What exactly is an “indie artist”?

We musicians and artists forget that the terminology we throw around all the time is not always understood by folks outside the industry. We have been asked this question that we assumed everyone knew the answer to, but we were mistaken. So, please let me take a moment and explain our definition of an indie artist. I am sure that there are several variations on this, depending on the genre of music, but there are some common threads we’ll attempt to reveal here.

To paraphrase my friend, producer Kevin Ward: in the “old model” of the record industry, it was all about chasing the elusive record deal. Record companies were the gatekeepers to all aspects of the music industry that were vital in the development of an artist’s career. They had a legal team, access to recording studios, an image consultant, a PR department, access to media, distribution to record stores, budgets for tour buses and road accommodations, they handled negotiations for publishing, etc.

Basically, if you wanted to make music a viable career as a recording artist, then your best option was a record deal. There was also a perception in the minds of the public that you hadn’t really “arrived” or “succeeded” until you had a record deal and your songs were heard on radio stations all over America.

The good thing about major record labels like this is that the chances of an artist becoming a household name was much greater, but one of the many drawbacks was that many artists had little-to-no say in the direction their careers took. They were told what to wear, what to sing, where to tour, and even if they were good at writing, they did not always get to record their own songs. There are exceptions to this rule, but this became the “norm” in the industry on major labels.

In defense of this model, much of this was necessary to be successful. In order to appeal to the masses, the packaging and presentation was extremely important. When you are putting millions of dollars on the line to launch a new artist, you do need to put your absolute best foot forward. Additionally, not all artists write well and not all artists (especially if they are rather young) have the foresight to navigate their own careers. In these cases, this model was very necessary and effective in putting artists on the map and giving the label a much better chance for a profitable return on their investment.

But, there were artists who insisted on staying true to their musical vision and refused to go the route I explained above. They wanted to make their own music and keep more creative control. They became known as the indie artists, short for independent artists. They signed with smaller record labels that didn’t really have the bank funding or touring budgets of the major labels, but they allowed these artists to record their music with total freedom, thus, the name indie label. Their rosters of artists were usually rather small and they didn’t carry the weight of the majors at radio stations and such. However, they didn’t have limitations either because they could make music they wanted with fewer people to answer to.

Over the last several years, with many of the barriers broken down between artists and their fans, the gatekeepers (record labels) are not as necessary to launch a career. With the Internet access, social media and online distribution options available to indie artists today, many can take charge of their own careers with complete freedom.

New digital recording software, like Pro Tools, makes it easier and more affordable for artists to record their own music. Companies like Disc Makers make it easy and affordable to design, replicate and package CDs. Companies like CD Baby make it easy and affordable to distribute CDs to fans. Template-based sites like GoDaddy and Word Press make it easy and affordable for artists to build, manage and update their own websites to keep fans informed and engaged. Social sites like Facebook make it easy and affordable for artists to directly communicate with their fans, eliminating the need for traditional fan clubs and such. And the list goes on.

It is the best time, ever, to be an indie artist. Jack and I are indie artists and proud of it! The last thing in the world we want is a record company dictating our musical direction or our career moves and we are in very good company with that line of thought in our industry. The entire model is changing, slowly but surely. Now, there is more of a demand for the authenticity of an artist and less demand for things that appear manufactured or contrived. Even major record labels are getting on-board with this train of thought by giving artists more creative input in their careers.

The good news is that if you are an indie artist and you are really good, then you can make a living in music. The downside is that you don’t have a big team to take care of many of the business details, so you end up having to wear more hats which can be difficult.

Indie artists are alive and well, and now able to enjoy viable and profitable careers doing what they love and what they were born to do! Long live the indie artist!