Indie, an abbreviation of independent, is a term regarding a trend seen in music, film, business and subculture originating in the late 20th century.
The most general definition of the word is to be independent from the mainstream. The word has become most often associated with a subculture defined by its associated music, fashion, behavior and beliefs. Indie culture is an avant-garde lifestyle which follows social trends that are considered to consciously deviate from the mainstream. One common belief within indie culture is anti-conformity, even though indie has become a well known and conformist subculture in itself. The major influence for the indie culture came out of the indie music scene, associated with the DIY culture to the arts. Many followers of the indie culture are associated with local independent art and music scenes.
Since its emergence in the early 1980s, increasing numbers of youths have been drawn to the beliefs and trends of indie culture. Like many subcultures before it, the indie culture has become part of mainstream youth culture, in some ways earning the conformist status that it initially rejected. In the 2000s, the indie culture has had crossovers with other subcultures, including alternative, art school, hippie, emo, grungers, and mods. However, many indie followers are offended that such links are made between the indie subculture and some of those listed above, including emo because of their differing philosophies and emo's links to mainstream culture. The indie culture in recent years has adopted many traits of the hippie culture and that of the 1960s counterculture.
Bands such as Pixies and Sonic Youth, who were not given as much mainstream success up to that point, found themselves adored by new fans, assembling a strong indie following. New York City, notably Williamsburg, Brooklyn, also became a major scene for indie rock, with bands such as We Are Scientists, The Walkmen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TalkRadio, Interpol, They Might Be Giants and The Strokes. Los Angeles' indie scene rode the wave of gentrification through eastside neighborhoods like Los Feliz, Silverlake, and Echo Park, which have given rise to such bands as Moving Units, Autolux, Shiny Toy Guns, Earlimart, Minus The Bear, Silversun Pickups, and Giant Drag. The indie culture not only accepts music of the current era but also accepts classic music from the United States especially from the 1960s; however such bands existed largely prior to the philosophy of 'indie'.
Britain's indie music scene can be traced back to the early 1960s mod era, with rock and roll bands like The Who and The Kinks made a large imprint on indie culture. Their views were seen as rebellions and spoke out for the nation. These bands greatly influenced many of the indie rock bands of the 1980s (The Smiths, Joy Division) and 1990s (post-punk and Britpop bands such as Oasis, Blur, and Ocean Colour Scene). The recent indie rock revival (roughly (2002-present) was spear-headed by bands such as The Libertines, but received mainstream appeal with bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Kasabian, Razorlight, Atlantic, Patrick Wolf, M.I.A. and many others.
Contemporary "indie" culture is perceived by many as an oxymoron, with "indie" being a label given to guitar pop by mainstream publications such as the NME.