The Mainstream-ization of Indie Music: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

For a long while, it seemed that mainstream music and indie music (though to be fair, both categorizations are grossly…well, gross) stayed out of each other’s way. There was this big, giant line delineating what was indie and what was not indie that included two ways (at least to me) that made indie music indie music—The style of the music, i.e. something different or unique, and the record label behind it. But now, the line seems to have become blurred. Indie music is slowly crossing the line, and becoming more and more integrated into mainstream media (notice the media, I’ll get to that in a little bit.) The bands that come to mind right now would be bands such as Modest Mouse, Vampire Weekend, even bands such as Cat Power, are slowly becoming more and more known, some with the help of the movie industry: Juno and Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist have helped, both featuring bands like The Moldy Peaches and We Are Scientists respectively. Just to further back up the case, even movies not meant to be uniquely quirky have adopted indie music- Cloverfield, with Of Montreal’s Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games and Step Brothers, with Vampire Weekend’s A-Punk (I think it was A-Punk, it could have been another song, I forget). Others have gotten on the mainstream bandwagon by way of commercials-Modest Mouse’s Gravity Rides Everything in a car commercial (although to be fair, it was their switch to Epic Records that really thrust them into the mainstream), Of Montreal (again) has kind of whored out the past few years- Outback Steakhouse (Wraith Pinned to the Mist *again, again!*) An insurance commercial (A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger) and one other that currently escapes my memory.

All of this indie exposure leads to the important question, and the main point of this topic (which by the way, thank you for sticking through), is this good, bad, or ugly? My original thoughts on this were that in favor of it. After all, it was Modest Mouse going mainstream that really let me discover them (Thank you Dashboard)and thus get into indie music itself. Plus, I’ve always wanted to try and get my friends into good music, but their mainstream brainwashed minds would not budge. But after a while, it started to annoy me. Friends would ask me to play Dashboard over and over, or A-Punk, or Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, or (Oh my effin God) Welcome Home over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over AND OVER. While I liked that they were appreciating actual good music, it was pissing me off they’d only want to hear the same song over and over and over. Which is really the main problem with the mainstream: A single comes out, a single stays out, and that’s all the majority knows of the band, until the next single. iTunes and LimeWire have exacerbated this problem, allowing singular downloads instead of having to buy a whole album. I have this friend that knows just about anything about any single you’ve ever heard. Play Heart Shaped Box or Freak on a Leash, and she’ll tell you Nirvana and Korn immediately. It seems pretty amazing, but really Congratulations! You listen to the radio!

Anyway, so enough of the ramblings from an old, senile, musically stubborn lunchbox. Let’s hear your opinions. I’d like to buy a vowel, Pat. And that vowel…is U.

I guess...good.

I wouldn't have heard of Modes Mouse either if it weren't for Dashboard, and today I downloaded the 12 albums of theirs I didn't own.

The only problem I see with an Indie band going Mainstream is that their style may change. I'm not one of those greedy ass faces who get mad when a band gets famous that I used to like and go ranting and raving about how they're sellouts. Their goal, after all, is to get money. You can't get mad at someone to want to be successful.

That would be a problem. In fact, Modest Mouse themselves has gone under fire for that same reason: That their style is changing. And I agree with you on the bands becoming famous. It is good for them, but the results of their becoming famous is what pisses me off. I'm happy for the bands, I'm pissed at the people.

It's whatever dude.

As long as the music remains the same, I don't care how many people know of its existance. My favorite indie bands, like Bloc Party, Thrice, and Yellowcard, have all remained consistant, so I'm happy.

I really don't care. The term "indie" used to be a seal of quality to bands that were non-commercialized and underground. Now, the term "indie" is no longer only music that is non-commercialized and underground. For example Black Kids and all the other hopelessly trendy indie-bands.

