By definition, what is indie music?

[BlueWeasel]

Can some define the genre of indie music?

I listen to the Wazee Alternative Stream and see alot of tags that are listed as indie music. It seems to be a more "mellow" version of the typical alternative songs, but sometimes I really can't tell a difference between the two.

 

[Windogg]

Men aren't allowed to shower
Women aren't allowed to shave

 

[TitanDiddly]

Doesn't it mean independently produced, that carrying a style of music with it?

 

[Dufman]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
Doesn't it mean independently produced, that carrying a style of music with it?

Kind of. It means not being on a major record label. An indie label gives artists total freedom, they are there just to produce the album becasue they think it should be heard. Being independant in the music industry is important to a lot of "punk" bands, and punk bands are indie bands for the most part.

 

[BlueWeasel]

So indie is not really a specific genre of music like pop or heavy metal?

 

[deftron]

This

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
So indie is not really a specific genre of music like pop or heavy metal?

"Indie rock" is a genre. It's stuff that sounds nearly acoustical, or at least as if it wasn't produced in a recording studio. Very rough-edged.

Example: The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: deftron
This

Nice link...alot of useful info contained therein.

 

[Gibson486]

Pavement, that's a good indie band.

 

[thomsbrain]

indie rock used to be about really being independant from major labels, but now it's really become the name for a genre who's bands tend to be on independant labels but aren't always. much the same way "alternative" used to be a blanket term for non-hair-bands, but eventually came to refer to a specific sound.

compared to alt, indie rock tends to be more lo-fi, although that may be something as simple as not processing the vocals to make them always on key. but there are indie bands with big production, like the last few modest mouse records (they're now on epic), or sigur ros. it's really more about attitude and style than anything, although most indie rock is more punk-influenced than alt-rock, and is more demanding on the listener than your average linkin park formulaic song. but you know it when you hear it.