What are the five biggest bands that were/are on independent labels?

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This question came up in a class I am taking (called "Open Source vs. Proprietary Techonology: The Economics of Networks and Innovation.").

What do you think? What five bands who did most of their work on independent labels that people (college kids without much knowledge of such things) might have heard of?

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Obv Fugazi.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Bad Religion (wait, they are big, no? or were.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Um also NWA.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

William Hung

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

i was thinking of rock bands. yeah, lots of rap acts.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

As a former "college kid without much knowledge of such things," I'd never heard of Fugazi.

― Leee O'Gaddy (Leee), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Well most of the people in the class are obsessed w/anime or dungeons and dragons (instead of music).

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes well some people are exceptionally cloistered. ;)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

What do D&D nerds listen to now?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

J Pop, 'techno', Final Fantasy music, umm I don't know, man. I know a guy who plays D&D thats really into Fugazi.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I would think they listened to Elf Power.

― Leee O'Gaddy (Leee), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

define big: sales? famousness? critical acclaim?

Ani DiFranco's moved a lot of units.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Depeche Mode, New Order, the Smiths, Oasis and someone else.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

also define independent, whileyeraddit.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Kylie Minogue?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

elvis, motherfuckers.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Were they on SST?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The Offspring and Rancid both went platinum on sub-major labels.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess big in the 'lots of people have heard of them' sense.

I was thinking the Smiths and Fugazi then I ran out of ideas because I am stupid. Weren't the Smiths on Sire in the US though? And Sire got bought by Warner Bros. at some point? I don't know. This is why I ask the folks of ilx.

also define independent, whileyeraddit.

Umm. No.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah - I guess all the ones I listed had US deals with majors.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Soundgarden

― Leee O'Gaddy (Leee), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

(and Creation were relying on Sony shortly after, or maybe even before, Oasis hit the big time)

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Elvis was a hero to strongo and many others, but he never meant a great deal to me.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 22:58 (twenty-two years ago)

actually, if we're just talking about america, I bet the christian artists do really well on their independent labels.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

but God is in their corner, so they can't be considered truly independent.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Jesus does distribution.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

This was the worst idea for a thread ever.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Right now Dolly Parton and Dwight Yoakam are on indies; Warren Zevon's last album was on Artemis Records, Sanctuary is snapping up a lot of career artists that have decent fanbases...

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

d&d guys (and the 1 girl i know into it) love death metal and goth metal

as for biggest indie acts, no idea, but i had to comment on the d&d thing

― astroblaster (astroblaster), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:36 (twenty-two years ago)

kinda depends on how you're defining independent, since as strongo notes Sun was an indie. so was Motown during the 60s. and V2 is also--Moby's sold something like 11 million on that label (10 mil of them being Play). plus numerous others. it's a problematic question.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Gee I don't know, how 'bout R E FUCKING M!?!?!?

Everything they ever did for IRS is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PERFECT. AND they got in the Top Ten with Document!!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Your outrage is pretty amusing.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

It's just baffling when somebody brings up a thread about popular indie bands, and it takes thirty posts to mention R.E.M. They're THE indie band of the 1980s!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:55 (twenty-two years ago)

And we're all still trying to forget it.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)

You suck.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah so?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

but do you SWALLOW

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course. What kind of selfish bitches don't?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:06 (twenty-two years ago)

dude you have no idea

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahaha no believe me I have a very good idea.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)

catholic school girls have really fucked up ideas about sex

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"If we have anal sex then I'm still a virgin, right?"

"Oh yeah, I'm sure that's somewhere in um Revelations."

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"no baby, you can only get pregant if YOU have an orgasm"

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha shit if that was true, the Pope wouldn't even have to have a stand on abortion.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd be the king of safe sex

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:17 (twenty-two years ago)

wait no

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Forgot about the herpes didn't you?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

they're always with me. like jesus.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought IRS was distributed by a major? Thats gets to the problematicness again.

(carry on w/the sex jokes)

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

That killed it.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I feel horribly guilty now.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

dude, it's okay, we can just cuddle

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:23 (twenty-two years ago)

(x-post)You're making God cry by doing that, ya know.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Can you get herpes from cuddling?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the I.R.S. deal with MCA was around '85 or so.

― Tim Ellison, Friday, 9 April 2004 00:28 (twenty-two years ago)

only if you mean "cuddling my dick" and you mean "in your mouth" alex

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't be a hair grabber then.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't noticed any common thread in the music tastes of D&D kids,
besides the fact that none of them seem to like rap (this may be
related to the fact that they're about 95% white).

They do like Final Fantasy soundtracks, but then again, who doesn't?

Of course, there was that one guy, Tom, who liked nothing but Dr.
Demento and Weird Al.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:31 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.fmfb.net/KikWear/big_KW3.jpg

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Is that from the new Harvey remake?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

someone got my pants off the clothesline again

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:35 (twenty-two years ago)

( At one time, the Butthole Surfers were considered the most enterprising, most financially self-sufficient independent rock band of their era... this was before the 90s though)

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:36 (twenty-two years ago)

( to get the topic back to anal intruders, of course)

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:38 (twenty-two years ago)

And they tried to sue their former label, of course.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I think there are probably a bunch of anal intruders in strongo's backyard (ooooh).

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

fresh!

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Stealing his pants, I meant to say.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I wonder if the Butthole Surfers get royalties for their Rod and Tod reference.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

And they tried to sue their former label, of course.

Tried? They did, and won. Talk about anal intruding.

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

and given their critical acclaim for such masterpieces as, um, Strange Revolution or whatever their last record was called, they deserve to break free from the chains of their past, so they can continue to deliver such decadently messed up songs like, um, "Pepper".

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

(ok sorry, back to strongo's backyard butt pirates... so anyway)

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:44 (twenty-two years ago)

>and given their critical acclaim for such masterpieces as, um,
>Strange Revolution or whatever their last record was called, they
>deserve to break free from the chains of their past, so they can
>continue to deliver such decadently messed up songs like,
>um, "Pepper".

Is this a Mad Lib?

― John 2, Friday, 9 April 2004 00:55 (twenty-two years ago)

It should be!

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Madlib should produce the new Butthole Surfers album.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 00:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Elvis Presley - Sun Records

― earlnash, Friday, 9 April 2004 01:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Madlib should make a mix of Sun Records back catalog.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 April 2004 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

"Michael Stipe, despite the hype, I still want to suck your big long pipe" was painted on the Buttholes' van when they lived in Athens. Good times

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Friday, 9 April 2004 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Jay Z

― autovac (autovac), Friday, 9 April 2004 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

britney spears

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 9 April 2004 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.mtv.com/shared/media/news/images/h/Hung_William/sq-will-hung-cd-cvr.jpg

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Friday, 9 April 2004 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

What about Nine Inch Nails? Pretty Hate Machine was on TVT, which I think was indie back then? That must have sold multi-millions??

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 9 April 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Christhamrin wins.

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 April 2004 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

TVT still claims to be indie. They are part of the mega-indie class w/V2 and Epitaph (and maybe Warners now?). Which is confusing. But, fuck it, I'm just gonna sing.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Friday, 9 April 2004 21:46 (twenty-two years ago)

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