A term used by pretentious musical elitists to deflect criticisms and to feel superior. Underground Music is simply music that has not yet gained widespread fame and notoriety. Listening to Underground music does not make you elite; it only means you discovered it through channels other than popular mass media.
Many fans of artists like to maintain the label of "Underground" even though the band or artist has gained success and notability. One example is Minneapolis Hip-Hop duo Atmosphere's maintained underground reputation, despite their having had sold millions of albums and being recognizable nationwide.
Underground music is essentially the opposite of mainstream music.
Many fans of artists like to maintain the label of "Underground" even though the band or artist has gained success and notability. One example is Minneapolis Hip-Hop duo Atmosphere's maintained underground reputation, despite their having had sold millions of albums and being recognizable nationwide.
Underground music is essentially the opposite of mainstream music.
Ex 1) Musical Elitist: How can you listen to Eminem? He was only good when he was underground.
Ex 2) A real Underground Musician is Apex Predator, because he is local to Long Beach, and is not commercially successful or widely known.
Ex 2) A real Underground Musician is Apex Predator, because he is local to Long Beach, and is not commercially successful or widely known.
by Assjuyo Patruyo April 23, 2011
Get the Underground Musicmug. The practice of strumming slightly distorted guitar to a 4/4, bass, bass tom, drumbeat while wailing words ripped straight out of the rhyming dictionary. Exponents of this art are often seen trying to look like a replica of 1970's John lennon or, for the more alternative; cardigans, painted nails and eyeliner while banging on about being 'working class'.
Fortunately, for budding musicians, indie music is so easy to reproduce that most 'indie fans' are in a band within two months of picking up a guitar, or drums, playing various covers by their indie heros.
The main exponents of this art improve little from these meagre beginnings - eventually writing songs of their own, with the requisite 4/4 drumbeat and strummed chords. Those who make it big will be touted by the NME or the Guardian as being 'the next big thing' while getting rave reviews for their university tours of britain. Examples of these can be seen everywhere in Britain from Oasis to Radiohead.
Indie fans will further try to convince people that indie music is original from the introduction of a piano or (ghasp)a clarinet into the formulaic peice or, in the other direction, playing some power chords and sounding like Nirvana. Unfortunately this does little to relieve the boredom in indie music as the same hash is re-hashed again and again.
Fortunately, for budding musicians, indie music is so easy to reproduce that most 'indie fans' are in a band within two months of picking up a guitar, or drums, playing various covers by their indie heros.
The main exponents of this art improve little from these meagre beginnings - eventually writing songs of their own, with the requisite 4/4 drumbeat and strummed chords. Those who make it big will be touted by the NME or the Guardian as being 'the next big thing' while getting rave reviews for their university tours of britain. Examples of these can be seen everywhere in Britain from Oasis to Radiohead.
Indie fans will further try to convince people that indie music is original from the introduction of a piano or (ghasp)a clarinet into the formulaic peice or, in the other direction, playing some power chords and sounding like Nirvana. Unfortunately this does little to relieve the boredom in indie music as the same hash is re-hashed again and again.
A: Who's your favourite band?
B: The Toes, they're the next big thing according to the NME. I saw them in the Camden Monarch.
A: Oh i've heard of them. My band does a few covers of their songs. Still don't think they'll beat Radiohead for songs that mean so much to me though.
B: I know what you mean; radiohead redefined music as we think of it.
A: you're right there, mate. Oh i learned a new chord - 'B'
B: Show me.....
Ad infinitum
B: The Toes, they're the next big thing according to the NME. I saw them in the Camden Monarch.
A: Oh i've heard of them. My band does a few covers of their songs. Still don't think they'll beat Radiohead for songs that mean so much to me though.
B: I know what you mean; radiohead redefined music as we think of it.
A: you're right there, mate. Oh i learned a new chord - 'B'
B: Show me.....
Ad infinitum
by Tortious Dude June 12, 2005
Get the indie musicmug. In it's true definition, indie music is any music that is produced by unsigned or non major label artists.
Today indie music most commonly refers to a genre of music that is heavily influenced by electronic, folk, and rock music. A good and what is probably the best known artist for this genre is Beck.
