Is there a difference between Alternative and Indie?

Question

alternative used to be so good in the 90's and even in the early 00's but now it seems it has turned into indie music that all sounds the same. Is there still a difference between the two or have the just kind of merged? If there is a difference could you give me examples of bands of each kind?

Answer 1

Indie was originally intended to be the label you gave to bands that aren't signed with a record company (they are independent). Alternative is any type of music that doesn't fall in the categories of rock, r&b, rap, country, top 20, etc. So something can be both indie & alternative, although many people now use the phrase "indie" to describe bands with really mellow vibes (like you would hear in a vegan coffee shop). Make sense?

Answer 2

Alternative is what you call indie when it gets popular. Neither term is actually descriptive of the music.

Answer 3

yeah i'd say so. alternative is like Nickelback, Deftones, all that radio crud....

indie is hardly played on the radio unless it's like a college station or if it's like Death Cab For Cutie or something, but indie even sounds totally different...it's music that is disconnected from average sound....get it?

(ex: rilo kiley, the arcade fire, the faint, bright eyes)

Answer 4

It's really just a ridiculous definition.

Indie rockers dislike big record companies.

Alternative rockers dislike making records designed formulaically to sell.

But when you get right down to it, all bands want recognition and exposure. It's almost like trying to shoot yourself to make a point about gun control.

I say just rock out and be true to your sound.

Answer 5

Indie is the genre, alternative is the general location where it's found...hope that helps :).

Answer 6

I still insist that indie is not a genre.