In short, it is written according to the singer’s own mood, and it is generally a type that can inspire people
************** Independent music (indie) is a kind of musical state that a musician should have, and it is a kind of spirit and idea. It includes any music, but the attitude it expresses is consistent. In short, it is independent. In the simplest way, indie music is actually an extension of rock music.
Having a unique understanding of self, the world, surroundings and life, etc., and forming a creative concept based on this, can finally express it accurately through music.
[Edit this paragraph] Introduction to independent music
In the field of music, indie is an attitude, a musician’s attitude towards music creation. By extension, it It is also the attitude of music listeners towards music selection. When we listen to music, we are more or less slowly forming our own musical orientation and forming an independent attitude that is not subject to external interference. Therefore, it is necessary to check Your Attitude from time to time and stay awake. mind.
If we take out a record from the 1990s (especially the late 1990s and early 21st century), it will be easier for us to identify some typical music styles, such as Metal, Punk, Country, Folk , Dark Wave, New Age, World, Electronic, etc., because the music of these musical styles is really impressive and their respective characteristics are very distinct, but if this record does not belong to these distinct music styles, then it is very It could be Indie Rock.
Indie Rock was born out of the underground music and alternative music of the 1980s, and has been popular since the 1990s. The DIY spirit it advocates is directly derived from Punk, but its musical orientation is a mixture of different styles. Therefore, many different or disparate branch types have been derived, so it is not enough for you to just know it as Indie, because you can’t get the exact musical feeling from this word, so you may also need to know about Ream Pop, Chamber Pop, Sadcore , Slowcore, Indie Pop, etc. After knowing these, you may still have questions, such as why some Indie Rock also has styles such as Post Rock, Experimental, Neo-Psychedelia, Shoegazing, and Lo-Fi. If you go deeper, You will find that these styles are inextricably linked to Indie Rock.
Okay, now that you have some insights into the vertical and horizontal aspects of Indie, a picture of rock and roll after the 1990s will appear before your eyes. It may still be relatively vague, but that’s because you don’t understand it yet. The relationship between other music eras and the 1990s doesn’t matter! For music, just a glimpse of it is enough for you to spend time. Of course, we still need to broaden our listening range in a timely manner.
The above is purely my personal opinion. The following are some related introduction articles from AMG, of course they are all related to Indie. AMG’s introduction to Indie is quite good. Combined with what you listen to, you will gradually grasp the characteristics of this music type. (Note: If the translation feels unclear, please refer to the original English text of AMG)
The last thing I want to say is that the most important thing in the process of listening to music is to have your own opinions and opinions. The unique attitude is the essence of Indie.
The name Indie is taken from the word "independent" and is used to specifically refer to those bands that adhere to the DIY (Do It Yourself) spirit in music and the records released by those low-budget small labels. Although larger Indie labels will also have sales agreements with mainstream labels, these Indie labels still have absolute autonomy in making music selection decisions, so they have more freedom to discover music that is not mainstream. The sound, musicality or other emotional music themes that the audience knows, but on the other hand, the music they release may not bring income proportional to their musical taste (even the Indie label actually If you want to be able to persist in business, it doesn’t mean you have to give up business completely for the sake of music).
Indie Rock is deeply rooted in American Undergroud and Alternative Rock in the 1980s. After Nirvana entered the mainstream, American Undergroud and Alternative Rock immediately differentiated. Some followed Nirvana into the mainstream (which also announced that alternative rock as a whole has entered the mainstream), while the other failed to enter the mainstream or insisted on an independent attitude. For today's Indie Rock, it is precisely because Alternative has become mainstream and the independent attitude of these bands that they are called Indie instead of Alternative.
Indie rock was a response to a phenomenon that occurred when Nirvana entered the mainstream. This phenomenon was that not all alternative bands successfully transitioned to the mainstream or that these bands did not want to in the first place.
But you can’t say that all Indie Rock bands are not commercial. For example, when Indie Rock uses Punk to realize its commercialization (the style of these bands seems to be called Punk Revival), you should not take it seriously. It doesn’t matter if it’s Indie or mainstream. In fact, the generally accepted view has always been that Indie Rock will never change its musical orientation to cater to mainstream audiences, and it will never become the first choice for mainstream audiences. The reason for this is also determined by the characteristics of Indie music. For example, mainstream listeners have always considered this kind of music: too whimsical and innocent, too weird, too sensitive and too melancholy. melancholy, too soft and delicate, too dreamy and hypnotic, too personal and intimately revealing in its lyrics, in production Too Lo-Fi and low-budget, too angular in its melodies and riffs that branch out more, just take the guitar In terms of noise, there are several different styles (Sonic Youth/Dinosaur Jr./Pixies/Jesus & Mary Chain-style).
