AMERICAN INDIE MUSIC VERSUS BRITISH INDIE MUSIC
There are a number of similarities between indie bands no matter where they hail from, but there does appear to be a stark difference in how you picture the stereotypical indie bands from these nations.
American Intellect Feeding the Indie Landscape The American indie bands are considered to be more intelligent, almost indicative of college rock and educated thinking. This pattern in American indie has been present for a few decades and some of the seemingly more intelligent bands that have influenced this opinion include:
REM Pavement
Weezer Band of Horses Smog Fleet Foxes
Does British Popular Music come from the Working Class?
In comparison, when it comes to British indie bands, a lot of the initial thoughts are given to bands that are more synonymous with working classes and having a more down to earth appeal and nature. Some of the more stereotypical British indie bands include:
Happy Mondays The Stone Roses
Ocean Colour Scene Kasabian The Enemy The Courtneneers
Of course the UK is capable of producing intelligent and thought-provoking bands, but for every Radiohead or Manic Street Preachers, there appears to be a Coldplay or Muse who would like to think they are intelligent, but come across as being hugely naĂŻve. If anything, these bands owe more to the prog music scene of the 1970s where self indulgency and having no idea of your own ridiculousness was as important as the music on show.
Even Intelligent UK Indie Bands Dumb it Down
A major nail in the coffin for intelligent bands in the UK was delivered by Blur and the way they dumbed down in order to appeal to a wider market. Blur may have been the opposite of Oasis but they still portrayed themselves as simple and basic people compared to the privileged background they came from. A lot of this stems from the British obsession with the class system and a belief that people who are well-off are out of touch with the common people and what affects people on a daily basis.
Less stereotyping in the USA for Indie Band Choice
This sort of stereotyping doesn't exist in the United States where someone who appreciates Weezer can love the Kings of Leon just as much. In the UK, a diehard Muse fan would probably wish to avoid being seen near an Oasis fan. This isn't the biggest problem in the world as there is more than enough room for all these different types of bands but it is interesting to notice how the two nations appear to be split. Even Morrissey, one of the UKs finest lyricists has turned his back on Britain and is now living in America where he has more freedom and less press scrutiny.
indie music: https://www.beatscore.com/go/music