Nirvana’s landmark hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit” catapulted alternative music into mainstream audiences. Featuring layers of guitars, gritty vocals and socially aware lyrics – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” cemented alternative rock’s place as one of music’s mainstream styles.
In the 1990s, most alternative bands opted to remain independent by forgoing record label deals and remaining independent – this distinction being what defined them as indie.
The Velvet Underground
Lou Reed and John Cale, two 22-year-olds then, met and soon formed a rock band together with Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker in 1964. Although not popular at first, it is now recognized as one of the pioneers of alternative indie music; Cale’s drone-driven viola playing combined with Reed’s beatnik poetry created an exciting, new style which combined experimental with rock elements.
After touring extensively in 1965, The Velvet Underground finally settled in New York City where Andy Warhol quickly discovered them and produced their debut album: The Velvet Underground & Nico. This landmark record featured both Warhol’s newly discovered German model/singer Nico as well as the band itself and is widely considered a classic today.
The band’s musical style was experimental and anti-commercial, among the first to view rock music as creative art instead of just another product to sell commercially. Their songs featured arrangements never before tried before or pure chaos; their dark, bleak music often invoking feelings of despair, anxiety or paranoia in listeners.
Once their popularity had subsided, however, the band remained an essential presence on the underground scene due to their unwavering refusal to give in or bend, as well as many fans feeling disillusioned with mainstream culture in which they had grown up.
In the 1970s, several independent music labels such as Factory Records by Tony Wilson, Mute by Daniel Miller and Rough Trade by Geoff Travis made an early mark in indie music by championing bands that avoided mainstream culture for an independent DIY ethic. Furthermore, these early independents also provided support for groundbreaking musical acts like Joy Division with their dark and heavy sound and Depeche Mode with their synth-heavy electronica sound.
The Pixies
The Pixies were the first American rock band to pioneer alternative indie music. Combining jagged guitar riffs with stop-start dynamics, male-female harmonies intertwined between members, cryptic lyrics about sexuality, religion, space and beyond with stadium-sized riffs courtesy of Black Francis’ vocals created an incomparably powerful sound that broke all conventions.
Charles Thompson (vocals, guitar; also known as “Frank Black”), Joey Santiago (lead guitar) and David Lovering (drums) initially made up the group in Boston in 1986, before leaving to pursue individual projects (such as Thompson going solo, Deal and Santiago founding The Breeders with Tanya Donelly (formerly of Throwing Muses) and Josephine Wiggs). They released their debut album Surfer Rosa in 1988 but then took some time off as members pursued other ventures; Thompson became involved with solo projects before returning in 1997 to release Surfer Rosa again.
Fans were delighted when Doolittle, their cleanest and brightest record to date, emerged. From garage rock roots into country and folk territory; its lyrics touched upon mental instability, Biblical violence and sexual mutilation.
In 2014, the Pixies began recording with producer Gil Norton again after original bassist Kim Deal left permanently for good in 2013. Following several short-term replacements – such as Paz Lenchantin from Zwan and A Perfect Circle) – Paz Lenchantin eventually was selected as Kim Deal’s permanent replacement within that year itself. Indie Cindy was released as their fifth studio album on April 2015 while Head Carrier followed later that September.
Even amid differences between its original surviving members, The Pixies continue to tour and produce new albums. In 2016, they released two EPs; EP2 and EP3, before going on to produce their sixth studio album Head Carrier later that September.
Nirvana
Nirvana’s breakthrough hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” released worldwide as a worldwide smash in 1991, marked the dawn of grunge era alternative music. Their combination of dark riffs and Kurt Cobain’s distinctive vocals gave grunge its darker and rawer tone while their socially-conscious lyrics set them apart from mainstream popular culture; consequently, making Smells Like Teen Spirit one of the most beloved alternative songs ever.
Before Nirvana achieved great fame, they were an independent small band playing small venues and colleges. Influenced by post-punk bands from the ’60s with its heavy riffs and distortion, their sound stood out against popular music at that time. Nirvana signed with Sub Pop Records in 1986 where they collaborated with producer Butch Vig to achieve their unique and dark sound which eventually resulted in Nevermind becoming a success album.
In the 1990s, indie rock was even more widespread and bands such as New Order and Echo And The Bunnymen from Manchester were reaching larger audiences, touring internationally and selling out stadiums; US bands like Sonic Youth, Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr also continued creating ground-breaking music.
Indie music encompasses a broad variety of styles and genres, while still evoking an image of independence and authenticity. The genre is also notable for embracing DIY aesthetics while often featuring realistic yet pessimistic lyrics with strong sociopolitical themes.
Indie music remains a beloved tradition for many and can be heard worldwide on radio stations or streaming services, providing an effective means to relax and relieve stress.
Pearl Jam
Indie music first emerged in the late 1970s when Buzzcocks released their four-track EP Spiral Scratch EP and changed rock’s paradigm. Many consider this record the inaugural indie record, leading to game-changing labels like Tony Wilson’s Factory Records, Daniel Miller’s Mute Records and Chris Parry’s Fiction Records becoming relevant players in this scene. Indie became synonymous with freedom due to Nirvana and Pavement becoming commercial successes within this genre as early as 1992 and 1993 respectively – creating the blueprints needed for 90s indie rocking bands alike!
Indie music also gave birth to an entire generation of fans who created clubs, record labels, and radio stations to produce the music they loved. Indie also helped to foster communities among people with shared interests – especially students – offering them an outlet for stress relief as well as providing them with a sense of belongingness and community spirit. For this reason alone many students find solace in this genre of music; many turning toward indie for stress relief as well as community building purposes.
Pearl Jam emerged from Mother Love Bone, a Seattle hard rock band which disbanded after frontman Andrew Wood overdosed on heroin in 1990. Guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament formed an entirely new group called Mookie Blaylock (inspired by NBA player Mookie Blaylock), before changing it after drummer Dave Krusen joined. Their initial tribute project Temple of the Dog became Pearl Jam instead.
Pearl Jam quickly earned a following throughout the 1990s due to their signature stadium-style rock, highlighted by Eddie Vedder’s emotive vocals. Pearl Jam earned a reputation for their rebellion against mainstream music industry conventions; often battled Ticketmaster over ticket distribution methods before testing unconventional alternatives like Unticketmaster.
The Replacements
Founded in Minneapolis in 1979, The Replacements was an influential band that helped mainstream alternative indie music. Their sound combined punk, blues, rock ‘n’ roll thrash and heartfelt lyrics; many songs addressed depression or alienation while they maintained that their music may not appeal to everyone.
By the late 80s, indie had grown into a significant force with UK bands such as New Order, Echo And The Bunnymen and The Cure selling millions of records worldwide and touring stadiums globally while US groups Sonic Youth, Pixies and Dinosaur Jr had created some of its landmark albums of this era.
At this juncture, an interesting divide appeared within the alternative scene; those signed to major labels defining its commercial side and those remaining underground creating its aesthetic identity – this included Nirvana setting the grunge sound that would dominate 90s music and bands like Pavement creating its aesthetic blueprint for genre.
Recent trends, such as digital streaming services and “alternative” pop, have caused some cultural commentators to dismiss indie as obsolete; but that hasn’t stopped Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys from dominating festival scenes with their raw performances. Indie is not limited to any single genre but instead an umbrella term that encompasses general resistance against popular and mainstream culture while exuding independence and authenticity; additionally it applies to rock/pop albums released independently such as Tony Wilson’s Factory Records, Daniel Miller’s Mute or Geoff Travis’ Rough Trade among others.