuals are listed by last name. Biff Bang Pow! Los Campesinos! Hey Ocean! Playradioplay! Pony Up! Supercute! ^ Mathieson, Craig (1 December 2015).

What are the different types of indie rock?

Linked by an ethos more than a musical approach, the indie rock movement encompassed a wide range of styles, from hard-edged, grunge-influenced bands, through do-it-yourself experimental bands like Pavement, to punk-folk singers such as Ani DiFranco. In fact, there is an everlasting list of genres and subgenres of indie rock.

When did ‘alternative rock’ become ‘indie rock’?

The terms “alternative rock” and “indie rock” were used interchangeably in the 1980s, but after many alternative bands followed Nirvana into the mainstream in the early 1990s, “indie rock” began to be used to describe those bands, working in a variety of styles, that did not pursue or achieve commercial success.

How popular is indie music?

All the while, indie music is surging in popularity. Globally, independent labels and artists’ share of the market hit an all-time high of 43.1% in 2021. The previous year, revenue growth for indie labels and artists hit 27% – far better than the market growth of 7%.

Is indie music still a popular genre?

Indie music was now firmly in the mainstream, with bands like Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, and Death Cab for Cutie winning Grammys and entering the US Top 40 Billboard charts. These bands are classified as indie-rock despite their obvious commercial success and even their ties to major labels.

How did indie music evolve in the ’80s?

In the ‘80s, indie music evolved from rock punk music to include more genres and music styles. The Smiths were partially responsible for that. In the mid-’80s, the band was signed to Rough Trade. They released their album, Meat Is Murder, which showed unrivaled success, although it wasn’t backed by a major label.

What does ‘indie’ mean in music?

So, ‘indie’ stands for independent, a term used to designate musicians who produced and distributed their music rather than going via a label. However, the phrase has grown much beyond its initial meaning. Many independent musicians are now signed to major labels.

What is an example of indie pop music?

When you hear the term “indie music”, any number of bands might come to mind. Modest Mouse, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian, The National, Mac DeMarco – these artists represent the indie music scene, and yet they are all different.

Is indie rock popular?

Indie rock music has been around for decades, although it became popular in the 1980s. Since then, hundreds of indie rock musicians have risen to the top of the charts. Indie rock music differs from traditional rock music because it often embraces a softer sound.

Who started indie music?

The History of Indie Rock The origins of indie rock can be traced back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, when bands such as The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones began to break away from the mainstream and create their own independent record labels.

Many people would be surprised to know that indie started as punk music by none other than the Buzzcocks. In fact, rock punk bands are the reason there’s a music label called indie; they laid its foundation, sang it, and a lot of artists carried the flag later on.

When did independent music start?

The term ‘indie’ or ‘independent music’ can be traced back to as early as the 1920s: in the context of referencing independent film companies. It was later used to classify an independent band or record producer.

Why is indie music so popular?

That’s because, visually, indie music has come to symbolize more than just being associated with a small label. Post-punk, new wave, and “alternative” music published in late-1970s UK independent labels gave rise to the term “indie” as a recognized musical genre description.

It’s a natural progression. Some artists like Chance The Rapper stay committed to the independent vision and release their own music, make their own art, and promote their own records. It takes a lot of work, but this sort of trailblazing independence is what makes indie so popular and influential.