After entering the 1990s, Indie Rock has produced many different branches (the more well-known ones include indie pop, dream pop, noise-pop, lo-fi, math rock, post-rock, space rock, sadcore, and emo), all these Indie bands are an important force in building today's American underground music.
[Edit this paragraph] Chinese Independent Music
No matter how the music forms of these independent musicians change, their attitude towards playing the piano and singing is always the same - it has to do with music, not entertainment.
In 1999, China’s independent music began to compete with mainstream music in an alternative manner. At that time, what was hidden behind the label of independent music were flies, NO, and tongues. From a mainstream perspective, these A band that seems to be full of weird sounds and angry lyrics. Although destined to fail in the commercial market, they expanded their territory. By 2005, independent music once again attacked collectively, but the situation has fundamentally changed.
On the one hand, those angry rock musicians have gone through the waves, some have become dissipated, and some have settled down and stuck to their own positions, no longer competing for unnecessary limelight; on the other hand, the diversified creative thoughts have made independent The concept of music has become fresh and smooth, and people's definition of independent music no longer sticks to noisy and avant-garde, but to self-expression and peaceful singing.
However, no matter how their territories and musical forms change, their attitude towards playing the piano and singing remains the same - it has something to do with music but nothing to do with entertainment. "Independent musicians", some are for music, and some are for independence. No matter what, they are not dazzling but they can always shine in the corner.
Beginning around the beginning of 2005, a group of independent musicians focusing on neo-folk formed together either spontaneously or by the media. Literary young people can feel that a new independent music trend has begun.
The new folk songs inspired by the performances of Wan Xiaoli, Su Yang and others suddenly became a quite fresh sound. Driven by the independent label "Thirteenth Month", Wan Xiaoli's experimental folk rock and Su Yang's adaptation of northwest folk songs were both made into official records. As a result, Wan Xiaoli ended his "singing" career in the River Bar, and his name began to appear on billboards in subway stations. Starlight Live, MAOLiveHouse has almost become an exclusive place for these independent musicians and music fans.
The independent music of Hong Kong and Taiwan intervened in a more fashionable manner almost at the same time. Soda Green, Chen Qizhen, Lin Yifeng, Zhang Xuan, Natural Volume, these names went from obscurity to word of mouth overnight. The gorgeous but low-key voice began to attack the fashion and petty bourgeoisie circles through various small bars and online Douban groups. The fashionable lifestyle magazine has finally found a new topic that is both trendy and pretentious.
In addition to Hong Kong and Taiwan, there are also many independent musicians in mainland China, such as Cao Fang, Wang Zheng, Long Kuan, Yifei Men, etc.
The media began to package and promote dozens of records. It was dubbed "Listening with a Perspective" as a collective release. Independent music rides on a fashionable spaceship to collectively enter the tired music circle.
Although almost none of these musicians can make a living from music alone; even if half of the tickets are free of charge at a performance with hundreds of music fans, it is a grand occasion. There are not hundreds of thousands of record sales and ringtone downloads, but after all, a fan group has emerged that respects these independent music. Objectively, it has contributed to another boom in domestic independent music.
In fact, there are huge differences between these independent musicians, but in the eyes of more people, whether it is Wan Xiaoli’s sharp experiments, Su Yang’s earthy folk songs, or even Taiwan and Hong Kong Those romantic songs that sing about one's lovelorn experiences and travel experiences can all be accepted. Just because their sound and content are different from most pop songs. The type of music itself is no longer important, and the word "independent" has become a dazzling label.
Some people also question whether this little love tune that sings about travel, love and life's trivial matters is independent music or a prelude to pop songs, and this also makes the concept of independent music ambiguous. If factors such as production companies, distribution methods, management contracts, etc. are put aside, independent music is ultimately based on whether the music points to the author's true heart. Although these quite touching life tunes are the author's true expressions, they always lack the decisive attitude towards popular popularity that people had in the past.
No matter what the attitude is, compared with the relatively mature music system in the West, the development of independent music in China is just an infant. Western independent labels and musicians are all there, and the mainstream music circle is also willing to find new inspiration and direction from the aura of independent music. In China, there is still a deep gap between mainstream and independent.
These independent musicians who started focusing on new folk songs two years ago may be the hope to break this barrier. When independent music is no longer a label that can be shown off or pretentious, and when musicians no longer only value the word "independence" but turn to pursuing the music itself, music can be a true and independent expression. As Hong Qi said, “I just want music to soothe people’s hearts.
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