“Indie” is a contentious term that people use to refer to both independent bands and artists who make music without the help of a record label and to a specific genre that emerged from underground UK bands. It’s a genre that can be hard to describe, yet when you hear it, the sound is immediately recognizable. Admittedly, there are countless branches of indie music, including indie folk, indie rock, and indie pop, but all have the commonality of authenticity, thoughtful lyrics, experimental qualities, and raw production.
Before these bands appeared on global playlists, their songs started as hidden gems waiting to be discovered. They were much like indie games and the top no wagering bonus promotions are today—rare and refreshing. These bands have now solidified a legacy in the indie music genre, boasting millions, if not billions, of listens on streaming services worldwide.
Arctic Monkeys
Vice once confidently said, “In Britain at least, Arctic Monkeys have reached a point where they are too enormous, too beloved a force to truly fail.” Their sound is distinctive, with the heart of it being frontman Alex Turner’s strong Sheffield accent, creative lyricism, and vocal delivery backed by energetic, catchy rock instrumentals.
The band has had an exceptionally successful career spanning over two decades. It started the instant they released their highly esteemed debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Since then, every album has been revered by fans of the group and genre. Interestingly, they are cited as one of the first bands to become well known through the Internet, thanks to the releases of demo tracks on Myspace and early marketing and sharing efforts on other online platforms. Today, they’re considered one of the most popular indie bands in the world.
Biggest hits: I Wanna Be Yours, Do I Wanna Know?, 505
Blur
Blur is one of the earliest indie bands, formed in 1988. Although they’re touted as the pioneers of the Britpop genre and comprise many art rock, electronic, and alternative rock elements, they still fall under the indie umbrella. Blur’s first-ever live performance happened during the summer of 1989 in a goods shed of the East Anglian Railway Museum. Less than a year later, they were signed by Food Records and toured Britain, opening for American rock band The Cramps.
Because of their role in defining Britpop, they’ve had a lasting influence on the broader indie scene. This brighter blend of British pop, glam rock, and punk, with an emphasis on British identity, created a new sound that captured British culture in a listenable format and brought it to the world.
Biggest hits: Song 2, Girls & Boys, Parklife
The 1975
High school bands are typically a fun way for you and your friends to get together and bond over music, but for The 1975, it was the beginning of their careers as one of the biggest bands in the world. With the efforts made by the band to attend university in Manchester, play gigs, record music, and sustain their lives by working delivery for a local Chinese restaurant, they managed to stay cohesive long enough to become something great.
Unlike the raw rock quality of many other indie bands, The 1975 has a polished dreaminess to their sound. Their self-titled album features a handful of atmospheric tracks sandwiched between full-length songs featuring pop synths, muted guitar lines, and ‘80s pop-rock characteristics. For much of their early career, opinions on the band were quite polarizing, but they experienced a resurgence after their evolution over four albums.
Biggest hits: Somebody Else, About You, Chocolate
The Smiths
The pinnacle of ‘80s British indie was The Smiths. The band was so successful in their short five-year career that they developed a cult following and have become a part of indie rock history. Everything about The Smiths’ musical style was creative, deliberate, and eccentric, a style essentially never done before that combined jangly guitar playing, melodic vocals, morbid lyrical themes, and atmospheric drums and bass.
Both critics and everyday listeners fell in love with their music, with all four of their albums staying on the UK Albums Chart for 13 to 33 consecutive weeks. Whether it was the fusion of genres, their rebellion against the synthetic pop genre that was so popular at the time, or the band’s political nature, there was just something special about The Smiths that captivated the world.
Biggest hits: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
Arcade Fire
While many might associate indie with Britain or America, one of the genre’s most famous bands is from Montreal, Canada. Their first and second studio albums propelled them to stardom, with both becoming critically acclaimed. However, their third studio album, The Suburbs, won them the commercial success they still thrive on today. All their studio albums have been nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, and they also composed the entire original score for the sci-fi rom-com movie Her.
Arcade Fire can be described as incredibly experimental. Instead of sticking to the classic repertoire of instruments—guitar, bass, drums, and vocals—the band incorporates French horn, harp, mandolin, glockenspiel, double bass, synthesiser, and a variety of other instruments into their tracks. If you’re seeking indie music with a deeper emotive thread, Arcade Fire is for you.
Biggest hits: The Suburbs, Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies)
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