Bands singing indie rock style. Altwall: What is Indie Rock

This article is doomed, if only because a good half of the indie bands are not listed here. And some will foam at the mouth to prove that half of the groups are not indie, but the notorious alternative. But indie itself evolved from alternative, and there is no big difference between the sounds. In any case, the musicians themselves cannot find it. Indie was synonymous with alternative and was used to divide artists by geography, with alternative rock being the preferred American performers, and indie rock is for the British. But over the years everything got mixed up.

The range of indie music itself is so wide that everything is lumped into it. If Nadezhda Kadysheva had recorded on independent labels and added more drums and guitar to her sound, she too could be considered an indie folk singer. Anyone who writes original music, automatically becomes an indie musician.

An indie musician must record on independent labels, but nowadays even this once fundamental fact has ceased to be taken into account. So don't be surprised by the presence of some bands on this list. We chose solely based on the sound and quality of the music. We hope you agree with us. Sorry that Kasabian, Oasis are not here, imagine Dragons, OK Go, Florence and the Machine and Two Door Cinema Club. We will write about them, but a little later, it’s just that there is only room for ten in our hit parade.

1.Beirut

It's very difficult to describe their music. Of course, this is indie folk, but it is impossible to say what musical tradition can be traced in their work. The group itself is from the shabby, Hispanic state of New Mexico, which is more than half populated by Latinos. Consider that this is Mexico, the real one, with deserts, cacti, Spanish speech, traditional ceremonial trumpets and sultry mariachi. Then the thirst for travel brought vocalist Zach Condon to Europe, where he became inspired by Balkan brass music and gypsy folklore. This is how the group developed signature rhythms and recognizable horns. And then Condon visited French Brittany, and notes characteristic of French chanson appeared in the songs. Now mix all these musical traditions, add a pinch of ukulele, Condon's characteristic cat-like vocals, and you get a dish called Beirut.

All their creativity is like big Adventure, from city to city, from country to country. That’s why the music is always different, but with recognizable Beirut features. You can't confuse them with anyone. Their songs can be compared to cumulus clouds: they are just as airy and unreal. Highly recommended for those who love good brass, great music and suffer from wanderlust.

2. Mac DeMarco

Mac DeMarco is a completely “magical” guy, with very strange relaxing music, very strange views on life and a wide gap between his upper front teeth. But as soon as he starts singing or throws his signature “holey” smile, you are completely saturated with his charm, and the music and soulful vocals begin to affect you like a narcotic rush. Even hysterical cuts on a homemade electric guitar do not spoil the impression; on the contrary, they add zest to the sound. There is something from surf rock in his compositions, something from the Doors - a little bit of everything, but at the same time his music is difficult to confuse with anything, like a gap-toothed smile. What genre DeMarco plays in, DeMarco himself does not know. What do critics do when a musician plays original music and is not comparable in fame to Kanye West? It is classified as indie. They did the same with Mac.

But the main highlight of his songs is humor. Thus, the Canadian recently posted an instrumental album that he recorded in just 4 days, consisting of the compositions “Little Pepper”, “Onion Guy”, “Young Coconut” - these and other songs, according to Mac, are the ideal soundtrack for a barbecue.
And Mack finishes off with his always extravagant clips. Look how pretty the lady turned out.

3. Chad Van Gaalen

There is no greater joy than adding Chad Van Gaalen. This very well-mannered and absolutely adequate young man does very strange music, which is not understandable to everyone. But if you like Vangaalen’s work, you will not be able to tear yourself away, but will become a slave to his songs and will listen to them every single day until the songs get tired of it.
Chad is also an artist; his, as they say, “addictive” drawings and animation almost evoke more questions than songs. However, evil magic does not allow one to tear oneself away from the stunning “arts” of the Canadian, they are too strange and attractive.

Van Gaalen also managed to compose an infernal indie anthem, which was sung by everyone who could. We are talking about the song “Molten Light”. Simple in its structure, it captivates with a demonic accordion, alarming chords and a video clip drawn by the author. The first impression after watching it was as if you were chewed up and spat out by Satan. But it was worth it.

