It doesn't seem like there's much point in "indie pop" being two words with the article like it is. People who are into indiepop in the sense it is being used on this page refer to it as one word, and people who use it as a general catchall for indie music with pop influences tend to use the space. Thus, "indie pop" as two words is just a widely-used descriptor (meaning something akin to indie/pop) and indiepop as one word is a genre.-- Tinyfolk ( talk) 19:16, 1 May 2009 (UTC)
Indie pop is popular music. Thus is it not alternative. —Preceding
unsigned comment added by
152.105.134.168 (
talk) 18:44, 8 November 2008 (UTC)
So this page had 104 pages linking to it, and I decided it was worth an article of it's own rather than redirecting into either indie rock or music. I've just done a quick explanation, please expand as you see fit. The list is just bands that link to this page already that I recognized. Pretty POV that way, I admit, but it's a start. I also added indie pop to template:popmusic Arturus 11:03, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
I removed Weezer from the list, since they are not an indie-pop band, but a power pop/pop-rock band. The New Pornographer's indie-pop status is also a little questionable. Waiting For Godard
New Pornographers aren't any kind of indiepop band. I've added a history of the genre. I checked my facts as I went along, I think it's pretty accurate as far as facts (dates, names, etc.) go. Obviously, there is room for dissent (and improvement) in the subjective history bits. I seem to have forgotten my username; I'm Steve Thornton, I run the indiepop list. I know you folks don't care about credentials but I do know a thing or two about the subject. 216.231.46.147 01:13, 21 January 2006 (UTC)
BTW, I have a strong preference for "indiepop" not "indie pop".
I added some bands and removed others -- going for a bit more of the historical perspective. Steve T. 216.231.46.147 01:16, 21 January 2006 (UTC)
I added a reference to The Beach Boys, whose sound was very influential to a lot of indie pop bands, particularly the Elephant 6 bands.
I think that the definition paragraph needs some work, though. It seems overly verbose, self-contradictory, and inaccurate. I don't think the term indie-pop is really all that nebulous, nor do I think that the key features of pop music are radio-friendliness and disposability. I think the most important and obvious elements of pop music are melody, song structures, simple harmonies, and use of the voice.
Indie pop is most fundamentally just a subgenre of pop music that's made by independent bands, which seems to be what the first sentence of the definition indicates. But then the last sentence says: "Indie pop is thus the pop music that operates outside of the boundaries of conventional pop music." That's not true. There are plenty of well-known indie pop songs which don't defy convention in any significant way, and there are convention-defying pop songs which are not indie. Indie pop can be defined more precisely by describing some of its common features, like lo-fi-ness, twee-ness, instrumentation (glockenspiels, melodicas, strings, etc. are all very common indie pop signifiers), and subject matter, but none of those things on their own necessarily make something indie pop. 158.223.25.94 15:46, 27 February 2006 (UTC)
Stop adding Escape Velocity to this list. There isn't even an entry about them to link to. The purpose of this entry is not self promotion. 158.223.1.117 16:13, 1 April 2006 (UTC)
Great to see many notable indie artists on wikipedia. Love it! Indeed it's not for selfpromotion: it's an encyclopedia after all. However (and this may sound like selfpromotion, but it's just one indie fan helping another), for all bands, scenes, labels, musicians and records you can now go too Indiepedia.org. Indiepedia currently has some content copied from Wikipedia. We urge our submitters to give proper credit where it's due, of course. If you want to write about a band that may not be notable enough for Wikipedia, consider Indiepedia! -- PoofBird 10:50, 3 April 2006 (UTC)
I've removed, at least for now, 'girl groups' from the stylistic origins of indie pop. At the very least, an explanation is needed before it should be put back up. And before you do, please consider the definition given by the
girl group article: 'A girl group, as the name implies, is a musical group featuring a group consisting usually of young female singers, singing mostly pop and R&B songs. It is essentially the female equivalent of a boy band. They are distinct from girl bands and all-women bands, where the women sing and play instruments.'
