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Does The Alt / Indie Music Scene Need CPR?

  • 14-05-2012 06:11AM
    #1
    recordwatch
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 48 ✭


    I just came across this article today that appeared in the Guardian back in January of this year. The article poses the question as to whether or not alt / indie music is on its death-bead based upon the music sales figures for 2011.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/jan/16/indie-rock-slow-painful-death

    "Sales figures suggest alternative rock is in a dismal place right now. Will it ever recover? And should we care?"

    ... Or, is this always the case for alt / indie music? If the music we call alt / indie were widely popular, wouldn't that make it pop music and not alt / indie?


Comments

  • #2
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,433 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    plenty of great music out there if one bothers to look for it.

    Alt/indie is just a name. It's not important in the slightest.


  • #3
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    recordwatch wrote: »
    ... Or, is this always the case for alt / indie music? If the music we call alt / indie were widely popular, wouldn't that make it pop music and not alt / indie?

    This.


  • #4
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,433 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    This.

    I disagree completely.

    So if an indie/alt band becomes popular it stops being indie/alt?



    Just goes to show you what a bull**** genre this is.

    And alternative? Alternative to what? Silence?


  • #5
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    lordgoat wrote: »
    I disagree completely.

    So if an indie/alt band becomes popular it stops being indie/alt?

    Well yes, i dont like it either but doesnt it seem like thats the way it works?

    The "mainstream" steals anything that gets really popular.

    I could be wrong though, i'm frequently hanging around on the edges of "alternative" in places that I'm not sure what label applies...

    ...whatever that means...

    :confused:


  • #6
    rcaz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,034 ✭✭✭rcaz


    recordwatch wrote: »
    Sales figures suggest...

    There's your problem.

    Since when was anything of any musical importance judged by its sales figures?


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  • #7
    Jim_Kiy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 482 ✭✭Jim_Kiy


    lordgoat wrote: »
    I disagree completely.

    So if an indie/alt band becomes popular it stops being indie/alt?
    ?

    Er yeah they do by definition..altough the definition of alternative (ROCK) as defined in the 90's is more or less defunct now given the success of 'alternative' sounding bands becoming somewhat mainstream.
    The term indie means on independent label as Im sure everyone must know.I think this term has some value but its used much too often and also has lost its true meaning.Arcade Fire are described as an indie band on Wiki.Clearly a poor term to describe them in 2012.In 2002 it was actually a correct description.
    Indie bands generally wont have great sales and if they do they sign to majors and thus are no longer indie.
    Becoming popular often is because of the major label push.Often the quality of the music decreases with increasing popularity.Anyone think listening to early Kings of Leon they would evolve to become essentially a pop rock act?


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