Indie (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what something indie is, and what is the origin of the term. In addition, we tell you what indie music and indie cinema are like.

what is something indie?

The term indie is a loanword from English, specifically from the abbreviation of independentthat is, “independent”, which has been used since the 1980s to refer, in general, to cultural products that do not come from large companies in the field (that is, it mainstream), but of alternative initiatives that, in principle, are less likely to follow strict market logic.

This term is used, mainly, to distinguish between music and mass cinema, produced for the general public and with commercial success as a purpose, from other initiatives that would be more committed to art and quality. Thus, we often speak of “indie music” or “indie cinema” to refer to proposals outside the major circuits of distribution and consumption of culture.

The success of the label indieHowever, it ended up becoming a Western subculture, based on the association of independence with quality.

The followers of “indie culture”, therefore, aspire to distance themselves from the tastes, lifestyles and consumption patterns of the masses, embracing the ideals of autonomy, DIY (Do-it-yourselfthat is, “Do it yourself”) and the idea of achieving your “own style” outside of the trends promoted by culture. mainstream. Originality, uniqueness and irreverence are aspirations of the “indie” mode of consumption.

Music indie

The music indie or independent is not properly a genre or a musical movement, so it has no common aesthetic features or identifiable tendencies. Simply put, it is that music that does not come from the major record labels and does not fit with the patterns maintained by the music industry mainstream. This means that independent music responds much less to popular trends and fads, and more to genuine and personal searches.

In general, for an artist or a band to be classified as “indie”, some of the following conditions must be met:

The performers are not part of the commercial music circuit nor do they have the support of large cultural or advertising dissemination and marketing companies, so they reach their audience through marginal or alternative spaces.
The musical project does not aspire to commercial success but to the avant-garde and musical experimentation, often going against the grain of what is fashionable.
The albums are produced and marketed by a minor record label of an amateur nature or open opposition to the system.
The artistic process falls entirely (or almost entirely) in the hands of the musicians without marketing decisions or commercial distribution policies interfering.

Cinema indie

indie cinema — The marginal condition of cinema *indie* it often translates into greater creative freedoms.

the cinema indie or independent cinema It is one that is carried out outside the large production, promotion and distribution channels of films and audiovisual projects, such as Hollywood and its associated companies. In general, these are low-budget projects, since they do not have the resources of the so-called official cinema or cinema. mainstreamand are often financed through cooperative or alternative investment models.