-- 1:19, 24 April 2006 (UTC)
The idea behind "girl groups" as an origin, I think, was specifically 60s girl groups, and the type of simple structures and harmonies associated with those. I'm not sure whether or not there's a strong case for inclusion, although bands like
The Pipettes are certainly giving it a run for it's money. I'd say leave it out.
Arturus 09:42, 26 April 2006 (UTC)
Someone added pop-punk to list of subgenres, which I quite disagree with. I've removed it. Arturus 19:31, 10 May 2006 (UTC)
Former Beach Boy Brian Wilson seems out-of-place on this list so I've removed him. If I am missing something, then by all means add him back on. I just can't see how he is an indie artist. -- buck 04:50, 28 May 2006 (UTC)
Should this really be under current record labels? It isn't a record label, it's a collective of musicians. The actual label connected to it quit in 2002. -- bezoomny
I really do not agree that The Flaming Lips are "[moving] increasingly to an indie pop approach in recent years". This really is not true and it doesn't take a genius to figure this out. Does anyone else agree? And I would also disagree that Yo La Tengo is doing the same. Basically I have issues with the last sentence. -- JustinFRANCIS
I'm cutting down on the endless list of bands. Without some discrimination, the list could really go on and on. I tried to make it a little more definitive. It's not that I disagree with the bands that were on the list were indie pop. I think that the endless list of indie pop bands is better served as a category or a list article of its own. If you disagree with some of this and think a band should be returned, or subtracted, have at it. I got rid of these bands: Aberdeen, Acid House Kings, Airport Girl, The Aislers Set, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Allen Clapp, Always, Another Sunny Day, Architecture in Helsinki, Atralen, Aude, Aztec Camera, Ballboy, Big Yellow, BMX Bandits, The Bats, Biff Bang Pow!, The Boat People, The Boy Least Likely To, La Buena Vida, Bunnygrunt, Capsela, The Chills, The Clean, The Clientele, Close Lobsters, Club 8, Craving, Crayon, Cub, Dressy Bessy, East River Pipe, The Essex Green, The Fairways, Farrah, Fat Tulips, The Field Mice, The Flower Machine, From Bubblegum to Sky, The Gentle Waves, Great Lakes, Heavenly, Hidden Cameras, Holiday, Holiday Flyer, The Incredible Moses Leroy, Kissing Book, Language of Flowers, Leilanautik, Jens Lekman, Sondre Lerche, The Lovely Feathers, The Lucksmiths, Luzer, Magic Crayon, Marine Research, Mean Red Spiders, The Melons, The Most Serene Republic, Nacho Vegas, Pony Up!, The Orchids, Los Planetas, Papas Fritas, PAS/CAL, Pernice Brothers, Pipas, Pooh Sticks, Poundsign, The Raconteurs (because I don't see them as indie pop persay), Razorcuts, Rose Melberg, Russian Futurists, Saturday Looks Good To Me, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Shop Assistants, Shout Out Louds, Sleepy Township, Small Town Parade, The Softies, Starflyer 59, Stars, St. Christopher, Talulah Gosh, Television Personalities, Tender Trap, Trembling Blue Stars, Voxtrot, The Whitest Boy Alive
Am a bit baffled as to why some of the external links have been deleted? Surely some of the indiepop net stations and blogs such as indie-mp3 are perfect stop-offs for people wanting to find out more about the genre?
And as for deleting bands such as Acid House Kings and The Field Mice - that's just daft! Am glad they've been restored...
