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Independent Country Music

Country music is about tradition, but its simple form lends itself to endless variations on similar themes. Like blues -- the two genres often shared themes, melodies and songs -- country is a simple music at its core. Most of its songs are built around three chords and a plain melody, but these forms are so basic, they allow for many different styles.

Country music grew out of American Southern folk music, both Appalachian and blues, and old-time country was simple and folky, with just guitars and fiddles. As the genre progressed, old time music evolved into the rhythmic guitar-and-fiddle driven traditional country that became the foundation of modern country music, from honky tonk and Western Swing to the pop-oriented Countrypolitan and rock-inflected Bakersfield Sound.

Many independent country artists can best be described as alternative country. Alternative country can refer to several ideas, but generally any musician that plays a sound unlike the dominant trends in country music at the time plays "alternative country". By this standard, for example, the Bakersfield sound was alternative in the 1950s, and the Lubbock, Texas musicians were alternative in the 60s.

In the 1990s however, alternative country came to refer to a wide variety of musicians and singers operating outside the traditions and industry of mainstream country music. These musicians normally ignore the high production values , gloss, and conservative outlook of the Nashville-dominated industry, preferring to produce music with a sparse sound and often with a strong punk and rock & roll aesthetic, bending the traditional rules of country music. Alternative country lyrics are often bleak, gothic and/or socially aware.

Independent Music From Independent Bands and Musicians