True Indie focuses on how to support your favorite artists in today’s age, supported by Abrasive Monologues. If you are lucky enough to remember a time before social media, and before Netflix, then you remember a time of ultimate curation. The bands on the radio were all backed by major labels, but hadn’t yet merged into a single monotonous sound, and you had choices of who you listened to that were different, and unique. Over time, the algorithm took hold of everything and those unique sounds started to merge into one, big profitable sound. Soon, there were no options. One band after another shed their uniqueness, in favor of a poppy, generic tone with very few exceptions. Commercially driven music goes through these cycles repeatedly every few years following what the algorithm says is trendy. To those of us that remember choice and variety, it has caused us to shed the radio station. First we shed the radio station in favor of custom tailored CDs from our mp3 collection. Then the world progressed to streaming… Then streaming became a fairly open industry, which has given rise to a new kind of indie scene that can be truly global in scale.
Before streaming, you found new indie music by going to a show in your local town, most of the independent bands that you were familiar with, you also went to high school with. Streaming changed the game dramatically for independent artists, but not necessarily for the better. Streaming created a very wide open market, and for the consumer, a very overwhelming listening experience. The question now becomes how do I support the artists that I love in a world that is saturated with indie artists?
Don’t Feel Bad for Not Supporting Everyone and Everything
The freedom to choose is the spice of life. You don’t have to like everyone and everything. Independent artists are many and their flavors wildly varied, and that’s what indie music is all about. We don’t need the attention of all the fans, just our fans. The biggest key here is that when you do find a band you love, you support them like crazy.
Know What Support Actually Looks Like in a Digital Age
Most indie artists, from any sphere, produce their art because they love doing it, and it makes them feel good when that art finds someone who it resonates with. That said, resonance does not pay the bills. Looking at music specifically, we make perilously little from streaming. We love that you do it, but in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t the best way to offer your support.
There are a few great ways to offer support for an indie artist that you love, both monetarily and non monetarily
Remember, an indie artist has a day job too, and we understand that not everyone can afford to contribute in dollars and cents. That’s not really why we love you anyway. Here is what a great supporter looks like in the digital age.
True Indie – If You Love it Support it
I made the True Indie stamp at the top of the article as a reminder that there are tons of ways to support us, with or without money being a factor. At the end of the day, we need your support so much more than you know, no matter what that support may look like. Feel free to download and use that image in projects or when you’re talking about an artist that you love on social media.