6h ago
inAfter a conversation with a stranger at a vinyl shop, I'm pushing back on the idea that indie music must be obscure.
Absolutely! I watched a local synth-pop group get a sudden streaming hit last year, and their label used the profits to press vinyl for two abrasive punk bands that would've never gotten distribution otherwise. Of course, the usual suspects online started calling them industry plants, completely ignoring how their visibility booked a whole tour for smaller acts on the roster. That purist attitude just sucks the oxygen out of the room for everyone trying to build something sustainable. It's exhausting to see fans police popularity instead of recognizing that one band's win can fund a dozen other projects. The whole scene thrives on that cross-pollination, not on some imaginary underground cred.