However the vast majority of indie music today is shit. The main components to an indie band are:
-A singer and a guitarist or a singer/guitarist
-A bass player, preferably a white male or an Asian female
-A guy on a synthesizer
-A drummer who only does 4/4 beats (I got that from another urban dictionary post)
-Some weird, obscure, or just plain obnoxious instrument
In the many horrible "indie music" bands, the musicians barely know how to play their instruments. The guitarist probably only knows the basic kumbayah chords (A, G, E, C, etc.) and power chords.
The synthesizer player will often times only alternate between the same 3 chords throughout the entire song and tune the synth oscillators to a setting that s/he finds the most unique- no matter how horrible it sounds.
And lastly, whatever weird instrument that they have, they will absolutely 100% not know how to play it.
Next are the lyrics which are dreadful. Anyone can write typical indie music lyrics in five seconds. They are usually about a girl with brunnette hair and her surrounding environment.
e.g.
The brown hair covers your eyes
And I see the ocean behind those eyes
You're like a flower in a vintage store
Unique like me- no establishment whore (its also important in indie music to talk down on companies, establishment, etc.)
****
and then there is usually about 15 seconds of the singer going
Nah, nah, nah, nah, yea, yea, yea, etc.
All of this is 100% true. Go listen to indie music and don't tell me that at least 80-90 percent of what I've said isn't in the music.
Today indie music most commonly refers to a genre of music that is heavily influenced by electronic, folk, and rock music. A good and what is probably the best known artist for this genre is Beck.
However the vast majority of indie music today is shit. The main components to an indie band are:
-A singer and a guitarist or a singer/guitarist
-A bass player, preferably a white male or an Asian female
-A guy on a synthesizer
-A drummer who only does 4/4 beats (I got that from another urban dictionary post)
-Some weird, obscure, or just plain obnoxious instrument
In the many horrible "indie music" bands, the musicians barely know how to play their instruments. The guitarist probably only knows the basic kumbayah chords (A, G, E, C, etc.) and power chords.
The synthesizer player will often times only alternate between the same 3 chords throughout the entire song and tune the synth oscillators to a setting that s/he finds the most unique- no matter how horrible it sounds.
And lastly, whatever weird instrument that they have, they will absolutely 100% not know how to play it.
Next are the lyrics which are dreadful. Anyone can write typical indie music lyrics in five seconds. They are usually about a girl with brunnette hair and her surrounding environment.
e.g.
The brown hair covers your eyes
And I see the ocean behind those eyes
You're like a flower in a vintage store
Unique like me- no establishment whore (its also important in indie music to talk down on companies, establishment, etc.)
****
and then there is usually about 15 seconds of the singer going
Nah, nah, nah, nah, yea, yea, yea, etc.
All of this is 100% true. Go listen to indie music and don't tell me that at least 80-90 percent of what I've said isn't in the music.
joe-"hey man I just found this acoustic guitar and an old drumset in my basement. Let's start a band"
will-"shouldn't we learn to play the instruments first? I mean we don't want to embarrass ourselves"
joe-"Nah it's all good, we'll just say we're playing indie music"
will-"Oh yeah! because it's the effort and our message of brown haired girls and anti-government feelings that count!"
will-"shouldn't we learn to play the instruments first? I mean we don't want to embarrass ourselves"
joe-"Nah it's all good, we'll just say we're playing indie music"
will-"Oh yeah! because it's the effort and our message of brown haired girls and anti-government feelings that count!"
by The Dicksborough Dpt. Store June 27, 2009
Get the Indie Musicmug. A person who always finds themselves finding whichever song is #1 or close to that as their new "favorite song". These people only listen to whichever songs are at the tops of charts at said time. Generally meaning they have no creativity in the music they listen to.
Megan -OMG!! My new favorite song is "Eenie Meenie" by Justin Beiber.
Levi - Wow Megan is such a 'music bandwagoner'...that song JUST hit the top of the charts.
Levi - Wow Megan is such a 'music bandwagoner'...that song JUST hit the top of the charts.
by XxUrbanGodxX April 12, 2010
Get the Music Bandwagonermug. Should be used to describe any unsigned artists or strictly speaking, those signed to an independent record label -- where the term 'indie' originates.