Wikified as part of the Wikification wikiproject! Added sections to "History." JubalHarshaw 15:44, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
It seems that, on a daily basis, anonymous editors are adding external links to various indie-pop blogs. Blogs are specifically mentioned in the external links guidelines as links normally to be avoided. See #11 in that list specifically. A number of these sites have contained an objectional amount of advertising and Google AdSense. Links to these sites should also be avoided. Additionally, it appears, but cannot always be confirmed, that some editors have linked to their own personal blogs and external sites. Please see the Conflict of Interest guidlines with respect to this. The purpose of this article is not to compile a comprehensive list of indie-pop blogs and sites. Before adding any additional external links, please read the What to link guidlines and consider discussing the link here. We may be able to avoid another cycle of reverts. - Justin (Authalic) 02:48, 31 December 2006 (UTC)
indie pop didn't exist as a term until the late 80s as "indie" didn't really start to be used be used then as a genre. (see various sources in article and most recently Andrew Collins article in Word magazine). Indie pop then became the overarching term for this genre. its also well known in the UK as c86, after the tape. twee is more of usa term that originated in the mid 90s (and ironically) in the US. (help with some sources..cos i'm struggling to find any)... all cite broadly the same bands, influences and labels.
c86 can't be a sub genre of indie pop it existed before indie pop was used as a terminology.
anyway the article makes clear the difficulties in pinning it down.
the actual twee article for origins has the same lineage in terms of influences, (postcard, sixties pop, "indie") as c86 as a genre and "indie pop". i'm sure they don't like it but mccarthy can exist as indiepop, twee and c86 which the article makes clear. google: mccarthy and twee - er, 141,000 results.
what do you actually mean by twee is a sub genre ?
Jem 12:00, 29 January 2007 (UTC) (the unsigned note above was me..)
yep. sure. lets work together on this. sorry for any offense ! good stuff and thanks again for your work on the c86 article. thanks for the edits. i agree. merge the twee article (for now ?) and "twee" should be a section in the indie pop article. Once expanded it might then deserve its own page. the current article is pretty poor.
this poison! - my mistake well they were on the wedding present's label back in 85/86. Hey its a long time ago.
one more bit of dullness...article now says.." The more jangly indie pop bands later came to be referred to as 'C86' (after the tape itself) or Cutie or Twee due to what commentators called the "revolt into childhood" of its followers, or a term coined by John Peel: shambling bands." this is a much better way of putting it but .. bands were known as cutie/shambling bands in 1986 and then indiepop probably in 1987/8 (ie: "indiepop ain't noise pollution") but i've no firm idea when indiepop first came to be used. i think around 88 but ? the i-d quote is a good source for cutie ....but can you find any sources for use of indiepop before 1988 ? ? article probably needs a backstory about the word independent, independent charts (in 1980), and so on. Jem 09:01, 30 January 2007 (UTC) the chart show on c4 started in 1986. did the "indie" chart section start then ?
Sometimes it takes a while for genres to be named and described. Heavy metal started around 1968 or 1969, but it wasn't named until 1972. Alternative rock certainly existed during the 1980s, but no one really called it that until 1990/1991. I'm certain that Michig's point is correct, that "indie pop" was used back then. I think I've seen an example or two. But from what I gather from my general understaning, twee pop and C86 are particular types of indie pop (which in turn is a subgenre of alternative rock). Allmusic.com spells out the differences more clearly. Another thing to consider is pretty much until recently C86 was largely forgotten. At least here in the States, you're going to hear A LOT more people mention twee pop than C86. Even now, only one or two people know what the hell I'm talking about when I say "C86". WesleyDodds 23:14, 30 January 2007 (UTC)
this site cites 16! sub genres of indiepop http://www.nerdmagazine.org/indiepop/popintro.html including britpop (?) and aggro pop(anything a bit angry it appears) as well as c86 and tweepop Jem 06:35, 31 January 2007 (UTC)
Definitely merge. Slugicide 21:31, 11 March 2007 (UTC)
