07-01-2013, 07:42
Indie was short for 'independent'. It was a name for rock bands signed to independent record labels.
At the time the term was first used (late 80s/early 90s) and in the UK it referred to bands that were rock but not metal or classic rock or goth - movements such as Madchester, Grebo and Shoegazing. In the US I guess the term was more or less synonymous with Grunge and Alternative Rock.
Anyway, Grunge and Britpop made indie/alternative rock more or less mainstream, then the indie labels were swallowed up by the major labels. So today the term is pretty much meaningless.
At the time the term was first used (late 80s/early 90s) and in the UK it referred to bands that were rock but not metal or classic rock or goth - movements such as Madchester, Grebo and Shoegazing. In the US I guess the term was more or less synonymous with Grunge and Alternative Rock.
Anyway, Grunge and Britpop made indie/alternative rock more or less mainstream, then the indie labels were swallowed up by the major labels. So today the term is pretty much meaningless.