A Virtual and Actual Subculture: The Independent Music Scene in the Digital Age

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2013
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology
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Thesis (B.A.)
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Award
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en_US
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Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
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Abstract
The independent music scene is comprised of a collection of artists, label owners, promoters, and fans that maintain a strict appreciation for music that operates outside of the corporate music framework. With this study, I seek to explore this group of individuals and gain a better understanding of their cultural practices, ultimately painting a fuller portrait of how the independent music scene defines itself and functions in the digital age. In order to do this, I will first review past subcultural studies to gain a better understanding of the landscape of musical ethnography. I will then set out to explore various sounds and associated identities within the independent movement, followed by reflections on my own experiences in the scene. With my final chapter, I will include the voices and opinions regarding the indie scene of other members within the movement. In coupling my own experiences with these different interpretations, I hope to address notions such as community, authenticity, production, distribution, and distinction from the mainstream, and ultimately express how the indie scene is built upon these subjective views.
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