Indie Music vs Mainstream Music
A music listeners view of the indie music scene compared to mainstream music.

The music industry has grown to become one of the most impactful industries in the world. It racks in billions of dollars in revenue and is one of the most unifying things in the world. To many, music is an escape from the harshness of the world around them. To others, it’s a source of inspiration. For many artists, probably including you, it’s a passion. Music is all those things and more. First and foremost, however, music is a business.

Calm down, don’t judge me. I’m not a soulless, money-grabbing opportunist. I’m only saying it as it is. Whatever music started to be, someone figured out a way to make money from it, and nothing has ever been the same. Today, the numbers flying around in the music industry will make your ears ring.

As money became a major part of music, businesses were formed. We call them record labels, and they became the lords of the industry. The labels grew stronger and stronger until a group of young people had enough. They didn’t like the commercialization of music, believing that profit shouldn’t be the primary goal of music.

So they rebelled against the labels and decided to make their music independently. They came to be known as indie artists. Since the beginning of indie music in the 60s and 70s, it’s come a long way. Today, decades later, you’re sitting wondering which one is better for you. I’ve come to help with a head-to-head comparison of the two.

I’ll tell you the general idea behind each, then talk about the pros and cons of each one. With that, you can then make an informed decision on which one to go for. I won’t make decisions for you, but I’ll make sure you know everything you need to know.

Mainstream

Let’s begin with mainstream music, and by that, I mean music produced and distributed by a major record label.

Advantages

Full support

To be a proper mainstream artist, you probably have to be signed to a major label. This means you get all the perks that come with a record deal, including full professional support in your music process. All the stress is taken off your shoulders so that you’re left to focus on making good music.

Bigger financial reward

Mainstream music is designed to meet commercial requirements by the record label. Their main goal is to make a profit from the music. So if you want to make as much money as you possibly can, mainstream music is probably the place to go. It’s perhaps the major advantage of making mainstream music.

Wider reach

When you make mainstream music, you’re with the majority of artists and you’re probably signed to a record label. This means you’re more likely to reach a wider audience when you make mainstream music. Social media evens things out, but commercial music is called that for a reason. It appeals to more people so it’s more likely to reach more people.

So you’re more likely to become a global star making mainstream music. Indie music is usually quite niche and while that’s not bad, it might not be what you want.

Networking

Mainstream music has a larger reach, we’ve already settled that. With a wider reach comes a bigger pool of possible connections. Also, if you’re signed to a label, you get the opportunity to work with several stars that you’d otherwise spend an eternity trying to get to as an indie artist.

Disadvantages

Ownership of Masters

While you’ll get the perks of a record deal, there’s also the flip side. The label will own the Masters to your music so they can continue to make bucket loads of money on your music with or without your consent. In the beginning, most artists don’t think so much about it until they grow and realize their errors.

Lack of creative autonomy

Another disadvantage of being a mainstream artist is the lack of creative autonomy. You have the label, your agent, and the fans breathing down your neck so much that you end up making music for everyone except yourself. When commercial success is the goal, you’ll have to stick to a certain script.

Indie

Now let’s talk about indie music.

Advantages

Full ownership of Masters

One of the best things about being independent is that you don’t have to fight with anybody about the ownership of your music. No contracts are binding you to anything you don’t want to do. That peace of mind is much better.

100% of profits

If you own complete ownership, it stands to reason that any income made from your music belongs to you. I like this because it means I work for myself, pay myself, and I can grow my business.

Full creative autonomy

When there’s nobody to answer to, it frees you up to do whatever you want to. Your creativity will be in full swing because there are no restrictions to shackle your mind. Making the music you want, the way you want it, and whenever you want is a big flex.

You also deserve it.

Improved versatility

As an indie artist, you have to do many things as you go from recording to production to distribution. You’ll get great at several things because you use them all time. So you’ll grow to become more than just a vocalist.

Disadvantages

Greater load to carry

As an indie artist, you don’t have a team to handle all the other processes so you must do it all by yourself. You’ll bear any financial and technical burden that you encounter along your journey. The success is all yours, but so are super flowers

You vs the world

When you’re making indie music, it’s easy to start feeling like it’s you against the world but don’t be discouraged.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, the pros and cons of either being mainstream or indie. Whatever you choose to go with, make sure it aligns with your principles and what you want from your music career. You now have all the information needed. Godspeed!