To define indie music is a difficult task; saying that an indie artist or indie band does not have support from a major record label would be saying only half the truth. Rock bands like Crass have chosen not to sign with any record label because they don't want to be restricted by record deals, and want to ensure their artistic freedom is not restricted by contracts. In fact it is not uncommon for major record labels to buy out independent record labels so they can keep a look out for fresh musical talent as well as keep in tune with the latest developments in the music world at the ?street? level.



Today, the three main ways for an artist to make money are touring, publishing rights and record deals. In addition if an artist or band becomes really popular they can also make money via advertising contracts. However the major sources of income for any music group or artist are by and large the ones mentioned in the beginning of the article. The independent music industry has been in existence for nearly 20 years now and it is only recently with digital equipment becoming cheaper that indie music has come of age.

Like the indie film industry, the indie music industry has benefited from easy distribution of music via the internet. With the cost of recording equipment falling, and with CD writing technology no longer restricted to just large record labels, it has become very simple for indie artists and indie record labels to mass produce copies of records. In fact the cost of distributing music is even cheaper if the music is distributed via the internet; all an indie artist has to do is upload his music on sites like itunes, and by paying a small fee anyone can freely download the music from the internet. However the same easy distribution of digital content is also hurting the music industry and even more so indie artists, as making digital copies of content and thus pirating music has become very simple.

However these are just some of the problems that indie artists will face, and in due course of time problems like piracy will be combated. Irrespective of the business aspect of indie music the truth is that indie music is the breeding ground of the latest musical developments the world over. From fusion of various styles of music, to upcoming artists, the indie music industry is providing the music world a much needed breathe of fresh air.

Every year hundreds of artists are turned down by major record companies, and as a matter of fact only 1 in 10 artists backed by major record companies are ever profitable for the record label. It is therefore essential that new and upcoming artists are encouraged, as obviously even the big boys of music don't get it right all the time. When it comes to creativity and ensuring that there is no bias to a particular genre of music the indie music scene allows musicians to express themselves freely without having to worry about creating music that sells.