The term 'indie' is best known as being an abbreviation for the word 'independent'. This term was once used to differentiate between bands that were on a major record label and those that weren't. It also differentiates between an 'independent' sound and type of music and the more typical top-40 sound that was so prevalent during the 1980s. For example, many of the hair bands and hard rock scene had become very typical in musical composition (melody, chorus, melody, bridge, chorus, etc.). 'Indie' music may or may not follow this pattern. For these reasons, in recent years the term 'indie' has been applied to bands that have an alternative rock sound but aren't on a major record label. Bands like Coldplay, The Killers and Razorlight are not classified as being true 'indie' because of this. On the other hand, bands such as Radiohead (who are no longer on a major record label), Pavement, Belle And Sebastian, and Joy Division can be classed as indie using the "independent sound" meaning. This term is wildly disputed on last.fm as well as on plenty of forums. People tag everything from Katy Perry to Meat Puppets as being 'indie'. You may even find some of your trve kvlt black metal bands appearing with an indie tag. As long as they aren't on a major record label. This spectrum of tagging shows the depth and arguably the inconsistency of the label. Fans of 'indie' music are fans of the 'independent' sound, but what defines that sound, differs amongst 'indie' music fans. All of this being stated, if a band rises to power independent of major labels the tag is likely to stick regardless of its being currently true of the band's signed status. Both the fact that the 'indie' artist has no major record label and because certain fans identify types of music as 'indie' from its independent sound. It does so, however, not as a genre, but as a tag or label of music that means different things to different fans.

Artists belong to the genre

	Editors	Country: Wielka Brytania / United Kingdom / Date of establishing : 2002
	Illuminate	Country: Niemcy / Germany / Date of establishing : 1993
	Kite	Country: Szwecja / Sweden / Date of establishing : 2008
	Lecter	Country: Polska / Poland / Date of establishing : 2011
	Placebo	Country: Wielka Brytania / United Kingdom / Date of establishing : 1994
	Shiny Beats	Country: Polska / Poland / Date of establishing : 2009
	Sunshine	Country: Czechy / Czech Republic / Date of establishing : 1994
	Torul	Country: Słowenia / Slovenia / Date of establishing : 2003
	White Lies	Country: Wielka Brytania / United Kingdom / Date of establishing : 2007