Indie Rock Artists: Alternative Rock Music, College Radio And Indie Rock Labels

While the debate about where the buck stops with regard to the inception of rock and roll may never cease, it also may not be nearly as profitable as a discussion on the symbolic importance of rock music's effect on culture. Many view music as a point of commonality, as a way for people to connect and enjoy audible art. Yet the original audience of much rock music would likely disagree, as would the majority of indie rock artists.

The vast teenage audiences that exploded when The Beatles or Elvis performed were involved in the rock concert atmosphere because it was a way of participating in a counter-cultural movement that was vastly different and strange from the easy listening music of their parents' generation. While some might call it rebellion, and still others may accept this label, the course of musical history in the past century has been so drastically affected by the rise of rock and roll that it can be legitimately referred to as a revolution.

In the spirit of this original stance against the status quo, many contemporary musicians consciously avoid selling out to the perceived commercialization of rock music, forming a genre based not on sound or style, but on independence from major label rock. Such indie rock artists are amongst the most innovative and influential musicians. Not restricted creatively by the restraints of a major label's formulaic album and marketing structures, indie rock artists are free to make the music that continues to challenge the preconceptions of what makes music worth listening to.

The pragmatism of simply being able to support the creation, recording, and distributing needs of indie rock artists necessitates the existence of some artistic collective. And in response to this need the indie rock label has arisen to meet the needs of these indie rock artists. Well known indie rock labels include Merge, Sub Pop, Kill Rock Stars, Touch and Go, and Matador. Such labels have attempted to maintain independence from major corporate conglomerates like Sony, Virgin, and Capitol; however, many moderately sized indie rock labels have distribution deals with larger companies. More importantly, indie rock labels allow their contracted indie rock artists the measure of creative independence needed to maintain musical integrity. Selling out is the cardinal sin in the world of indie rock artists.

A notable exception to this rule worth mentioning is Nirvana, who were originally signed with Sub Pop. After Nevermind blew the tops off the charts in 1991, a near-bankrupt Sub Pop sold the contract. However, Kurt Cobain's death in 1993 cemented his musical career in the mind of many impressionable and angst-ridden youth before the effects of pseudo-sell-out took effect. Nirvana's influence on alternative rock and many indie rock artists is undeniable and continues to this day. However, it was the band's insistence on consciously avoiding the status quo that makes their music still relevant to indie rock artists.

In Chuck Klosterman's book, “Killing Yourself to Live,” he asserts that "sometimes [indie rock artists] don't start living until they die." Kurt Cobain is among the pre-eminent examples of this claim. Another one of the many indie rock artists to suffer untimely demise and dramatically increase in credibility was Elliott Smith. Smith's solo career after the demise of Heatmiser began in 1994 with the release of Roman Candle. After signing with Kill Rock Stars, Smith released a number of recordings including the critically acclaimed album Figure 8. His signatures included emotionally charged lyrics dealing with deep depression, spiraling and complex melodies (often referred to as Baroque Rock), and lo-fi acoustic and electric guitar oriented sounds.

Two posthumous albums have been released, and in no small part the success of these albums has been their relevance in light of his death. Elliott Smith's influence on indie rock artists, however, is more accurately attributed to his eloquent, haunting lyrics, ballad-like guitar work, and ultimately his complete creative control over his music. Smith played nearly every instrument on From a Basement Under a Hill, despite its release nearly a year after his death.

Indie rock artists have attempted to maintain independence from genre classification, and the influences on their sounds have an intricate history. The effect of the Beatles (and the British invasion in general) cannot be discounted, and a certain amount of anti-American sentiment still can be heard in alternative rock, particularly in protest of right wing politics. The fierce independence of punk rock is also carried on by modern alternative rock and indie rock artists. Many indie rock artists tend towards Alt-country, or as some prefer to call it, Americana. Much country music originated from folk movements which included notable artists such as Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan. It is the folk spirit that integrates independence and solidarity that many contemporary indie rock artists invoke when they perform.


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Freind, Bill. "Grunge." St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. 2002. Find Articles. 21 May 2007.
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"History of Indie Music - 1990's." Indie Update. 16 April 2007. 21 May 2007.
http://www.indieupdate.com/independent-music/his tory-of-indie-music-1990%e2%80%99s/
Kagler, Marcus. "Better off than Dead: Elliott Smith Comes Clean." Under the Radar. 2003. 21 May 2007. http://www.undertheradarmag.com/es.html.
Klosterman, Chuck. Killing Yourself to Live. New York: Scribner. 2005.