CH- Initial research

Whilst in discussion, Rosie and I decided to research "Indie" music as our prefferred genre; this may change in future (with the added opinion of J.Mason) but as such I have completed some preliminary research.
Indie culture is relatively new in retrospect, with maybe only ten or twenty years predecessing; this makes our task simaultaneously easier and harder, where the genre is new we are able to expand into different directions but therefore these have not been done before, giving us no point of reference. I appreciate the artistic freedom this serves us, but it may also serve to put us in a difficult position when comparing our work, as Postmodernism (the critical theory that Indie culture arose from) is only a recent movement, yet to grow into something we can develop from with certainty of its basis.
However, I would enjoy investigating these opportunities, as the artistic freedom the Postmodern environment lends us is liberating.
Below are a few key sentences and phrases I have taken from an extensive document on preliminary research;

1. In popular music, "Independant music", often shortened to Indie Music or "indie", is a term used to describe independance from major commercial record labels and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing.
2. In the UK during the 1950s and 60s, the major record companies had so much power that independant labels struggled to become established.
3. Major label advances are generally much larger than independant labels can offer. EG. indepenent labels can offer $5,000-$125,000 whereas major labels are in the range of $150,000-$300,000. However, there are economical advantages and disadvantages of this.
4. The UK Indie chart was first compiled in 1980, followed by the groundbreaking C86 tape released from NME in 1986; this included Primal Scream, Bogshed, The Wedding Present and many others. Over time, this became the era defining moment, with Indie bands being refferred to as "C86" bands.
5. Only about 1 in 10 CDs released by a major label make any profit for said label; most major label artists earn a 10-15% royalty rate.
6. Indie music videos are most well known for their DIY style, low-fi appearance and ecclectic style. Many of this is believed to be influenced from early punk and new-wave material such as The Kinks and The Velvet Underground, of the 1960s/70s

After completing this preliminary research, I have reached the conclusion that the indie movement is very free and liberal, with an attitude of being able to bring themselves into the eye of popular culture without backing or anything serious to convey. This completely contrasts to Theo Adorno's theory of popular culture in a Capitalist society, which I will investigate further at a later date.