Indie / Alternative Pop
familyStarted 1986Peak 2008-2020Last big hit still active
Pop made off to the side of the polished mainstream: jangling guitars or homemade synths, conversational or fragile vocals, unusual textures and intimate, idiosyncratic writing. Whether twee and tuneful or moody and experimental, the through-line is auteur identity and DIY production over radio gloss, hooks rendered in a personal, lower-fi voice.
History
Rooted in mid-80s British jangle (NME's C86 tape, Sarah Records) and US college rock, the family widened through 90s dream pop and art pop, then exploded in the streaming era when home recording and SoundCloud/Bandcamp let bedroom artists like Clairo, Mac DeMarco and Lorde reach millions. By the 2010s 'indie' was as much an aesthetic as a budget.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_pop
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/indie-pop-ma0000004453
- https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/
- https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/what-s-bedroom-pop-how-online-diy-movement-created-musical-n1131926