4. Smiths

Let's spend a little time on the founding fathers, since many are sure: if it weren't for the Smiths, indie pop in the usual sense would not exist. And it’s not all about Morrissey’s poetry, which was feverish and tossed from sublime metaphors like “tea with the taste of the Thames” to outright snot: “If a double-decker bus crashes into us ... Oh, what great way die!" It's all about the laconic, catchy guitar parts of Johnny Marr, who managed to create a truly exciting underground pop sound. The group broke up in 86, but their music is still loved. Marr and Morrissey continue to work in the genre, but separately, however, Morrissey's anguished lamentations sell better. Probably because the voice has become more courageous, and the poetry has become stronger.

Marilyn Manson wrote in his book that if you love the Smiths, then you are definitely gay. In principle, many people have said this, but don’t listen to them and get acquainted with the work of both the Smiths and Morrissey and Mare if for some reason you don’t know what they’re talking about.

5. Pixies

The world is divided into those who classify the Pixies as alternative and those who classify them as indie. Considering that the line between these genres is very, very thin, we felt that the Pixies were well deserving of a place on this list, especially since they made a huge contribution to the development of the genre, spawning a heap of followers for whom they can’t thank you enough. They created in those distant times when indie rock was the music of outcasts, and not the anthem of aggressively progressive youth. And it’s not surprising that they gained their cult status after their breakup in the 90s. David Bowie said that this is one of the most underrated groups in the history of music. And this becomes clear when, after a bunch of great songs, after a reunion, after getting into the hipster music library, the question: “Do you know the Pixies?” - they answer you: “Oh, these are the ones who wrote the soundtrack to Fight Club.” It's a pity. They would be worth listening to at least for the surreal lyrics about mental illness and physical defects, UFOs, insects and endless allusions to avant-garde works.

6. Gotye

In 2011, Belgian-born Australian singer Wouter de Becker wrote a song that whole year sounded from every teapot. It sounded from telephones and cars, from radios and televisions, even from irons! Everyone was terribly tired of her, but she couldn’t stop liking her. We are talking about the song “Somebody that I used to know”. This is probably the last one this moment a hit that would appeal to people of different musical preferences: rockers, rappers, and even boys said that the song was clear. Of course, after such a composition it was difficult to write something stronger. So far, Gauthier hasn’t succeeded, but that’s okay, let’s wait. In the meantime, we are waiting, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the rest of his work, fortunately, there are a lot of interesting songs in it, like worms in the black soil after the rain. Mostly indie pop, but very high quality indie pop. By the way, “Somebody that I used to know” also belongs to this genre. Multi-instrumentalist Gotye recorded some compositions without the help of outside musicians, so it’s definitely worth a listen.

7.Killers

It feels like the Killers are at least 30 years old and it's time for them to give anniversary concert. In fact, they are only 13, at this age they don’t even issue a passport. But despite this, they have a very mature indie that has won the hearts of millions of fans around the world. Sometimes it seems that there is nothing special in their music, especially since initially the guys tried to sound like Oasis and Duran Duran. But it turned out that each of their albums has its own original and recognizable character, which distinguishes them from many other groups that have sunk in the depths of musical triviality. Flowers' screaming vocals, confident guitars and signature delivery are captivating. It would seem that you can come up with something new after 13 years of working with the same team? And they succeed.

Some argue that if you don’t have the money to go to a Killers concert, you can wait until the Latvians from Brainstorm come to your city, they are too similar, even in vocals. But what’s interesting is that the Latvian band appeared earlier. So who else is a plagiarist here!

8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The first album, released in 2003, became one of the best-selling albums in the world and sold 750 thousand copies. Well, after it, the released single “Maps” became a real hit on alternative radio. As for the sound of the group itself, there is a classic mix of retro, synthetics, punk and blues, as well as screams - all this created quite a unique sound, not appearing in music industry still. Let them continue to scream, we call this scream a song.

9. Arctic Monkeys

My heart knows that if “Arctic monkeys” are not on this list, the article will be torn to pieces. Here you go, Arctic monkeys. One of those bands that showed how you can make indie rock commercially successful without signing contracts with famous labels and preserving the traditions of the original indie, when musicians sang in lousy clubs and made music for their own pleasure. In addition, Arctic Monkeys became one of the first bands to achieve great success without traditional media support. Their music is distributed via the Internet. Quite a good way to revive traditions.

