indie pop
Lo-fi melodic rock
Indie pop is guitar-based pop music released on independent labels or made in their spirit—melodic and accessible but outside mainstream commercial channels.
The sound tends toward jangly guitars, understated production, and introspective lyrics.
The indie prefix signals aesthetic values as much as business arrangements: She's really into indie pop bands from the '80s.
Distortion-heavy ethereal rock
- chillwaveHazy, nostalgic electronic genre
- synthpopElectronic keyboard-based music genre
- tweeAffectedly dainty or quaint
- electropopSynthesizer-based catchy music
Amateur home projects
- bedroomRoom for sleeping
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
- self-producedCreated by originator
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
grassroots · zines · Bandcamp · handmade · bootstrapped · self-publishing · artisanal · intimate
shoegaze
Distortion-heavy ethereal rock
DIY
Amateur home projects
- bedroomRoom for sleeping
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
- self-producedCreated by originator
underground · grassroots · zines · Bandcamp · handmade · bootstrapped · self-publishing · artisanal · intimate · authentic
jangly
Harshly metallic-sounding
- dreamyVague and pleasantly distracted
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
- shimmerySoftly reflecting light
reverb · synth · acoustic · layered · atmospheric · wistful · melancholic · breezy · hazy · understated
catchy
Easy to remember
anthemic · feel-good · bittersweet · nostalgic · wistful · sunny · summery · bright · lively · youthful
- music genresblues, jazz, rock, classical, rock music
- Pop MusicTaylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga
- pop genreselectropop, Europop, radio hits, hooks, earworms
- Popboy band, girl group, soda, cola, root beer
- Alt Rockalt-rock, alternative metal, grunge, post-grunge, post-punk
- hybrid genresjazz fusion, rock opera, blues rock, folk rock, country rock
indie popmainstream pop
Widely popular commercial music
Top 40 · radio pop · bubblegum pop · stadium rock · arena rock
pop, popular, independent, independence, unpopular, popularity, independently, popularize, indie