Wallows https://twitter.com/wallowsmusic
Indie music. Indie pop. Indie rock. Alternative Rock. The list goes on. I personally find Indie music to be one of the most difficult genres to fully embrace and navigate through, only because it's variety is insane. So, to make it easy, I’m going to focus on the broader term of indie and alternative.
The difference between indie and alternative are used interchangeably by most. I’m not going to go into the rich history or sharp contrasts. After all, I’m here from one diverse music listener to another to hopefully show you the amazing qualities of this underrated music.
Just some background. “Indie” is short for independent music, basically artists that don’t stem from large companies or follow the expected production process. This means each artist usually has more control over the music they want to write and produce. Although it all seems so independent, Indie artists draw inspiration from each other, making the overall vibe and sound similar yet distinct.
If you’ve never listened to Indie before, I’ll try my best to describe it. Each song seems to have some mixture of lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, and drums. Drums are very important. I can note the simple beat of heavy drums in almost every song. On top of this, some artists may use piano, keyboard, violin etc. Again, they’re free to do whatever they wish, and many often include very unique instruments. Aside from the music, there is an emphasis on soft vocals and harmonization. The simple creation allows you to distinctly hear their voices and easily make out a melody. Sounds relaxing, doesn’t it?
Now that you know about its basics, let’s talk vibe. For every genre of music, there seems to be repeating themes. But when you think of indie, the only thing I can really tell you is that each song sparks a deep, emotional feeling of… almost nostalgia. Now, this is my personal feeling, but the “deep” and “emotional” part still holds true. You rarely see Indie artists writing pity songs or repeating the same themes of pop. Everyone has heard of the song “Tongue Tied” by Grouplove and “Are You Bored Yet?” by The Wallows. Not to say all songs are like this, but the feelings of wanting to blast music from your car on a warm summer night or reminiscing about the amazing memories you’re currently making are pretty common feelings when listening to indie.
Indie is an amazingly underrated genre. And part of the reason may be because of its personal connection to its listeners. There’s comfort in being alone with these songs, appreciating its quirky and blissful melodies. I find Indie/Alternative music to be intensely personal. It almost feels like you’re back in 1990, coming home after a long day of hanging out with your friends. It’s nice. It’s nostalgic.That’s the best I can explain it.
Now that I’ve given you the rundown on Indie/Alternative music, here are some of my favorite artists:
Lovelytheband
Wallows
COIN
Dayglow
alt-J
The Neighbourhood
Fitz and The Tantrums
X Ambassadors
Tame Impala
Foster the People
Here's my playlist again: