I hope you joking, there arent enough good bands around these days to change the world. 95% of indie bands are average - crap
That is kind of a comical statement. I'd say within this "genre" of indie rock, there is a far greater percentage of bands making meaningful, creative, inventive music than in most other eras, including the early 90s "grunge" scene. But the fact that you like Oasis I think explains your continued stance on this issue. I consider Oasis to be one of the more boring, ridiculous, and stagnant bands on the planet. Again, the beauty of music. We all hear different things. Back to indie bands though, the problem isn't the quality. It's the lack of a platform. Che, these bands will not change the world in any broad sense. They sell, if they're lucky, 500K albums in the US. There are very few rock radio stations left, and out of those that exist, most rely on playing more mainstream rock. Some kids are in touch with these bands, but it is nothing like what happened when Nirvana broke. There is no MTV. There is nothing that has taken its place. Some might argue the Internet, but it is different. You have to want to go looking for stuff. With MTV, it was held up on a tee for every kid in America to swing at. If the record industry wants to understand its lack of record sales, they should look to that lack of a platform before they look at downloading.
It makes much more sense to live in the present tense.
I don't think the indie rock scene can be classed as a musical movement in the same way that the bands of the early 90s were.
In the early 90s, those bands started on a local scene and that was where the buzz grew from and it wasn't until later that the press got involved. It was a gradual growth.
The indie rock scene is very much flash in the pan. It's been built by the press, largely on bands who have very little substance or anything really going for them. It's a trend, and it'll probably only be a year until this one has run it's course. There will be survivors, one or two, who'll make it but in ten years time, no one will even remember the majority of these bands.
You show your ignorance of the entire indie scene here. Just like with the Seattle sound, the indie scene consists of many bands who have been doing this for years. Modest Mouse has been around since the mid-90s. The Shins existed long before Oh Inverted World when they were called Flake (and Flake Music). Just like with the Seattle scene, there has been great music made below the surface of mainstream rock for quite some time. For many, this is just their first chance to hear it. And going back to the early 90s movement and bands being remembered, you are out of touch. Most kids don't know who Pearl Jam is. They don't know Soundgarden or Alice in Chains. They sure as hell don't know Faith No More (the most underappreciated band of the late 80s-early 90s). They know Nirvana, and that is just about it. Music has changed. There isn't going to be another Led Zeppelin or Beatles in terms of the scope of their influence and their being large than life. We just need to accept that.
It makes much more sense to live in the present tense.
i like some of the new indie music, and it is propably much better for music than the rap/hip-hop/pink-pop/and-what-not revolution staged during the end of the 90's and the early 00's, but i don't like the pretencious attitude associated with the genre (indie) and the fans. actually it is killing me - they really aren't all that clever/original/left field as they claim to be. i know this is a massive generalization, but true for the majority imo
i 100% agree with you. "it's not the band i hate, it's their fans." too many indie fans are pretentious twats who think their bands shit solid gold. and as much as i like a lot of the bands getting bigger these days, they're not exactly doing anything new. but that's cool with me.
That is kind of a comical statement. I'd say within this "genre" of indie rock, there is a far greater percentage of bands making meaningful, creative, inventive music than in most other eras, including the early 90s "grunge" scene. But the fact that you like Oasis I think explains your continued stance on this issue. I consider Oasis to be one of the more boring, ridiculous, and stagnant bands on the planet. Again, the beauty of music. We all hear different things. Back to indie bands though, the problem isn't the quality. It's the lack of a platform. Che, these bands will not change the world in any broad sense. They sell, if they're lucky, 500K albums in the US. There are very few rock radio stations left, and out of those that exist, most rely on playing more mainstream rock. Some kids are in touch with these bands, but it is nothing like what happened when Nirvana broke. There is no MTV. There is nothing that has taken its place. Some might argue the Internet, but it is different. You have to want to go looking for stuff. With MTV, it was held up on a tee for every kid in America to swing at. If the record industry wants to understand its lack of record sales, they should look to that lack of a platform before they look at downloading.