But we have always had a main "rioting" and "anti-mainstream" genre. For example garage rock, avantgarde (was actually a very dominating "under-movement" in the seventies), punk, no-wave, etc., and then indie. Some of these genres were commercialized, too (garage rock bands are often popular, Johnny Rotten put the ****ing safety pin in punk and such). Theres always something else underground to listen to if everything seems mainstream.

Originally Posted by Lunch Box

That would be a problem. In fact, Modest Mouse themselves has gone under fire for that same reason: That their style is changing. And I agree with you on the bands becoming famous. It is good for them, but the results of their becoming famous is what pisses me off. I'm happy for the bands, I'm pissed at the people.

Modest Mouse is changing, but I don't see that as a bad thing in any way. I adore We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

Invisible is fantastic, as well as March Into the Sea and Spitting Venom and practically the entire album. The only song I don't love on that album is Steam Engenius, which I still like.

And Good News for People Who Love Bad News is also great, I could listen to that album all day. Every track (Not counting the ones that aren't really even tracks.)

The days of indie bands going mainstream leading to changing their sound... Are over.

There's such a wide range of music accepted by the consumer these days that a band doesn't need to change their sound to get popular. They just need to sound good.

Of course, there will always be a supply and demand aspect in the business "this style is selling albums, do more of it!", but in every decade before this, there was SO much more copying and so little dynamics in the sound of the popular music.

Maybe I'm wrong. I haven't listened to the radio since around two double-aught three, so it could still be playing a pile of ****, but music has only been getting better.

The definition of 'indie' as a band who hasn't gone mainstream, by the way, is obselete. In the information age, any band can become super popular through sharing of youtube videos, downloads of their albums, and so on. It worked for Dragonforce, and they're ****ty. Indie now means a softer, more intellectual rock.

Also.

00s > 90s > 60s > 70s > 50s > 80s

Originally Posted by Lunch Box

Of Montreal (again) has kind of whored out the past few years- Outback Steakhouse (Wraith Pinned to the Mist *again, again!*)

wait, that's what the songs called? I figured it's be called "Antarctica" or "Let's pPretend" or something...

anyway, I want to cry when I hear that nifty song butchered into an outback commercial. *gag*


I think the internet has been largely responsible for the blurring of the line between indie and mainstream. with a simple internet search, you can travel from something as mainstream as U2 and end up coming across some indie band.

Margaret-It's "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games. of Montreal isn't really known for having easily accessible song names. But they are amazingly clever. I'd explain the song title, but I'm le tired.

And Forte, I completely agree. The last three songs of We Were Dead make the album. But the whole album is ****ing amazing. My second favorite, behind Moon and Antarctica

Anyone who decides to listen to a band based how how many other people listen to said band is an idiot and isn't deserving of the title of ' music fan.' Personal taste is the only thing that should that should determine what one listens to, and the only reason anything else should come into play is when discussion and/or debate comes into play.

Why it matters how many people listen to or how mainstream a band is, is beyond me. Listen to what you like and everyone else can do what they want.

Asci is a genius and everyone should listen to what he says. Though his definition of decades is subjective as hell.

I was listening to Metric and it was amazing.

I don't really care. Good and bad music exists no matter the level of popularity or commercial success. My taste in music is good enough to discern whether what I'm hearing on the top 40 is quality or utter trash, and whether or not some underground outfit is worth my time. I don't really draw a line between mainstream and independent, just good and bad.

The worst that can happen is some band get successful by poorly emulating better, lesser-known artists. And since that happens all the time, and has been happening for ages, I don't really give a damn.

The only people who would even care are pretentious indie kids who disown a band as soon as they become even the least bit successful.

Indie always has been fairly mainstream.

The general situation in music however is that bands to get more commerical and mainstream over time simply due to fact that the band members/artist need money for kids/house/whatever.

Mainstream music almost always has toned down uniqueness for the simple fact it wouldnt be mainstream otherwise. yes there are some mainstream bands that do not suck. However in most cases especially these days mainstream music is horrid. The same case exists with indie. I have never heared any indie that doesnt comply to this.

also by popular request: PENIS