They arrived just as indie was just taking off in old lady Britain. Vocals, two regular and one bass guitarists and a drummer created a band that leads the modern British and world charts. Unexpected success The group brought its first album, released in 2006. And their first single, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” became a worldwide hit.

10. Foster the People

In fact, the group was originally called “Foster & the people”, and everything was logical. The band's keyboardist and vocalist Mark Foster gathered around him some people with musical instruments in hand. But people stubbornly did not notice and, as a result, the group, under the pressure of fan love, gave up and shortened the name to the familiar and slightly more laconic Foster the People. In 6 years they have turned into indie gods, they are loved by girls all over the world and almost as many boys. “Pumped-Up Kicks” catapulted the band to the top of the universe, and the guys haven’t slowed down since then. What will happen next? Wait and see.

Indie rock is one of the varieties alternative rock. This is based on musical genre lies the concept of freedom. The abbreviation "indie" comes from English word“independent”, which translated into Russian means “independence”. Independence in this vein is understood as the use of music labels free from any external influences. They were the ones who used the original definition of “indie”.

Subsequent development and popularization musical movement served as the main prerequisite for the use of this term in relation to specific musical groups and performers. The indie rock style covers a wide range of musical genres and trends and is directly related to that independent culture, which is also called alternative. Commerce is not a fundamental driving factor in this culture.

History and origins of indie rock

The first mentions of the term indie rock can be dated back to the early 1980s. The concept affected those labels that were related to post-punk. Main stage, actively developing this direction, became a rock music movement from Great Britain. This period served as the starting point for post-punk and pop rock. Popular indie rock groups of that time: American R.E.M., British The Smiths, The Stone Roses. These teams working in guitar style jangle-pop, formed a counterbalance to the growing electronic synth-pop with its simple compositions and simple vocals.

R.E.M.

The Smiths

The Stone Roses

It is worth noting that in the USA, under the concept of “indie”, a unique style of “college rock” was popular, which differed from the British scene in its harsh and more aggressive sound. This kind of indie rock music was more reminiscent of energetic and dirty punk. Music like this at the time was dominated by the do-it-yourself concept. The guitar sound, vocals and text content were not distinguished by the special quality of mixing and processing; the main emphasis was placed on live expressive performances. Popular artist there was a group called the Pixies.

Pixies

The result of numerous music searches Among various groups, a musical genre called indie pop began to emerge. This made it possible to more clearly distinguish between simple melodic pop-rock compositions and the heavier post-punk style.

Bright representatives of indie rock

There are several most successful projects indie rock genre among a wide variety creative teams. It is worth mentioning the band Oasis from the UK. This band, founded in 1991, gained wide popularity and commercial success among indie groups of the 90s. The team is a typical rock band, actively using live and other instruments.

Oasis

Next good well-known representative new wave indie style become Arctic Monkeys. The band represents the British scene. It was founded in 2002. A feature of the team can be considered a reluctance to enter into contracts with well-known labels and a focus on working with independent representatives of the industry. Musical material is actively distributed by fans of the band via the Internet.

Arctic Monkeys

Indie rock today

Indie rock modernity begins in the 2000s. The emergence of the definition “landfill indie,” which means “indie dump,” can be attributed to this period. The previously defined boundaries for indie rock are practically erased. There is a wide mixture of guitar and electronic music, active use of melodic vocals with a rough and heavy direction in the sound of groups. The unbridled energy of punk rock gave way to high-quality arrangements and easy-to-understand lyrics. Deep depression resulted in energetic and cheerful music for active teenagers. An example would be The Offspring. Electro rock has become another popular variety of indie. The guitar is no longer the dominant instrument of the style.

Indie rock emerged in the 1980s in the UK and US. In those years, punk went out of fashion, and the record labels that had been publishing it for years turned out to be irrelevant and went underground. Such studios began to be called independent, that is, indie. However, part of the music market in those days belonged to major music labels, which exclusively released artists with commercial value. Over time, indie studios began to appear everywhere, and informal young performers had virtually no problems publishing albums. You could always contact one of the indie studios, which were happy to release an alternative one. However, there was one serious drawback - independent studios did not pursue profit and commercial success of their wards. The maximum that could be counted on was several dozen discs recorded by the performers themselves.