nothing wrong with oasis. good music is good music and it's people like you who think once a band sells 500,000 albums they have to suck cos they're corporate that annoy me.
i like oasis... i like clap your hands say yeah
i like buckcherry... i like arcade fire
i like JET... i like new pornographers
good music knows no boundaries and has nothing to do with whether or not its indie or mainstream.
i like some of the new indie music, and it is propably much better for music than the rap/hip-hop/pink-pop/and-what-not revolution staged during the end of the 90's and the early 00's, but i don't like the pretencious attitude associated with the genre (indie) and the fans. actually it is killing me - they really aren't all that clever/original/left field as they claim to be. i know this is a massive generalization, but true for the majority imo
i have to agree with you. those "scene" kids get on my fucking nerves so much. they look down their nose at you for no other reason than they think they know something you don't because they listen to music that no one's ever heard of. ugh.
Indie is such a shit term. There are so many different types of bands that fall under the category I don't even think it means anything anymore. Just slightly more obscure music I guess. There really is no organized movement for indie, nothing compared to the grunge scene of the early nineties. Hell, the closest thing to that would be the Emo scene and the bands that came out of that in the early half of this decade, but most of them have either branched out or are distancing themselves musically from their origins.
So I have no idea what's next in terms of the big scene.
nothing wrong with oasis. good music is good music and it's people like you who think once a band sells 500,000 albums they have to suck cos they're corporate that annoy me.
i like oasis... i like clap your hands say yeah
i like buckcherry... i like arcade fire
i like JET... i like new pornographers
good music knows no boundaries and has nothing to do with whether or not its indie or mainstream.
Wow. Completely not what I said. I was the guy here arguing that American Idiot was one of the best albums in years. I don't like Oasis or Jet because I find their music to be stale. It doesn't reach me. You missed my point, but that's okay.
It makes much more sense to live in the present tense.
sorry people, but the Indie scene just doesnt have enough massive quality like the early 90's alternative did to start a revolution. it doesnt have the focus and destiny.
its all well and good to see something try to challenge the pop/hip-hop crap, but you'd be naive to think it will be a 'revolution'.
I have a feeling something is coming, and the indie scene right now will start the fire, but I don't think any of those bands are big enough, or unique enough to become mainstream and popular enough to change the music scene. They may serve as the Pixies and Sonic Youth, but I'm confident we haven't seen our Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Rage.
Probably because I'm not a huge fan of the indie scene - I find most of those bands to be boring and repetitive.
I get this feeling right now that we are experiencing something special. The whole scene with Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, Artic Monkeys, The Decemberists, it just seems like Indie rock is king of the world right now.
I thought Indie rock bands weren't signed to a record label.
no way Indie music is going to create a movement...ive listened to all those bands listed by the original poster and all i can say is snorefest!!!
there may be meaning to the music but the substance is lacking (or testosterone) and all pretty much sounds the same and runs together
Exactly......you can't tell these bands apart. None of them create music that makes you stop what you're doing and listen to it.
It's mediocrity painted in hype to masquerade as great
A democracy on paper, apparently well ordered, regularly subverted by irrational chaos.
Manchester - 4/6/2000
London - 20/4/2006
Dublin - 23/8/2006
London - 18/6/2007
New York City - 24/6/2008
New York City - 25/6/2008 - we will be "what is up" New York
Manchester - 18/8/2009
i 100% agree with you. "it's not the band i hate, it's their fans." too many indie fans are pretentious twats who think their bands shit solid gold.
Definitly. I was on another board, and once said that Indie Music like the Decemeberists, Interpol, Arcade Fire, etc. were overrated and repetitive. I was attacked by all the indie fans, who think this decade is better than any other for music.
I love indie music. I just dislike the pretentious holier-than-thou attitude of some of the douchebags who champion it.
"I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."
I love indie music. I just dislike the pretentious holier-than-thou attitude of some of the douchebags who champion it.
Don't worry, the douchebags have already moved onto the backlash stage of most of the bands mentioned in this thread. Too many people are too concerned with image and scenes, it is really annoying.
