WHAT IS INDIE MUSIC?
The saying that every major act has once been an indie artiste isn’t one blindly famed. It is true; every star has at some time been an unknown rookie. In simple English, the major stars headlining every social magazine were once Indie Music Stars.
Indie music, or indie, a short for independent music, is a music production, promotion and marketing form that is done by individuals without the backing of major music record labels. Indie music labels have been known to be owned by a fellow, or maybe two, and in some cases a group of friends who run the record label from small offices or homes. Indie artistes are the stars that ply their trade through these labels.
Some artistes use indie labels as a platform to project towards getting snapped up by major record labels. And some indie labels have been known to run their businesses with the aim of partnering with major labels, or even being bought by them.
Major differences exist between indie music labels and major record labels. While indie labels may pride in discovering and generating artistes with diverse creative records, they usually may not have the finance and connections to take records far. Major record labels have financial muscles and the distribution and promotion connections that is the longing of most artistes. Major labels may sometimes distribute records owned by indie music labels too.
Indie music is the creative mind stream of artistes. At this level of music-making, most artistes are in their natural zone, their most creative state, where they aren’t swayed or influenced on the kinds of record they must make. It is sometimes termed the freedom state.
Indie music labels have been called the life-wire of music making. Simply put, the major labels are elitist and aloof in their approach. Up and coming artistes find it difficult to break into these labels and have their records taken care of. But with indie music labels, the spoils go round, the playground opened up. More artistes have the chance of having their craft played, and to some extent, this helps to keep them on career paths, earning a living along the line.
Indie encourages creativity. Most of the artistes on indie labels know they don’t have the go-to when it comes to their parent record labels expending huge cash on their records, so they produce highly creative works that speak out from their limited promotion outlets. Indie music is the hub of creativity. This isn’t to say that the major record labels don’t encourage creative music, but they usually lean more towards commercially viable records.
It is a bit of hypocrisy from the major labels that have no eyes for new talent, but usually would come circling when an indie record label discovers raw talent and mould it through rough phases to make a genuine star. What really should be the case is major record labels partnering with indie labels to promote and distribute a molded star on indie label instead of snatching them away. The indie label isn’t meant to be preyed on, rather, a creative hub that must be accorded credit and its ingenuity encouraged.
Naturally, indie music started out representing music in the rock and pop genre. But that didn’t hold out for long, as other genres of music have long proliferated indie music. Many artistes and song producers who couldn’t get into major labels have been known to team up to create records and market it on indie platforms irrespective of the genre. The NWA started out on indie platforms. And so did Coldplay, who started off releasing indie records before major deals.
Indie packs the punch! It springs up creative ingenuity and can bring the required exposure and marketing an artiste needs. While it is clear that over the years many indie labels have fizzled out, many have remained and are still relevant. Some have however gone on to become major record labels themselves. It’s all in the vision.
