Task 5 - Research into my chosen genre

Indie Rock

For the genre that I am thinking about making a music video on I chose Indie Rock. This is because I like this genre of music.

Background History and Key Players today

Indie Rock is a genre of alternate rock which originated in the UK in the 80s. The band R.E.M and The Smiths were the pioneers and front runners of Indie Rock in the US and UK respectively. The major players in the Indie Rock genre today are the Arctic Monkeys.

Conventions of Indie Rock Music

Indie Rock music tends to be like normal rock music just not as heavy. And as such the instruments used are slightly different. Indie Rock artists typically use Guitars, Bass, drums as well as vocals. The type of guitar used may be an electric guitar or even an acoustic guitar. The vocalist often plays the guitar themselves also. Lyrically indie rock music can be used to tell a story or make a statement about something.

Conventions of Indie Rock Music Videos

Indie Rock musician are often seen as laid back. The majority of indie rock bands are fully male, Oasis and Arctic Monkeys being examples of these. As the artists themselves are often laid back this reflects in the way they dress. Many Indie rock artists can be seen wearing leather jackets and jeans and it has become almost the mandatory style for this genre. Generally the colours that artists wear are dark colours. Very often for the setting of an indie rock music video the setting is a normal location such as a pub where the band is playing or just a street. There is often the use of a large amount of close ups particularly on the main character in the video or the vocalist or both. There is the use of quick jump cuts in indie rock videos particularly when there is a fast paced song.