Music comparisons and differences?

homesick.alien · 07-07-2010, 07:34 AM

^ I agree with you there, but I was mostly speaking about how the indie label came about.

Radiohead is strictly speaking mainstream, but they are still considered indie because of their style of music, for example.

But many indie bands are starting to sound the same (every emo band for instance, and many indie pop bands <-- contradiction in itself) because humans naturally conform!

mr dave · 07-07-2010, 09:35 AM

the real question is...

will the original poster ever say anything more once we've finished their homework for them?

Freebase Dali · 07-08-2010, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

the real question is...

will the original poster ever say anything more once we've finished their homework for them?

Do you really want him to?

mr dave · 07-08-2010, 09:41 AM

i wanna know what grade we can get people so we know whether or not we should setup a paypal for homework hehehe

The Monkey · 07-08-2010, 11:24 AM

As it has come to be in the last decade or so, mainstream denotes pop and contemporary r&b, while indie denotes rock and "edgier" pop artists. Seeing as "indie" and "alternative" works as blanket term for nearly all rock and folk artists these days, and "mainstream" as a curse work that the former use to describe anything without two guitars, a bass and a drum set, the terms have lost all meaning. I really don't see the academic merit of writing an essay about it, other than to highlight the above mentioned irrelevance of the terms.

it-helps-me-through-life · 08-17-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

^The definition of indie as music that comes from independent labels is not sufficient really. If you're a norwegian prog band today, chances are your music would be released by some small time independent company. Still, that doesn't mean people will call your music "indie" or "indie prog". Most people probably wouldn't apply the indie label at all.

Defining indie is a really hard task because it means both music coming from independent companies and a (collection of) musical style(s) - usually those that don't fit neatly under other genre descriptions. If you want to compare indie and mainstream, you have to start with an explanation or definition of what you mean by indie and what you mean by mainstream, I think. Both can be a challenge to define.

Yeah, this essay was difficult to write, I kinda wish I chose a different topic..

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

i wanna know what grade we can get people so we know whether or not we should setup a paypal for homework hehehe

lol, if I had money I would have payed..

Quote:

Originally Posted by homesick.alien

^ I agree with you there, but I was mostly speaking about how the indie label came about.

Radiohead is strictly speaking mainstream, but they are still considered indie because of their style of music, for example.

But many indie bands are starting to sound the same (every emo band for instance, and many indie pop bands <-- contradiction in itself) because humans naturally conform!

Agree.

SATCHMO · 08-17-2010, 06:48 PM

It's funny that four years ago we were dealing with the conundrum of "emo" as a genre designation, in that denoted emotional hardcore. Half the threads on the forum contained some sort of argument as to what qualified as being emo, as well as the argument over the fact that all music to a greater or lesser degree is emotional.

Today, you will find virtually nothing current being discussed on the boards about emo, but instead we have an even more ambiguous genre designation to bat around.

The truth about indie is that it's neither a genre nor a style of music (at least not anymore), just a term for elitist hipsters to throw around to make themselves appear to look cool.

The Bullet · 08-17-2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

The truth about indie is that it's neither a genre nor a style of music (at least not anymore), just a term for elitist hipsters to throw around to make themselves appear to look cool.

Exactly. Everyone has a different definition. When I say indie, I usually mean a kind-of-poppy alternative sound that I don't feel the need to describe (knowing this board). To most "indie" artists, it's a label they want to have on them to reach a certain audience. To people who call Jason Mraz and John Mayer indie, it's singer-songwriter crap.
According to wikipedia, Indie means "released through an indie label" and has nothing to do with style of music. It really has no true definition. It's almost like art. Even if I do use "indie" to describe stuff that sounds like Pheonix or MGMT, it's still only my definition.

SATCHMO · 08-17-2010, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bullet

It's almost like art. Even if I do use "indie" to describe stuff that sounds like Phoenix or MGMT, it's still only my definition.

So, basically, yeah, my new working definition for indie is anything that sounds like it should be in an ipod commercial.

07-07-2010, 07:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
homesick.alien awkward moose Join Date: May 2010 Location: I ride kangaroos to school Posts: 133	^ I agree with you there, but I was mostly speaking about how the indie label came about. Radiohead is strictly speaking mainstream, but they are still considered indie because of their style of music, for example. But many indie bands are starting to sound the same (every emo band for instance, and many indie pop bands <-- contradiction in itself) because humans naturally conform! __________________ ..Colourless green ideas sleep furiously.. "Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names"- J.F. Kennedy

07-08-2010, 11:24 AM	#15 (permalink)
The Monkey Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 803	As it has come to be in the last decade or so, mainstream denotes pop and contemporary r&b, while indie denotes rock and "edgier" pop artists. Seeing as "indie" and "alternative" works as blanket term for nearly all rock and folk artists these days, and "mainstream" as a curse work that the former use to describe anything without two guitars, a bass and a drum set, the terms have lost all meaning. I really don't see the academic merit of writing an essay about it, other than to highlight the above mentioned irrelevance of the terms. __________________ Now another stranger seems to want you to ignore his dreams as though they were the burden of some other My Last.fm

08-17-2010, 06:48 PM	#17 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,708	It's funny that four years ago we were dealing with the conundrum of "emo" as a genre designation, in that denoted emotional hardcore. Half the threads on the forum contained some sort of argument as to what qualified as being emo, as well as the argument over the fact that all music to a greater or lesser degree is emotional. Today, you will find virtually nothing current being discussed on the boards about emo, but instead we have an even more ambiguous genre designation to bat around. The truth about indie is that it's neither a genre nor a style of music (at least not anymore), just a term for elitist hipsters to throw around to make themselves appear to look cool.