Who Is the King of Indie Music?
Who made the biggest impact as an indie artist? Let's review the kings & queens of indie music.

With the dawn of the internet and social media era, the indie music industry has grown far beyond what the early pioneers would have imagined. What started as a renegade group of rock artists has spawned into a massive community with every genre ably represented.

There are indie artists from hip-hop, rock, pop, electronic dance music, and all the other genres. So you can see why selecting a king of indie music might be a tad difficult. That said, I'll try anyway...

What it means to be king

Think about Michael Jackson, the king of pop. He's no longer with us but no one has managed to take the crown from his head. Try as they might, no standout in today's pop music industry can rival Michael Jackson. That's what it means to be king.

Of course, Michael Jackson is an extreme case. No other genre would have a king going by his standards. In hip-hop, there's always a discussion between the likes of Eminem, Nas, and Jay-Z. In rock, bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones all lay a claim to the title. James Brown did pretty well but even he has some competition. So it's no wonder if the first time you read the title of this article, no one came to your mind…

It all comes down to one question. Can one be king unless they are undisputedly the best?

The Contenders

First, we need a list of contenders; artists who've stood out in their music careers over the years; a list of artists who inspire people coming after them, blazing the trail for indie artists all over the world; artists who can lay claim to the crown. These are my top five…

Frank Ocean

For the last sixteen years, Frank Ocean has plied his music trade. He started his career as a songwriter, getting deals with top artists like Beyonce, Justin Bieber, and John Legend. In these early years, Frank went by the pseudonym Lonny Breaux. He eventually switched to Frank Ocean, a stage name inspired by his love for Frank Sinatra and the movie Ocean's 11. In 2011, Frank Ocean released his first music project after deciding to step out of the shadows. Frank had signed with Def Jam Records early on but eventually parted ways with them to continue his career as an independent artist.

He has released four projects, three of which were released under Def Jam Records. His latest album, Blonde, was released in 2016. Frank Ocean refused to submit this album for Grammy award consideration because he felt it didn't represent what he stands for. But is all this enough to crown him king of indie music?

Tech N9ne

Every hip-hop lover knows Tech N9ne to be one of the "OGs". He started his music career in the 90s and started to enjoy some success in the 2000s. In 2007, he released an album called Killer that sold more than a million copies, and he never looked back. Tech N9ne continued to build on his success and in 2011, he released an album with features from Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and Busta Rhymes among others. Tech N9ne continued to enjoy huge success in his music despite being an independent act.

With twenty-three albums and a career spanning over twenty years, Tech N9ne is a legend of rap music. He has featured massive mainstream artists like Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar to mention only a few. He won no Grammys, but you can't talk about hip-hop without mentioning Tech N9ne.

Chance the Rapper

If we're talking about Grammys, only a handful of indie artists, if any, can top Chance the Rapper. He started his career in 2011 and has gone on to build an empire for himself. His first EP, 10 Day, caught some attention and by the next year, he was featured on Childish Gambino's mixtape, Royalty. When Childish Gambino went on tour, he took Chance along as his opening act. Little by little, Chance continued to grow and at the 2017 Grammys, he won three categories out of seven nominations.

Chance the Rapper has remained true to his independent status despite tempting offers from various labels including Kanye West's GOOD Music. He's a shining example to indie artists all over the world, proof that success is possible.

Macklemore

Another multiple-time Grammy winner, Macklemore started his career in 2000 but only released his first album in 2005. A few years later, he partnered up with Ryan Lewis to form a duo that would enjoy much success in their time together. In 2014, the duo won four Grammys for their album, The Heist, and one of their most iconic songs ever, Thrift Shop. In 2017, however, the group split and Macklemore released only his second solo album, Gemini.

He hasn't enjoyed as much success being solo, but Macklemore continues to release music independently and remains a solid force to be reckoned with.

Mya

Mya started her career in Interscope, a record label owned by UMG, but she went independent after releasing her third studio album. She started her label, Planet 9, and continued making music. She's ended up with an impressive eight albums, the last of which was released in 2018. She's been quiet since then, however, and her fans will be hoping for some new music sooner than later.

Mya has sold seven million albums worldwide and won a Grammy. She's also listed by Billboard in the Hot 100 of the 2000s, and by Complex in their Top 100 Female Artists of All Time.

My Pick

Now that we have our contenders, it's time to crown a king. Each of these five artists has enjoyed tons of success and is an inspiration to upcoming indie artists. With more albums, a longer career, and a universal acceptance of his legendary status, it's only fair to crown Tech N9ne as the king of indie music.

As impressive as all five contenders are, Tech N9ne has been at the very top for much longer and his lack of Grammys can even be said to be a plus to his credibility as an indie artist.

Final Thoughts

I'm sure this is by no means the end of the conversation. Michael Jackson remains the only undisputed king, after all. That said, Tech N9ne has flown the banner of indie music from the 90s to this day. He might not be the best rapper, and he has fewer awards than the rest, but he has flown the indie banner from the 90s to this day.

Turns out, one does not have to be the best to be king. One must be a leader.

Images provided by https://commons.wikimedia.org