Black Keys, LCD Soundsystem, The National, The Dead Weather, Broken Bells, She and Him, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, Death Cab for Cutie, Arcade Fire. I’ve just given you ten well-known “indie” bands (air quotes because wtf does indie even mean everything nothing etc). All ten of them have released an album that appeared in the top ten of the Billboard 200. At least two of them released albums that went in at #1. Elsewhere, within the last two weeks, BuzzMedia dumped millions of dollars in the partnership/acquisition/takeover of PureVolume, PopMatters, Gorilla vs. Bear, The Hype Machine, Concrete Loop, and RCRD LBL. This means that (in addition to the previously-owned Stereogum), one company now controls roughly 30-50% of the non-Pitchfork indie tastemaking economy. These two pieces of data have made me think of a few very important questions, none of which I think are being asked properly, nor answered. 1. At what point will the destruction of the major labels be so complete that there is no such thing as a traditional major label? 2. When the major labels inevitably fold, will there be a influx of major label money and infrastructure into the independent community (in the form of major label imprints, publicists, tour management, […]) or will the majors simply implode, taking their resources with them? 3. Will the corporatization of indie music start to undermine the healthy growth and development of up-and-coming bands, either via direct corporate influence (i.e. mountain dew’s label with wavves and neon indian, sponsors of sxsw, […]) or through a pre-determined musical agenda (a theoretical payola/pay-to-play situation where the tastemaking economy is run by a well-financed cartel or monopoly)? 4. At what point is indie music (from a business perspective) functionally the same as mainstream music? 5. How long can Pitchfork, Stereogum, and other influential tastemaking blogs last if indie music becomes functionally the same as mainstream music, as by their very nature the readership of those sites expects an independent voice and perspective on modern music?
