Why Indie

Some friends asked me what indie music is. Maybe because I mentioned it once when I found out that they listen to Glenn Fredly and Bryan Mcknight. A friend confused of what “indie” is; it’s not a genre, it’s just a kind of paradigm, when the musicians choose not to sell their creation to major label with their huge capital, but prefer instead a less-known record company with less money and whatever modest promotion it does to introduce the album to public. So he can’t distinguish the sound of indie from mainstream music. The other friend thought that indie music means a band that plays indigestible songs with their leather jacket and untidy hair. *sigh

Anyway, it occurred to me that I don’t even know what “indie” exactly means as well. Why do I listen to indie music? To be different? To be cool?

But I can recall why I listen to indie in the first place; because I’m not satisfied with mainstream music from major labels. Not because I’m such an idealist that I refuse to contribute to more profit for those corporations. I like mainstream too. Only most of the music stay for a short time in my head. I used to listen to radio and MTV much that I know all the newest songs. But that new songs, particularly hits, will be played over and over again, not only in the media, but also at malls and restaurants and cafes. Even if they’re not, I will play them again and again and again. And I’ll get bored on day three.

The problem is, not all majors are boring and not all indies are long-lasting. I’ll try to explain with the best logic I can. Major labels look for profits. Profits are greater when sales are higher and tours are bigger. Therefore, the music is designed to meet the taste of greater number of people. It doesn’t mean that most people have cheesier taste (if there is ever cheesy and sophisticated taste category in music). But greater number of people means wider range of different tastes; from simple three-tone-two-refrain song to a complicated synthesized orchestra. So majors need to reach the wider range possible; the best choice is the average, the median; who will favor not too simple yet not too complicated music. Is that correct?

I know I’m not capable enough to lecture about music. Excuse my shallow interpretation, for both mainstream and indie have various genres for everyone's taste. But that’s what mainstream music is for me. Easy to like but easy to forget. So when I listen to not-so-familiar rhyme or style of music, I try to be patient enough to wait to like it. Once I like it, it would stay longer in my head; a month if I’m lucky, but a week is already a record.

Maybe it’s sad that once again arts is valued based on numbers - the length of time it stays in my top list; just as income and property used as a variable to count happiness in capitalist America, which we always criticize in class. Indie and major, they’re no different in my case; both are valued by numbers.

I look for an excuse and stop at the most comforting one, the one from a friend who asked what indie is; listen to music that sounds good to you, brings the most enjoyable arts to you. I can’t make them believe that indie music is better. But indie music teach me one thing; there are loads of good music out there, they are not delivered to your living room through TV commercial, to your bedroom through the radio programme. They’re out there waiting to be discovered; from a friend, an acquaintance’s gig, an opening band in a big concert. Just as you can’t wait passively for the best things to happen to your life. You go for it, not wait for it.