Indie/MainstreamFilter:

March 16, 2008 8:48 PM

I have a friend who is into mainstream music, stuff that one would hear on MTV or general radio stations. I want to introduce her to some good indie music and would like some ideas of songs that would be appropriate. I asked her a song that she really likes right now and she gave me this song. I appreciate everyones help and am looking forward to seeing responses.
posted by thenuts to media & arts (17 comments total)

I'm pretty into vampire weekend, although they don't sound much like ashanti...
posted by pwally at 8:59 PM on March 16

My two favorite indie acts at the moment are The Panics and The Wombats. The Wombats are very upbeat and poppy (see: Moving to New York, Let's Dance to Joy Division), and the Panics are melodic and more easy listening (see: Don't Fight It). Neither of them sound like Ashanti, but I think you'll be hard pressed to find indie music that does.
posted by cholly at 9:14 PM on March 16

Pandora. The site uses all kinds of fancy math to determine relationships between different artists. So you can type in "Ashanti" and get a whole range of artists that are related. Some are mainstream, but you also get some that are pretty obscure.
posted by missjenny at 9:16 PM on March 16

Try Digitalism, they're fairly easy to get into.
posted by querty at 9:19 PM on March 16

Annie, Supreme Beings of Leisure, and Basement Jaxx are excellent candidates. Little exposure to a US pop fan but with all the requisite vocal hooks, dance beats, and indulgent audio production to ingratiate themselves.
posted by cowbellemoo at 9:40 PM on March 16

Yo La Tengo? I know next to nothing about mainstram R&B, but here is the allmusic list of artists similar to Ashanti that I have never heard of:

Amerie, Christina Milian, Teairra Marí, Monica, Tweet, Dear Jayne, Cassie, Che'Nelle, Mutya Buena, Cherish, LeToya, Yummy Bingham, Lil' Mo, Rihanna, Nivea, Teedra Moses, Ciara.

Personally, I think you would be better to just introduce her to different indie music, that may not be in the same genre. Going with stuff that is semi-mainstream and bands that have at least a few records out is going to be better than the obsure stuff that is harder to get into, and definitely stick to the more upbeat, poppy stuff.

If she is into Hip-Hop then go into Tribe Called Quest, J5, The Roots, Blackalicious, M.I.A, Lady Sov as alternatives to whatever is on MTV these days, if rock then stuff like Ok Go, Spoon, Built to Spill, The Shins, Ratatat, Apples in Stereo, Death Cab for Cutie. Maybe even going to something like Coachella, Vegoose, Bonnaroo, a large music gathering where indie music is well represented because you get to sample so much in a great environment and build some kind of personal experience with the music.
posted by sophist at 10:03 PM on March 16

Why is your friend into mainstream music? Personally, it takes me a little bit to get used to music enough to enjoy it; I generally like mainstream music because it is what I get exposed to without putting effort in, and therefore it sounds comforting. I also enjoy some completely non-mainstream things that I've heard enough through other means.

You might make sure she gets more than one shot at new material; it might grow on her. It also might not; maybe she just likes mainstream music, and maybe that's ok.

Personally, I've discovered I really enjoy interesting covers; I'm familiar enough with the song to be able to really enjoy what the new artist does with it. (I don't have any indie-ish suggestions here though, maybe others can help with that).

Along the lines of pandora, there are other similar sites; imeem is one.
posted by nat at 10:10 PM on March 16

Last year's Coachella line up was awesome and has plenty of great indie bands that mainstream ppl would enjoy if they heard it. I had the same problem. I wanted to go to Coachella desperately, but my best friend didn't know of any of the bands other than Red Hot Chili Peppers. I burned her two discs and presto, she loved the stuff.

So here are some of my recommendations:
The Fratellis (Flathead, Creepin' Up the Backdoor, Whistle for the Choir, Black n Blue Eyes, Henrietta)

Kings of Leon (The Bucket, Four Kings, Milk, Molly's Chambers, Fans)

The Kooks (Jackie Big Tits, She Moves in Her Own Way, Naive, Ooh La)

Arctic Monkeys (I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Flourescent Adolescent)

The Cribs (Men's Needs)

Jack's Mannequin (Kill the Messenger, Holiday from Real, Bruised, La La Lie, Meet Me At My Window, Rescued)

Interpol (Evil)

Regina Spektor (Better, Fidelity, Samson, Poor Little Rich Boy, Samson)

Amos Lee (Colors, Supply & Demand)

Mika (Love Today, Grace Kelly, Happy Ending, Relax)

Lilly Allen (Smile, LDN)

and lost of Damien Rice, which takes awhile to grow on you, but when it does, it's so powerful.
posted by dannon205 at 10:36 PM on March 16

music.metafilter.com :-)

Check out anything tagged indie, R&B, whatever. Support distributed music ;-)
posted by ajp at 5:08 AM on March 17

When you say 'indie music,' do you mean stuff that's recorded and released on independent labels, or do you mean, y'know, stuff-white-people-like 'indie music,' the kind of thing you might hear on the Juno soundtrack or something? If it's the former, some suggestions follow. If it's the latter: she likes modern R&B, which is basically characterized by electronic beats, processed singing, studio polish, yada yada. Of all the genres and styles in the world, why are you trying to make her listen to funkless, rhythmless whiteboy indie music?

Anyway, here are those suggestions:
Georgia Anne Muldrow
Ladybug Mecca
Fat Jon/Five Deez
Scott Herren/Prefuse/Savath & Savales/etc.
Madlib/Quasimoto/YNQ/etc.
Dabrye
Atmosphere

Besides all those, it seems like there's a good chance that she'd enjoy DJ mixtapes--not the crate-digging sample-spotting kind, or the here's-the-new-crab-scratch kind, but the party-rocking kind, something like, say, Z-Trip or The Rub, where the selection is largely recognizable and, in fact, folks like Ashanti are often included.
posted by box at 6:00 AM on March 17 [4 favorites]

The Pierces - Secret, Sticks & Stones
Brother Ali - