Some artists are willing to accept the support and help from a major record label. Does this make them mainstream even though they are still producing indie sounding music? Major labels can actually provide the money for tours, which ultimately help their fan base grow. These major labels have done a decent job with principles that work for artists. Furthermore, major label artists can have the same amount of fans as any indie label artist may have and vise versa. It all depends on the fans.

In the end, indie or mainstream, music is a business and unfortunately some indie artists are hindering themselves by rebelling against major record labels. Whether they are indie or major label record deals, there are good and bad deals. In due course, artists - indie or major label - who do well will take advantage of a good record deal according to their own standards.

Wikipedia defines indie as short for independent, references to artistic creations, outside the support of commercial mainstream, or without the support of a major label. Again, the term indie here is very broad. If I were forced to define indie (I wouldn’t choose to because I’m sure my opinion doesn’t matter), I would say indie music is: Music with a new sound in any genre.

The term indie music will always change because what’s new will eventually become old. Hence, you will always be arguing with a fellow music lover what it is until the day you die. That is, if you choose to argue about it. You can be a bigot about it (watch out for those hipsters) or you can just take it for what it is: A broad term to group particular similarities in music.