Indie music is getting more and more popular because mainstream rock has been stuck in a rutt for the majority of the decade, people are getting tired of the same old crap music over and over. Modest Mouse puts out "Float On", which is far from a spectacular song, but it sells a million copies of their album because it is something different. Even the most apathetic music listen is getting bored of countless post-grunge clones like Nickleback and Staind. How else would Arcade Fire debut at number 2? And Modest Mouse at #1 a couple of weeks later, even without the benefit of a good single?
That being said, mainstream radio will still continue to be mostly crap because most indie bands aren't going to leave their quasi-indie labels(Merge, Matador, etc..), so the big money will still be backing mostly crap bands. If Arcade Fire can reach #2 on Merge, why should they sign with a major label? Sure it worked for Modest Mouse, but the Yeah Yeah Yeah's last album didn't do too well. There is safety on the smaller labels so the majority of bands will stay there I think. And with the majority of good bands NOT on major labels, the money(and therefore radio play) will keep pushing mostly crap music. Arcade Fire will be the exception, not the rule. But rest easy, there will always be quality music released on a regular basis, it just isn't going to storm the radio and pop charts anytime soon.
The White Stripes are gonna change the world... all them other bands, not so much.
(Remember kids, bands are nothing without good songs... and Little Bird is the best song ever made.)
this time last year i may have agreed with you alex. little bird is by far my favourite white stripes song. and one that gets to me whenever i put on de stijl.
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
First of all, music can make a difference. Can it change the world....not at all. If you think that your indie bands that don't even sell a million copies of an album will change the world keep dreaming. During the 60's dylan, neil, ccr, csny, and dozens of other bands sold millions upon millions of copies of their albums, were far more outspoken, original, talented and political than these bands today and looked what happened. So just because you think a band has something good to say and sells a few albums doesn't mean that they're going to amount to anything in the great scheme of things.
Secondly, I really can't stand any of the bands you mentioned. That new modest mouse single is pure crap. I can't understand a fucking word that guy is singing. He's got a fucking irritating voice that sounds just like every indie artist out there. And I don't even know where to begin with arcade fire.
To close, music can make change, but in very small ways.
"Tonight we're just gonna play you some good old American Rock and Roll." tom petty-7-15-05
it's not a joke. che really thinks like this all the time.
Well, I just read the first post of this thread for the first time, so I can understand the absurdity of it all now. I assumed "change the world" was a joke for "become mainstream", the way grunge "changed the world" in the early 90s.
I get the jokes now, indie music may become more popular, but no, it isn't going to change the world, discussing that is pretty comical.
Comments
That is kind of a comical statement. I'd say within this "genre" of indie rock, there is a far greater percentage of bands making meaningful, creative, inventive music than in most other eras, including the early 90s "grunge" scene. But the fact that you like Oasis I think explains your continued stance on this issue. I consider Oasis to be one of the more boring, ridiculous, and stagnant bands on the planet. Again, the beauty of music. We all hear different things. Back to indie bands though, the problem isn't the quality. It's the lack of a platform. Che, these bands will not change the world in any broad sense. They sell, if they're lucky, 500K albums in the US. There are very few rock radio stations left, and out of those that exist, most rely on playing more mainstream rock. Some kids are in touch with these bands, but it is nothing like what happened when Nirvana broke. There is no MTV. There is nothing that has taken its place. Some might argue the Internet, but it is different. You have to want to go looking for stuff. With MTV, it was held up on a tee for every kid in America to swing at. If the record industry wants to understand its lack of record sales, they should look to that lack of a platform before they look at downloading.
You show your ignorance of the entire indie scene here. Just like with the Seattle sound, the indie scene consists of many bands who have been doing this for years. Modest Mouse has been around since the mid-90s. The Shins existed long before Oh Inverted World when they were called Flake (and Flake Music). Just like with the Seattle scene, there has been great music made below the surface of mainstream rock for quite some time. For many, this is just their first chance to hear it. And going back to the early 90s movement and bands being remembered, you are out of touch. Most kids don't know who Pearl Jam is. They don't know Soundgarden or Alice in Chains. They sure as hell don't know Faith No More (the most underappreciated band of the late 80s-early 90s). They know Nirvana, and that is just about it. Music has changed. There isn't going to be another Led Zeppelin or Beatles in terms of the scope of their influence and their being large than life. We just need to accept that.
