I’m sure you’ve heard Milky Chance’s “Stolen Dance” or Tove Lo’s “Habits” blaring on a radio station or in a clothing store sometime over the course of the last year. You probably listened to Lana Del Ray and Grouplove for the first time in the past year or two, even though they’re veterans of the industry.
Beginning in the mid 2000s, the line between indie and mainstream music has become progressively blurred, and these last three years in particular have seen the rise of many lesser known artists to the spotlight. This shift in focus of current audiences has introduced a variety of new flavours to the world of popular music and is extremely encouraging for increasing the diversity of genres considered appealing to the masses.
Calgary’s own Tegan and Sara are an example of a duo that made it big with the releases of 2009’s “Feel It In My Bones” and 2012’s “Closer”, the latter of which debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 2012. Heartthrob, the “Closer” album, went on to win top awards at the Junos.
Here’s a very brief exploration of a few indie songs loved by mainstream audiences through the past few years:
Vampire Weekend’s 2008 “Oxford Comma” is a great example of the bridging of the gap between the musical styles of indie and mainstream rock. “Oxford Comma” remains the band’s highest charting single.
Through the Internet, Canadian band Arcade Fire had massive exposure to mainstream audiences during the release of “Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)”. Their debut album, Funeral, is still considered among the indie rock greats. However, 2011’s The Suburbs album marks a turning point in Arcade Fire’s history as their first Best Album win at the Grammys in a year where they garnered five nominations.
Tegan and Sara are essential additions to this list as two of the most significant trailblazers that brought indie music to the masses. “Closer” is easily the most successful of their singles and one of Calgary’s most well-known contributions to the music world.
Lana Del Ray has famously gone through many trials as a vulnerable young woman in an oversaturated, extremely competitive industry. Though always hugely popular on sites such as Tumblr, it’s only been very recently that her music began to receive more attention from the general public. Haunting vocals and deeply relatable lyrics makes her a staple on any playlist.
Kodaline made history as 21 Demands in 2007 when they released “Give Me A Minute” and it became the first independently released track to top the Irish Singles Chart. Last year, “All I Want” was included in the soundtrack of the movie adaptation of The Fault In Our Stars, and received much love from American audiences as well.