independent music

Independent music refers to music made outside of the control or with the largess from a major label. Whereas major label musicians distribute their music to mass audiences with the assistance of an established corporation handling distribution, production, press, and more, by contrast an independent musician would control every step of the creative process, or would work with other independent businesses to complete production. There is some debate as to whether “independent music” refers more to a type of sound or strictly to the business side of production. For example, a niche band like Interpol may be considered “indie-rock,” despite having signed with Capitol records in 2006, and the radio-friendly and massively popular Brittney Spears is rarely considered to have roots in independent music, despite the fact that until 2002, her longtime label Jive was independent.

The label of “independent music” came to fruition mostly in the eighties and nineties, when some bands and artists began to see not having ties with a major label as a benefit and not a liability. Today, the majority of artists are independent, work with independent labels, or fund their projects through crowd-sourcing or other means.

You will find bloggers discussing the state of independent music at MadeLoud and Welikeit.indie.

by Adam Schragin Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Original Technorati articles tagged “independent music”

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Latest blogosphere posts tagged “independent music”

 

• Guiville ft. Deesense – The Line

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post Guiville ft. Deesense – The Line appeared first on Weekly Podcast . Featured on episode 37 . Sometimes, you want to sit in your kitchen with a dear friend whom you haven’t seen for too long, just to catch up and ponder why life is so puzzling at every other turn, over your beverage of choice. For ...
  6 days ago

• Best New Music Releases, Week of May 7th – AM & Shawn Lee, She & Him, Deerhunter, Mikal Cronin, Savages, Fitz and The Tantrums

  
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  As summer approaches, the number of new releases from a variety of well-known, and some lesser-known, bands and artists, will begin to increase. This week is sort of one of those weeks because it’s still early enough in the spring to get a good roll started and ride it through the summer. IRC’s top releases [...]
  1 week ago

• School of Sven – Draußen

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post School of Sven – Draußen appeared first on Weekly Podcast . We speak no German (hell, oftentimes our mother tongue befuddles us), meaning we have no idea whether this song is about the girl of School of Sven ’s dreams or that artist’s beloved dog passing away. It could be anti-Dalai Lama. He ...
  1 week ago

• Under A Banner – Some Stories

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post Under A Banner – Some Stories appeared first on Weekly Podcast . Featured on episode 27 . ‘Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm’ Dave Gahan sings on ‘ Enjoy the Silence ’ and that is some pretty powerful poetic irony there. It also happens to exemplify what may be one of art’s ...
  1 week ago

• Marabou – Asylum

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post Marabou – Asylum appeared first on Weekly Podcast . Featured on episode 37 . There’s a reason why some of us never watch scary movies. The reason is that some of us are born cowards. In the horror realm, though, music ought to be a more manageable medium, the scaredy cats out there may think. After ...
  1 week ago

• Who Needs a Record Label?

  
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  There has never been a better time than now to be an independent artist. More easily and efficiently than ever, you can build a digital recording studio in your home, connect directly with fans through social media, and distribute your wares around the world through artist-friendly companies like CD Baby and ...
  1 week ago

• Muffin Department – Like It Smooth

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post Muffin Department – Like It Smooth appeared first on Weekly Podcast . Featured on episode 37 . Some days you wake up and smell the coffee. Other days, you’re not sure this fuzzy state you’re in can be qualified as ‘awake’, or if you’re even actually alive. But what you do know is that ...
  1 week ago

• Why Kickstarter Should be a Haven for Independent Music

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post Why Kickstarter Should be a Haven for Independent Music appeared first on Weekly Podcast . Image by  mykalburns Are you a secret musical genius with no money? Me too; we should do some crowdfunding together. For those of you who don’t know, or don’t care, whatever: 1. You should care 2. ...
  1 week ago

• 7 Overseas Bands You’ve Gotta Hear, Vol. III – The Naturals, Echoic, Lausch, AppleTree, Bearskin, Captain Dangerous and The Shy Lips

  
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  One thing is for sure about the regular readers and listeners of IRC: you want to hear more underground, DIY, new and under-the-radar bands and artists. Over the past couple of years, the posts that usually get the most love, if you will, are often profiles and playlists that highlight DIY and small label bands [...]
  1 week ago

• lucky one feat. Steph Wunderbar – I Like Your Eyes

  
  Weekly Podcast — Authority: 129
  The post lucky one feat. Steph Wunderbar – I Like Your Eyes appeared first on Weekly Podcast . Featured on episode 37 . This musician calls himself lucky one . Weekly Podcast is not sure why, but if he often gets accosted by forward women who know just what to say and how to say it to turn a guy into ...
  1 week ago

• Best New Music Releases, Week of April 30th – Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Guided By Voices, Akron/Family, Daughter, Wolf People

  
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  Leading of this week’s new releases are two blockbuster albums from veterans of rock and roll, two bands that no doubt have been, and continue to be, an inspiration to countless popular and obscure alternative and indie rock artists. First up, is the latest album from Iggy Pop and The Stooges, and it sounds ...
  2 weeks ago

• Best New Music Releases and Singles, April 2013 – Young Galaxy, Phoenix, Kurt Vile, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dead Confederate, OMD

  
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  Due to Coachella, Record Store Day, and combing through hundreds of DIY submissions (since IRC readers want more great music from talented, under-the-radar DIY artists), the past few of weeks of best new music releases are being combined together, featuring lead singles from the top albums of the month of April. In ...
  2 weeks ago

• Album Review: The Besnard Lakes’ LP ‘Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO’

  
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  by J. Hubner I’ve only recently began listening to The Besnard Lakes, and I can say without a doubt that they create some of the most beautifully dense, imaginative music that’s being written today. Much like their album titles, such as The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse, The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night, ...
  3 weeks ago

• Record Store Day – Keeping Music Alive

  
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  The 3rd Saturday in April of each year is International  Record Store Day .  I was in Perth for the weekend for a friend’s wedding, and had some time to kill before it kicked off so went into the CBD to have a wander around, and check out some record stores with my brother and cousin. The idea for a Record Store ...
  4 weeks ago

• Call Out To Underground & DIY Rock Groups Worldwide

  
  Independent Music Promotions — Authority: 129
  Independent Music Promotions is opening it’s doors to quality underground and DIY rock groups worldwide. In my own small way, I want to create change, not for the “music industry”. That doesn’t matter. It’s just an imaginary structure. I simply want to support real music. It’s the reason why I don’t work ...
  4 weeks ago

• Stacks of wax: Record Store Day means business for local music shops 

  
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  &via=&related=DolcePixel"> For Rupert Wondolowski, the co-owner of a vintage book and record store in Waverly, Saturday is Christmas. &via=&related=DolcePixel">
  4 weeks ago

• Brandon Reeves – A Decent Melody (2013)

  
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  Brandon Reeves A Decent Melody Independent release, 2013 47 minutes Blues music has taken many forms over the years, from rootsy southern grit to bombastic British riffs to tear-it-down Texas tunes. Brandon Reeves is able to take the best of each style, constructing a solid blues album in A Decent Melody . Reeves ...
  4 weeks ago

• Band of the Week: The Away Days

  
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  In the past 18 months, the college-formed Istanbul indie dream rock band The Away Days have been on quite a whirlwind journey, performing alongside music giants like Pulp and Kaiser Chiefs (at the One Love Festival), as well as Mark Ronson and Sam Sparro (at and Adidas All Originals Party event), and Factory Floor at ...
  4 weeks ago

• Supporting the 3rd Annual AIM Indie Music Awards

  
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  We are excited to announce our involvement in this year’s 3rd annual AIM Independent Music Awards, held in London on September 3rd, 2013. As a member of the Association of Independent Music, The Orchard has always appreciated the goals and intentions of AIM to support and represent the independent music ...
  4 weeks ago

• 5 DIY Bands to Watch, Vol. V – Copies, Plastic Animals, Carson, Monkeybird, Sictor Valdana and The Check This Outs

  
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  During the past few months, IRC has published dozens of posts that highlight promising DIY and small label indie bands to watch, including the 5 DIY Bands to Watch series. For the fifth installment of this popular series, the focus turns to highlighting overseas unsigned bands like Copies (Brazil), Plastic Animals ...
  4 weeks ago

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