Music Promotion for Indie Pop Bands

The beauty of indie music is there is space for all variations of expression. From the classically influence sounds of baroque pop to EDM influenced hyper pop, there are all kinds of ways to mix up your eclectic influences into something new, fun, and catchy.

One of the indie sub-genres that generates a lot of excitement and drive large swaths of streaming plays is Indie Pop, that genre known for its embrace of some of the aspects of Top 40 Pop music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, while still maintaining a punk/DIY philosophical aesthetic and arrangement/production technique.

Solidly built on electric guitar, but less abrasive and far sunnier and more positive than Indie Rock, Indie Pop has given us some of the most classic records of the past 20 years, as well as some of the most interesting new music this year.

Where lots of indie rock bands were influenced by punk and experimental music’s harder edge, indie pop acts like Beat Happening and The Smiths honed very catchy, singable songs with memorable melodies, more influenced by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Donovan than The Velvet Underground or Minor Threat.

In the 00s, Indie Pop hit new heights with albums from twee and chamber pop acts such as The Apples in Stereo, Belle & Sebestian, and Camera Obscura to name a few. Female vocals are heavily featured, as well as male/female harmonies, and antiquated instruments such as harpsichord, mandolin, or organ. 

Now a days indie pop has been brought back to the 70s and 80s influence, with dancable, high energy songs playing on the college and NonComm stations. They have big hooks with big choruses and would energize any festival crowd into a dance party. Japanese Breakfast’s single “Be Sweet” exemplifies this new, fun take on Indie Pop.

HOW TO CRAFT AN INDIE POP SONG

Important things to keep in mind when crafting any kind of pop, be it straight up Top 40, or bedroom twee folk indie pop, is the beat and the rhythm. Starting from lyrics can be a great starting point for a singer-songwriter album, but in Indie Pop the drums/drum machine and bass are the best starting points to ensure a successful song that catches people’s ears.

Next, the use of electric guitars and synthesizers is very common in today’s interaction of indie pop. The guitars are usually cool old fenders, like the jaguar or the jazzmaster, and usually played with a nice dose of chorus and reverb. Dreamy.

The synths tend to be relaxing background pads for the chill songs and buzzy cutting saws or lead voices for the dance-influenced tunes.

Listen to the 1975 or Bad Bunny, their sounds are different, but common elements exist in both. One such element includes writing melodies that are easy and fun to sing.

Another new indie pop artist on the rise is Joe P. His song “Fighting in the Car” functions around one guitar riff that has one strong sounding note in it, and because of this it stands out. With a finely designed melody on top of it, this song is a great example of 90s styles, such as Weezer’s “Undone (The Sweater Song)”, influencing modern Indie Pop. 

Indie Pop combines the best elements of mainstream pop music with the DIY and cool aesthetics of indie music, mining sounds and techniques period of time from the 70s-90s. There is a lot of room for uniqueness and different sounds in Indie Pop, but one thing binds it all together: emphasis on catchiness, upbeat songs with nice melodies, and a sort of anti-rock star aesthetic that is more indicative of an artsy kid in their bedroom than a curated celebrity.

WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIE POP BANDS

At Planetary Group, we specialize in promoting Indie Pop bands. Our experts can assist in the following ways:

RADIO PROMO: We listen to your music and make recommendations. Then we promote it to national college radio, AAA, non-commercial, NPR, public radio and commercial-specialty shows. There is no genre we can’t bring to the masses, and working with Indie Pop bands is one of our specialties.

INTERNATIONAL: Not in the US? No problem, we offer our services on a case by case, tailor-made basis to clients outside of America. Depending on different goals and different geographical areas of focus we can help you:

– Broaden your audience.
– Be heard by radio stations.
– Earn recognition and coverage from media outlets, industry professionals, and record labels.

Want to break out in the US? We can help promote you in the places your music will hit hardest and consult to help you promote along tour routes and pitch interviews, sessions, and ticket giveaways for supporting stations in tour markets.

DIGITAL MARKETING: We get your music to online publishers of magazines, newspapers, free weeklies, websites, blogs, podcasts, and online radio. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a new band just starting, we can help you begin a ubiquitous presence online across all social media starting now.

CONSULTING: We don’t just get you the press, we can help you learn how to best operate within the music press and learn the best strategies for making the most of social media, radio appearances, promotional events, and more.

We’re just an email or a phone call away. Get in touch with our experienced team at Planetary Group to find out how you can boost your online presence and increase your fan base. You can give us a call in at (323) 952-5050.