I saw Barbara Walters segment on 20/20 last week about the payola that goes on to get artists heard on the radio. I see a lot of artists discussed here, but they're all signed by major labels. Prince is an independent and speaks against the evils of the recording industry. So, what gives? Do you guys support indie music or do they have to be signed by a major label before you'll take them seriously? The reason I ask is I see folks from time to time pop in here trying to promote their music and they get ignored or people get mad if they email them directly. My friend just put out her own CD on her own record label and she works her butt off just to get taken seriously. RollingStone.com just removed their independent music from their website and deal only with major-signed talent. Also, what do you think the fate of indie music is?

LQ

I practically only buy indie music, therefore I think the best of it.
The strange thing is that Prince is now indipendent, but he doesn't no anything about indie music, and when he invites artists to celebration or onstage with him, he just invites people who have a contract with a major label.
The thing with indie music is that you can find it only in specialized wrecka stows, whose owners make a selection of what's sold.
I personally have a friend who owns such a store, and I can listen to whatever I like and then decide what to buy.
Don't take artists signed to major labels too seriously, because now more than in the past they are told what to sing, what to wear, and what to say in interwiews.
The difference is that indie music is done to make music, and major label music is done just to make money.

Prince is technically an indie musician. So are a lot of pop musicians. If you want to REALLY split hairs, Britney Spears is an indie musician (Hype Records is her label). Indie music is becoming less of a marginal genre and more of a way for all kinds of artists to do business. It's going to be interesting to see how the state of the music industry develops...

rightbluecheek said:

I noticed that too. He's constantly speaking out against the evils of the major labels.

LQ

Anxiety said:

Well, the one thing that Britney has in her corner besides her big money contract with Pepsi, is she's got a major distributor. When you become a top seller like Britney you can pretty much go independent if you want. You can ask for anything you want until the hit records fall to the wayside. Prince found that out unfortunately. Many artists are on their own label or are independent, but if you're a heavy hitter, you can afford a major distributor like Universal, Sony or WEA. Just a thought.

LQ

LadyQ said:

It is exactly like that.
Distribution contracs with majors are just as strong as contracts signed by artists directly with majors.
You just get a little more "freedom" in choosing what you want to release, but as long as you pay majors in advance, it's your label responsability if you have poor sales!!

I also have the opinion that if you really want to see a band play and sing for the PASSION and the LOVE of it...go see an indie band/artist live! Most of the time it wont cost you more than 10 bucks...you will realize that the elaborate lights, smoke (from a machine and not from cigarettes and "other" things), and theatrics really are not needed. In fact...I've realized in many cases...it's quite distracting!!!

Then when the show is done...and you've been taken from the music...go to their little booth and buy the music you just heard for $10!!! TAX FREE. Many times bands sell their music for as low as 4.00!!! They just wanna get the music out and heard and hopefully develop a great word-of-mouth and eventually sell more records!

Granted...there are MANY great acts signed to major record lables that try to stick to the indie faith they were brought up in...but the MAJORS are indeed the boss and these days want to see $$$ come in and end up controlling just about everything!

The GREATEST BAND YOU'VE NEVER HEARD is probably out there playing at your local dive...go check them out!!!

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

Yesss, I agree with a lot of what you said. I don't know how many play for the passion and the love of it, cuz I know a lot of bands and they're trying to get signed. While there are some great unsigned acts out there. I've been finding that there is pretty much the same stuff you find in the major music area. I was listening to a local band radio show a couple of nights ago and out of 4 hours of head paining guitar gargle, I heard maybe 3 songs that caught my ear. The rest sounded exactly the same. And would you believe the one band that really caught my ear was a local girl group called Mudbath. I would like to tell indie artists that "hey, it's okay to be a bit unique." But many of them are going after major label attention, so they try to be like everyone else. Regardless I still search for that diamond in the rough and I'll always have an ear for the indies after learning all the b.s. that goes on in the major arena.

LQ

i think a lot of artists who started out as indie artists lost sight when they ''made it'' and got signed to a major. look at the goo goo dolls, their early indie stuff was more punk oriented now they are this slick polished cookie cutter band. the new cd sounds exactly like the previous one!!
indie artists are better bcuz they play for the sake of making music NOT to sell cds. case in point ANI DiFRANCO. this righteous babe does things her way! she cancelled an appearance on letterman when they told her she couldn't play a song that started w/ the lyric "white people are scared of black people..."
michelle shocked has become an indie artist too. her newest cd (deep natural) is pretty good.

oh yeah! i love indie music, there is some awesome music out there! i think tons of the music i buy is by indie artists not only in my local town but from all over if i can get my hands on their cd's.

i like "red thunder" a native american rock band, they are pretty cool because they use native intsruments along with advanced ones.

i love going to a mom and pops record store and searching through the cd bins for some hidden genuis music just waiting to be discoved. most major record comapnies aren't looking for the talent, only the look. so i am forced to seek out the talent.

i fully support indie and artist controled music labels.

peace & rock on! kim--

In the UK "Indie Music" has come to mean anything whiney by guitar groups with floppy hair that isn't metal.

Not always allied with it's original and literal meaning.