I think indiepop and twee should remain seperate articles, for reasons pretty much already covered here. Furthermore, I don't see how it matters whether indiepop as a label came before or after twee, the important fact is that indiepop is a label in usage now, and in such a way that twee is a subgenre of it. The terms are not the same in modern usage, and dragging up the historical development of the terms is really irrelevant to whether they get to be different articles now. Arturus 22:46, 21 March 2007 (UTC)
This article makes almost no mention of any artists or music from after about 1990. Since the "indie pop" label is frequently used to describe current artists, bands, etc., isn't that a little ridiculous? It seems like visitors wanting to learn about this genre would be more likely to be interested because of current groups than groups from 1987, and it looks, from the comments, like the article used to contain references to contemporary groups. Why the change, and the focus on so much older stuff? ABPend 22:24, 27 July 2007 (UTC)
I've just noticed that most of the bands mentioned in this article are from england. what about all the influential indie pop bands from the U.S. and Canada? 142.161.38.125 22:58, 23 September 2007 (UTC)
true ish..a lot of the bands come from the UK but the article doesn't ignore the USA with references to jonathan richman, the ramones, nirvana, riot grrl, velvet underground, k records, beat happening, tullycraft, tigertrap, a few labels, calvin johnson et al.. Its not a list. the "history" bit could do with a bit more but only if they add to the narrative or make a point. its a bit listy in places already imho Jem 14:06, 24 September 2007 (UTC)
as for after 1990 then the article did have more references to contemporary groups but only in a list like " this is a list of indie pop" bands
Jem 14:06, 24 September 2007 (UTC)
Twee pop needs it's own article again. Wikipedia is pretty much how I dicovered my now favorite kind of music. —Preceding
unsigned comment added by
75.4.51.71 (
talk) 14:46, 4 June 2008 (UTC)
There should be an article for "jangly"! People use it as a term of art in talking about pop music. Llajwa 16:36, 7 October 2007 (UTC)
Are you making a reference to jangle pop? Thundermaster Thundermaster's Talk 11:36, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
mention alex chilton, big star, etc. also 70s power pop like pilot, sweet, argent, etc.
Swell Maps shouldn't be on the indie pop page, they're Twee Metal
^that is sickening —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.71.237.131 ( talk) 16:50, 22 December 2008 (UTC)
"Cuddlecore" redirects here, but is not explained in the article. -- Beland ( talk) 07:02, 14 January 2008 (UTC)
Um. Is that all-caps NOT in the lede really necessary? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Thmazing ( talk • contribs) 05:26, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
"In the United States indie pop is also commonly known as twee or twee pop" What? Is this for real? I've been heavily involved in music scenes and history in the US for at least 10 years and I have never heard this word uttered. I find it very hard to believe it is in "common usage" in the States. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.114.168.65 ( talk) 16:59, 22 August 2008 (UTC)
what bits need more citations ? Jem ( talk) 19:57, 9 November 2008 (UTC)
how is this article "part of the alternative music project" when i think it was looked at and rated about 18 months ago. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jemstone66 ( talk • contribs) 14:28, 10 November 2008 (UTC)
I can see why it would fit although i've always thought that "alternative music" is way too broad a genre and you know i've said that before. But what i don't seem to understand is why by having the template it looks like the page is endorsed, rated and prioritised by a project that hasn't had a look at it in a very long time if at all. Otherwise its just like spam. Hey come over here and join us to do this. which is fine but can we ditch the ratings please because they no longer make sense. Jem ( talk) 09:49, 13 November 2008 (UTC) or better why don't you just say on the template "this is B class, and "high priority" when rated in Nov 2006 by "name of person who rated it" or somesuch so that its transparent. Jem ( talk) 09:51, 13 November 2008 (UTC)
"with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label"
This is just nonsense isn't it? Rough Trade was putting out records two years prior to this label. Stutley ( talk) 21:39, 7 March 2009 (UTC)
Which boy bands have been influenced by indie pop? Please provide sources or this unverified claim will be deleted. - Andy —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.247.244.163 ( talk) 22:15, 15 July 2009 (UTC)
I've given it a week. I'm deleting it. - Andy —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.247.244.163 ( talk) 07:17, 23 July 2009 (UTC)