“Indie cred” used to stand for something. It meant selling 7-inches at local record stores, not paying radio stations for spins, and not watering things down for mainstream acceptance. But these days, everyone has direct access to the fan, major labels are weaker than ever, and traditional endpoints like terrestrial radio are losing influence.

Meanwhile, the worlds of indie and major seem increasingly blurred. So-called indie bands are often upstreamed into the major label world (for example, Interpol onto Capitol), and so-called “indie distributors” like RED are often owned by majors (in this case, Sony Music Entertainment).

So, what does “indie” really mean anymore? And, is it dead? That was the smart question asked by Paste writer Nick Purdy, who chatted with A2IM chief Rich Bengloff on the matter. Bengloff pointed to continued access issues involving traditional brick-n-mortar retailers and radio stations, offering a reminder that old-school formats still wield considerable influence. But Bengloff is stumping for many of the same issues as the RIAA, including anti-piracy objectives (A2IM supports ‘graduated response’); demands for recording royalties from terrestrial radio plays, and even DMCA-related concerns (A2IM is working to appeal the outcome of Veoh v. UMG).

So what is the difference then? In the digital sphere, Bengloff also pointed to issues getting exposure on platforms like the iTunes Store. But anyone can upload and chart on iTunes these days, and an artist website is a dedicated showcase and retailer unto itself. In that light, is the term “indie” just another relic of a not-too-distant past? It’s a question worth asking…

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one opinion is that dam RIGHT it's dead.

not only is it dead, it was fallen upon and killed by minds that feared its potential for liberation.

a jaded and unimaginative mind might see the words "potential for liberation" and think: corny, unnecessary,

they aggressively jumped on Indie and co-opted it to make it into a generic form of the mainstream, IMMEDIATELY.

things like that happened over and over again in the 20th century.  Green Day is an example:  people who never really experienced underground avant-punk might wonder why someone might suggest that Green Day are only punk in APPEARANCE, that they are a weak, superficial imitation of what anarcho-punk was, or "poseurs."

from wikipedia: 

The English term poseur is a loanword from French, in which it is used figuratively since the mid-19th century with the same meaning as in English ^[2] to refer to people who "affect an attitude or pose". Etymonline, an online etymology dictionary, argues that since the "word is Eng.[English] poser in Fr.[French] garb", thus it "could itself be considered an affectation."^[3]

Dictionary.com says the word refers to "a person who habitually pretends to be something he is not."^[1] The Merriam-Webster dictionary notes that the term was also used to refer to a "person who pretends to be what he or she is not" or an "insincere person".^[4] The Encarta dictionary states that the term is used to describe a "pretentious person" or "somebody who tries to impress others by behaving in an affected way".^[5] The Cambridge Dictionary defines a "poseur" as "someone who pretends to be something they are not, or to have qualities that they do not have."^[6]

Many individuals misspell the word as poser, which by Merriam-Webster's definition is either "a puzzling or baffling question" or "a person who poses" as if for a portrait.

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but of course: actors and models "pose" and "pretend to be something that they are in fact, not."  it would be easy to miss the INTENTION.  THAT'S NOT WHAT IS MEANT,

what is meant is terms of insincerity, fakeness -- not creating art by stance or by imagination.  

it would be simple to miss the intention of description on purpose out of cunning,

there is often a sort of cunning that seeks to undermine the sincere efforts of others, the more sincere and heart felt, the greater the...envy...

ha, ha!

-

in terms of indie-ness:  

the term was recently used to describe films at the Sundance film festival featuring, among others, George Clooney and Richard Gere. 

it makes sense to point out that indie filmmakers are gonna be all different...but...

there is a mentality that fears independent artists.  "you work too hard, you're gonna raise the bar for the rest of us. we got a steady mediocrity thing going on here."  

up they jump to enforce their ideas of the mainstream mass-market, and to 'own the moment' sort of forcefully.

oh, yeah, thy are SO indie. so.  riiiight.

that they fear things coming from an avant-region is something that they would never admit.

in a time when there is great repressiveness that borders on fascism (and some would say, crosses the line,) there might not be a lot of discernment. 

where is everybody?

where are the meaningful conversations?

perhaps not necessary. this is not the time for 'figuring things out," or "getting deep." 

WHY CAN'T PEOPLE JUST GET OVER IT? indie fashion? oh, it's a way to make money. we're gonna be rich.

• if there weren't a potential for there to be a lot of money in it, why would you DO it?(because you were building something of integrity that would kill and blow away all audiences later -- rather than simply being a jackoff, a compulsive premature ejaculator too greedy for chumpchange to think about the Bigger Pictures.  because you didn't know the deep reasons to be indie, because being indie didn't mean anything to you out of the crass greed that can afflict the poor and venal as well as those born to well to do status -- and the Don Trumps of the world who have eaten through the asses of all who stood in their way, digesting the bilge and mucous poop to get to the Top of the Slops
• money talks and bull$#!+ walks...right?

what it meant in 1996 was sneered at and hated by corporate capitalist mentality.

when the sincerity of the trend caught on, that corporate caputalist (sic)mentality

feared what it did not own or rule as it always has

and rushed in to start seducing it, co-opting it, and thusly WEAKENING it

and this worked.

in a time when people don't want to be politically correct-- don't understand that Wall Street was a cautionary tale and that Greed is EVIL, not Good -- the impetus for indie ideas of anything at all was shouted down by the minds that come from that place where capitalism and fascism overlap...

indie dullness and aping the mainstream might go on for a long time.

statistically, not much is happening...

maybe it is for the best, for now.  maybe in 2013 or beyond

different things will happen, 

people will realise the value in being indie and remaining fiercely indie,

rather than derisively sneering and hating the devoted out of

...

J'taime, j'adore...