What is Indie Music?

Most people listen to music on a daily, or at least on a regular, basis. We all have our favorite artists and genres, but have you ever stopped to really think about what a specific genre means?

Indie music is a term that has been used in everyday conversations and in popular culture for decades. It's a versatile genre that has given us some of the biggest musical acts in music - from Florence and the Machine to The Smiths to Death Cab for Cutie.

But what exactly is indie music? How did the term come to be? What does it take to get a song on a cool vibes playlist? Let's explore the fascinating history of the genre and its evolution.

The Simple Definition

In its most basic terms, indie music is short for independent music - music that is created and produced by an artist using their own resources without the traditional help of a major record label. In some cases, artists will be signed under an independent record label, while others will choose to release their music entirely on their own using outside distributors.

About Independent Labels

An independent record label is still a record label but on a much smaller scale. They don't have the same resources or financial backing as a major label, but, in many cases, they offer more artistic and creative freedom for their artists - which is highly favorable, especially for new artists like Lila Drew, looking to develop and hone their sound.

Indie labels have been around for decades. In fact, Sun Records, where artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash got their start, was an independent label. This phenomenon grew in the 80s and 90s with hip-hop indie labels like Def Jam and Bad Boy.

While indie labels often have an uphill battle against major labels to have their music heard, streaming has helped these labels promote their artists and reach more fans than ever before.

The Fluidity of Indie Music

Indie is a genre that is more diverse and eclectic than you may think. The genre started as a new branch of rock music and encompassed more DIY production and distribution techniques. Bands like The Smiths went on to be one of the biggest indie bands of their time and are often credited for inspiring a new generation of indie artists.

In today's musical landscape, indie music doesn't often mean one thing - it's a fluid genre that derives inspiration from its neighbors, including pop, alt-rock, and even R&B. Indie music has become more mainstream in recent years, which has helped the musical community to grow and find new audiences.

What's Next?

Music is always changing and evolving, and indie music is no different. As the genre becomes more popular in pop culture, it may become closely affiliated with the alternative genre.

With more access to music online, indie artists are able to pursue careers and put out more music with greater accessibility - where the genre will go next, we'll just have to wait and see.