“Indie” used to describe a way of making and releasing

“Indie” used to describe a way of making and releasing music; now it’s just as often a playlist mood. Seeing major-label affiliates take up a chunk of Spotify’s biggest indie playlist doesn’t shock me as much as how invisible the distinction has become to listeners scrolling at speed. The funny thing is some of the most genuinely independent records still sound stranger, riskier, and more alive than the algorithm-friendly stuff sitting beside them.