Genre

Genre is used to describe  how music is categorised by song and artist making it easier for audiences to find their preferred music style, however it has changed dramatically over the past twenty years becoming more diverse through artists bringing their own original style to genres, negotiating the core conventions of said genre. Genre is ever-changing and has done since the start of music promos, due to new styles redefining the meanings of different genres.
The hybrid Indie/Alternative genre is broad in the musical/performance styles and sound . Music and the promos range from soft acoustics of Mumford and sons to the soulful, energetic music of Patrick Stump. Its hard to pin songs and artists to this genre with how varied it is, and just as hard to explain specific artists styles based on just stating the genre. The genre literally means the music is independent and different, but because there's such a range of conventions throughout the genre, its hard to explain exactly what the alternative/indie music is.

The artist I am Making my Music Promo for is Natalie Lungley, an aspiring South London  artist who creates acoustic, soulful music. She is influenced by artists from Nirvana, which is Grunge, To Indie artists such as Lana Del Rey. These influences are mixed with her own individual style  that she brings.

Lana Del Rey herself is influence by artists such as Amy Wine House, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. These influences are what brings her the niche 50's Hollywood style her fans like coupled with her own indie style. Natalie Lungley incorporates this style into her own Mise-en-Scene with the lighting and style.

 

Sex Pistols

Alternative and indie music developed from the punk genre with bands such as the sex pistols changing the conventions of the genre and influencing new artists

Radio head  

Alternative music started in the 1980's with bands such as Radio Head, with unusual styles developing from rock and such music.

Most bands like them went on into the 2000's which influenced newer generation alternative and indie music. They created the conventions of unusual costumes, deep meaniful poetic lyrics, being different, locations being quite normal, and a lot of performance. These were then developed by the newer bands.

Patrick Stump
Patrick stump is the lead singer of Rock band Fall Out Boy, however he has produced and created his own albums which follow conventions of the alternative/indie genre in 2010-13. Soul Punk has an electronic 80's sound which has poetic lyrics that focus on more conceptual ideas. His Mise-en-Scene ranges from exciting vivid lighting, to unique and sparkly suits. which give him his own style within the genre. His promos have been illustrative, amplification and disjuncture and its this ever changing style that  is a convention of the genre and him negotiating new style within the genre. however this wouldn't be able to compete with the popularity of Twenty One Pilots later on.

Tom Odell
Tom Odell is on the other end of the alternative/indie spectrum whereas he has a softer, more acoustic sound with the same poetic lyrics, and has been popular from 2011. His Mise-en-Scene is simple and natural, whilst his promos follow more amplification and disjuncture styles that show more of the conceptual side of his lyrics.














Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One pilots are the newest upcoming stars in the alternative/ indie genre, however they have been producing music for mid 2010. Their music style ranges from rap, rock, country and pop; which is why they fit into the alternative/indie genre, being so broad in their sound, creating new conventions in their promos. Their Mise-en-scene fits with the common conventions of the genre of having unique costumes that are a mix up between casual clothes to unusual outfits. Their promos involve a lot of performance with little narrative, and the focus of the promos is more conceptual which is why they are more amplification to disjuncture promos. Their lyrical content is very poetic and relatable which is why they have become so popular so quickly.

 Typical lyrical content from the genre is very poetic and contains a lot of metaphors. examples of this from twenty one pilots are

"sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young,

How come I'm never able to identify where it's coming from,

I'd make a candle out of it if I ever found it,

Try to sell it, never sell out of it, I'd probably only sell one"

"Sometimes quiet is violent

I find it hard to hide it

My pride is no longer inside

It's on my sleeve

My skin will scream".

There's a lot of heavy, deep meaning behind the lyrics of the alternative and indie genre, but because they are relatable is the reason for their popularity.

This ties into the style and characteristics of the genre. In musical terms it is specific to the artists as there is direct links between their specific genre and their musical style. Tom Odell has a more soft spoken musical style which matches the subtle metaphors behind his lyrics whilst Patrick stump is more upbeat electronic, being bolder in expressing his outward metaphors.

 

 Bands are represented generally as independent, they are secure in their style and sound, not involved with the clichés of the music industry. All of the artists have their own representation whether that be the black sheep/ rebel type, or acoustic hipster and such, however they all follow the independent representation of being different. 

What's important to the performers of this genre, their ideology, is usually about over-coming hardship and inner demons, linked a lot to relationships and love but much like the genre itself, the ideologies  are varied depending on the artist themselves.

The genres target audience are young people between ages 14-25, and can be any gender. This means their usually of socio-economic class E/D but come from lower class families.