i 100% agree with you. "it's not the band i hate, it's their fans." too many indie fans are pretentious twats who think their bands shit solid gold. and as much as i like a lot of the bands getting bigger these days, they're not exactly doing anything new. but that's cool with me.
nothing wrong with oasis. good music is good music and it's people like you who think once a band sells 500,000 albums they have to suck cos they're corporate that annoy me.
i like oasis... i like clap your hands say yeah
i like buckcherry... i like arcade fire
i like JET... i like new pornographers
good music knows no boundaries and has nothing to do with whether or not its indie or mainstream.
i have to agree with you. those "scene" kids get on my fucking nerves so much. they look down their nose at you for no other reason than they think they know something you don't because they listen to music that no one's ever heard of. ugh.
So I have no idea what's next in terms of the big scene.
Wow. Completely not what I said. I was the guy here arguing that American Idiot was one of the best albums in years. I don't like Oasis or Jet because I find their music to be stale. It doesn't reach me. You missed my point, but that's okay.
its all well and good to see something try to challenge the pop/hip-hop crap, but you'd be naive to think it will be a 'revolution'.
Probably because I'm not a huge fan of the indie scene - I find most of those bands to be boring and repetitive.
Madison Square Garden 6/25/08
there may be meaning to the music but the substance is lacking (or testosterone) and all pretty much sounds the same and runs together
Exactly......you can't tell these bands apart. None of them create music that makes you stop what you're doing and listen to it.
It's mediocrity painted in hype to masquerade as great
Manchester - 4/6/2000
London - 20/4/2006
Dublin - 23/8/2006
London - 18/6/2007
New York City - 24/6/2008
New York City - 25/6/2008 - we will be "what is up" New York
Manchester - 18/8/2009
London - 18/6/2018
QFT
(Remember kids, bands are nothing without good songs... and Little Bird is the best song ever made.)
Definitly. I was on another board, and once said that Indie Music like the Decemeberists, Interpol, Arcade Fire, etc. were overrated and repetitive. I was attacked by all the indie fans, who think this decade is better than any other for music.
Madison Square Garden 6/25/08
qft?
-Tom Waits
Indie music is getting more and more popular because mainstream rock has been stuck in a rutt for the majority of the decade, people are getting tired of the same old crap music over and over. Modest Mouse puts out "Float On", which is far from a spectacular song, but it sells a million copies of their album because it is something different. Even the most apathetic music listen is getting bored of countless post-grunge clones like Nickleback and Staind. How else would Arcade Fire debut at number 2? And Modest Mouse at #1 a couple of weeks later, even without the benefit of a good single?
That being said, mainstream radio will still continue to be mostly crap because most indie bands aren't going to leave their quasi-indie labels(Merge, Matador, etc..), so the big money will still be backing mostly crap bands. If Arcade Fire can reach #2 on Merge, why should they sign with a major label? Sure it worked for Modest Mouse, but the Yeah Yeah Yeah's last album didn't do too well. There is safety on the smaller labels so the majority of bands will stay there I think. And with the majority of good bands NOT on major labels, the money(and therefore radio play) will keep pushing mostly crap music. Arcade Fire will be the exception, not the rule. But rest easy, there will always be quality music released on a regular basis, it just isn't going to storm the radio and pop charts anytime soon.
Although I'm hearing rumors of Win Butler being the second coming....so who knows?
it's not a joke. che really thinks like this all the time.
this time last year i may have agreed with you alex. little bird is by far my favourite white stripes song. and one that gets to me whenever i put on de stijl.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Secondly, I really can't stand any of the bands you mentioned. That new modest mouse single is pure crap. I can't understand a fucking word that guy is singing. He's got a fucking irritating voice that sounds just like every indie artist out there. And I don't even know where to begin with arcade fire.
To close, music can make change, but in very small ways.
I get the jokes now, indie music may become more popular, but no, it isn't going to change the world, discussing that is pretty comical.