Instead it is synonymous with the flannel and skinny jean-wearing baby-faced musicians, fitting into the "hipster" subculture, whose testicles are yet to drop. Their instrument of choice is either the acoustic guitar or the keyboard, that adds to their limp and poncy sound.
Instead it is synonymous with the flannel and skinny jean-wearing baby-faced musicians, fitting into the "hipster" subculture, whose testicles are yet to drop. Their instrument of choice is either the acoustic guitar or the keyboard, that adds to their limp and poncy sound.
A: "Do you like indie music?"
B: "Yeah"
A: "What is your favourite indie band?"
B: "Anal Cunt"
A: "Aren't they metal?"
B: "Well they have been signed to independent record labels throughout their history, so they are indie"
B: "Yeah"
A: "What is your favourite indie band?"
B: "Anal Cunt"
A: "Aren't they metal?"
B: "Well they have been signed to independent record labels throughout their history, so they are indie"
by JizzySpunkbubbles August 25, 2013
Get the indie musicmug. A band that sucks so bad they're not good enough to get a label.
Indie Bands will often think they're unique and breaking the mould when the only unique thing about them is they suck in a totally different way each time and the only thing they break are the ears of the people unfortunate enough to hear it.
Indie Bands often think they can shred a guitar like Eddie Van Halen just because they've seen a ShitKnot video.
It should also be noted that they think they're the first bunch of nimrods to use social networkng sites to plug their insult to music.
Indie Bands will often think they're unique and breaking the mould when the only unique thing about them is they suck in a totally different way each time and the only thing they break are the ears of the people unfortunate enough to hear it.
Indie Bands often think they can shred a guitar like Eddie Van Halen just because they've seen a ShitKnot video.
It should also be noted that they think they're the first bunch of nimrods to use social networkng sites to plug their insult to music.
Indie Music euphamisms:
Indie Band: we're Indie because we hate how music is commercial, and we don't want to sell out, because we don't want tons of money.
What They Really Mean: We suck so hard, no-one would give us a label in a million years, we'd sell out if anyone actually liked us, and we only say we don't care about money because we couldn't sell our tripe to a bunch of deaf idiots.
Indie Band: We're unique, we're like nothing ever before.
What They Really Mean: Like every other crap band, we whore our music out to 11 year old emo kids on social-networking sites and we look so cool, despite not even being able to spell HTML, let alone code it.
Indie Band: We have tons of fans, and everyone likes us.
What They Really Mean: We send out random invites on social networking sites, and even though we have 500,000 friends, no-one actuallys knows who we are or likes our stuff, and our gigs are more vacant than George Bush's head.
Indie Band: We're the next big thing, and we're gonna' make it big.
What They Really Mean; we're a carbon clone of every other social-networking site band, and will fade into obscurity and we're so stupid that we'd be lucky to get a job at McDonalds cleaning the toilets with our tongue.
Indie Band: we're Indie because we hate how music is commercial, and we don't want to sell out, because we don't want tons of money.
What They Really Mean: We suck so hard, no-one would give us a label in a million years, we'd sell out if anyone actually liked us, and we only say we don't care about money because we couldn't sell our tripe to a bunch of deaf idiots.
Indie Band: We're unique, we're like nothing ever before.
What They Really Mean: Like every other crap band, we whore our music out to 11 year old emo kids on social-networking sites and we look so cool, despite not even being able to spell HTML, let alone code it.
Indie Band: We have tons of fans, and everyone likes us.
What They Really Mean: We send out random invites on social networking sites, and even though we have 500,000 friends, no-one actuallys knows who we are or likes our stuff, and our gigs are more vacant than George Bush's head.
Indie Band: We're the next big thing, and we're gonna' make it big.
What They Really Mean; we're a carbon clone of every other social-networking site band, and will fade into obscurity and we're so stupid that we'd be lucky to get a job at McDonalds cleaning the toilets with our tongue.
by The True Tune Lover January 8, 2010
Get the Indie Musicmug. by I hate country music October 1, 2010
Get the country musicmug.