In the 80s of the last century, a whole galaxy of young musicians emerged, whose music was called college rock. These teams played music in the style of post-rock, noise rock, shoegazing and other non-format styles. Of these groups, such groups as The Smiths, Pixies, R.E.M. later became very popular. and New Order. The compositions of these performers were heard on low-budget radio stations, and the bulk of the listeners were fellow students.

However, over time, bands that played in the underground entered the mainstream. Bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and The Offspring became the embodiment of the punk wave, and Oasis became a cult band in the British Isles. Breakthrough of these musical groups turned everything upside down. All the bands that were considered indie just a few years ago have ceased to be so. Indie rock performers now include only those who did not want to collaborate with big labels and refused to show their videos on music TV channels.

Which bands can now be classified as indie rock?

Individual groups that openly emphasize their independence from surrounding styles can be classified as indie rock. These are bands playing music they like. Often considered indie rock performers are The White Sptripes, The Strokes, The Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys. However, the popularity of these groups, the number of albums sold and videos released refute these claims.

Nowadays indie rock consists of little-known bands that are not chasing

Indie rock(English: Indie rock) is a genre of alternative rock that exists primarily in the underground, in the independent information and commercial space. It takes its name from the English word “independent”. It is not a distinct style of music, but an umbrella term for a wide range of musicians and styles associated with the underground, counterculture, and (usually) some connection to rock music.

Independence
The creative and financial independence of musicians is ensured, as a rule, either by the absence of a contract at all or by a contract with an indie label. Signing to a major label is unusual for indie rock. And although the largest indie labels may use the help of major labels for distribution, the decision-making process itself remains autonomous. So, for example, in indie rock there is complete freedom to explore and experiment with sound, emotions or lyrics, which is not very similar to the methods

Record companies mainstream-oriented, when the music depends on the preferences of the mass audience.

Development of the genre
The emergence of a new indie subculture in the UK in the mid-70s was facilitated by several factors:
1. The end of the punk era. Temporary dominance in the music market popular music, mainly a dance show that offered nothing but an empty but pleasant pastime.
2. The beginning of the next “war of styles” - the predominance in “Another Image” of the snobbish ideas of the “New Romantics”, which presupposed the Dressing Up style. Introducing this image to the mainstream market presupposes an immediate search for an “alternative.” Moreover, the “War of Styles,” namely the style confrontation between indie kids and ravers, is the first in history within middle-class subcultures.
3. Among the economic reasons is the continuing increase in youth unemployment.
4. An acute understanding that London has essentially ceased to be the musical capital of the world, and England was once again returning to the times of the fifties - the constant import and borrowing of cultural trends from overseas.

The “cultural mirror”, the main driving force for the emerging subculture became new wave British rock bands who recorded on small, little-known labels. They turned their chronic lack of money into a source of pride, representing Dressing Down stylistically in both respects - anti-elegance, simplicity similar to “Broken,” awareness of their own lack of privilege. The secret of their subsequent success was that they were close to the flesh of their audience - people from the middle class, college students. They are their own guys, who had nothing in common with the pompousness of the “New Romantics”, the aloofness of the Goths and the thoughtlessness of ravers. Having eliminated the very concept of personality, the image of a cult rock hero, they put forward their own alternative - a group (The Smiths, Joy Division, Ride, My Bloody Valentine). Outwardly, “Indies,” that is, “independents,” looked like a mixture of “broken,” “hippies,” and “punks” at the same time - mannered relaxation, hairstyles in the spirit of “Swinging London,” jeans, punk boots, and sometimes army uniforms. When choosing clothes, preference is given to second-hand, that is, second-hand clothes. From the “broken” they borrowed mocking and apolitical humor, melancholy and pessimism, but they resolutely refused to deliberately flaunt their education. The music of the “independents” was based on the piercing guitar “noise” (noise) of the “Manchester school”, through which the mournful and melodic vocals hardly penetrated. By the end of the eighties, this sound spawned a lot of imitators in British rock, and Manchester became the new subcultural capital.