The document discusses the genre of indie rock music. It originated in the UK and US in the 1980s and refers to alternative rock artists that are typically signed to small, independent labels rather than major labels. While some indie artists are now signed to major labels, they maintain an independent spirit and do not conform to popular music trends. In the 1980s, many seminal indie bands gained popularity on college radio stations. Some examples provided are REM, The Smiths, The Cure, and The Stone Roses. The document then provides brief profiles of four notable indie rock bands: Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, The Smiths, and discusses common musical styles within the genre.

1. Indie Rock bands.
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the
United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s.
The term "indie rock" is short for independent rock, and refers to a category of music in which many artists are on
small independent labels or are unsigned, as opposed to being signed to major labels. Some artists, such as Death
Cab For Cutie, have signed to major labels, yet are still considered to be indie artists. It is a fairly ambiguous term, and
can be used to define a wide variety of different bands and musicians. In general, however, indie rock musicians have
a very strong do-it-yourself ethic, and do not change their sound to fit popular trends.
Indie rock artists are often played in heavy rotation on college radio stations, so this type of music is sometimes
referred to as "college rock." Some of the earliest indie bands who met popular acclaim on campus stations were REM
and 10,000 Maniacs. Many early artists hailed from Great Britain, including the Smiths, the Cure, and the Stone Roses.
These artists rarely, if ever, made an appearance on the popular music charts. College stations often compiled their
own lists of the most popular songs, however, and they often featured these artists. Though musicians played on
college rock stations did not necessarily make huge amounts of money, they often had strong fan bases among a
younger crowd that are loyal to this day.

2. Indie rock bands.
Arctic Monkeys.
2002-present
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band
formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of
Sheffield. The band consists of Alex Turner
(lead vocals, lead/rhythm guitar), Jamie Cook
(rhythm/lead guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass
guitar, backing vocals), and Matt Helders
(drums, backing vocals).
Labels- EMI,
Domino recording
company

3. 1975
2002-present
The 1975 are an English, Manchester-based
alternative rock/indie rock band from
Wilmslow in Cheshire. The group consists of
Matthew Healy (vocals, guitar), Adam Hann
(guitar), George Daniel (drums), and Ross
MacDonald (bass).
Labels
Dirty Hit (UK and Europe)
Vagrant/Interscope (North America)

4. The smiths.
1982-1997
The Smiths were an English rock band formed
in Manchester in 1982. The band consisted of
vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr,
bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.
Critics have called them the most important
alternative rock band to emerge from the
British independent music scene of the 1980s.
Labels- warner
music group,
warner bros.
records

5. Style of music.
Indie rock is mostly band based with a lead vocalist which may be the rhythm
guitar player aswell, lead guitarist, bass player whos usually the backing vocals
aswell and a drum player which may be a backing vocalist also. The genre has a
do-it-yourself attitude which most of the bands and artists are involved in.
Although distribution deals are often struck with major corporate companies,
these labels and the bands they host have attempted to retain their autonomy,
leaving them free to explore sounds, emotions and subjects of limited appeal to
large, mainstream audiences meaning they don’t try and follow the mainstream
genres of todays music. The influences and styles of the artists has been
extremely diverse, including punk, psychedelia, rock and country which are all
considered sub-genres.

6. Alternative rock
I have found that Indie rock is actually a sub genre of
alternative rock and became a known form of alternative
rock after the favoured breakthrough of Nirvana. Indie
rock was created due to people not agreeing with
Alternative rock’s immersion into mainstream charts.
Indie rock bands are similar to Punk rockbands in a sense
that they have an attitude behind their music. In the
1990’s Indie rock was however commercialised due tot he
success of ‘Beck’ and ‘Pearl Jam’

7. Top ten indie rock songs (by
popular vote)
1-Mardy Bum- Arctic Monkeys
2- Moving to New York-The Wombats
3-Fluorescent Adolescent- Arctic Monkeys
4- Fire- Kasabian
5- Helicopter- Bloc Party
6- Brianstorm- Arctic Monkeys
7- 505- Arctic Monkeys
8- Take Me Out- Franz Ferdinand
9- I Bet You Look Good On The Dance FloorArctic Monkeys
10- 1996- The Wombats