I don't know, just to throw my two cents in, the way I see independent music doesn't have anything to do with the label, it is all about if the musical style is independent of anything I've heard before.
From: Carol Wright
In discussion "availablity" of product for barnesandnoble.com, and
watching the progression of discussions on this list, I think there is a
different definition of the term Indie.
Technically, in the trade, an Indie label is one that is not represented by one of the BIG SIX labels such as WEA. But reading some of the posts here and on websites, I get the impression that new musicians think independent meant "not signed with a label, ANY label."
Until recently, Windham Hill and Narada were indie labels. Now they are both engulfed under the major label umbrella.
Is this about the BUSINESS of music? or See me/hear me? or WHAT?
I've participated in publishers' lists for years, and they share all kinds of crucial information about running their businesses. Day in, day out. about shipping, new graphics software, new regulations, import/export...you name it. The two industries are very parallel.
From: Glenn
With all respect, that is a very wide definition of "independent music".
If I should apply that definition to me, widely accepted styles such as
opera and country & western is "independent" styles because I never listen
to opera and country, and wouldnt be able to tell you any artist from
those styles.
The traditional definition of independent music is something along the lines of "a label not owned or organized by major record companies" such as BMG, Sony or Universal. And to be more specific, it is not the music itself that is independent but the label that release it. For example, when Mike Oldfield released Tubular Bells in the early 70s Virgin was a small independent label, not owned by any major company. Today Virgin is one of the big companies and Mike Oldfield is no longer an "independent artist" (even if you never heard about him, he is not independent anymore) but he was in the early 70s.
However, with the arise of home studio recording, home manufacturing (CD burning) and distribution over the internet, I think I will have to expand the traditional definition to include any artist that records and sells music. At least the way I see it. Any artist can now have his own private independent label, but of course not every artist has a real company for this label. A home musician can sell thousands of CDRs these days (if he has the capacity to burn that many!) and there is no longer a need for labels to distribute music because the internet gives you tools to reach the whole world. So the definition of independent artists/music/labels will have to change.
Those were my cents / rubles / pesetas / crowns.........
glenn
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