Abstract

Media Matters

For the first time in the history of modern music as the indies' trade group proudly noted, the independent record labels captured the largest share of the U.S. market, ahead of all of the Big Six music corporations. Although industry leader Time Warner Inc. won back the top spot the very next week, the indies have held on to a close second all year. Indies have traditionally introduced the next new sound; they can provide an opening-at least a potential opening, for artists who might not fit into the corporate music world, New indie labels are being created all the time, and many of them are doing interesting work; but it's still the case, all too often, that fledgling labels soon fold. This indie-and-in strategy helps one act at a time. A true boom in independent music would involve acts making and selling their music to a broad audience, not just in mom-and-pop stores to the-hard fans-without relying on one of the Big Six.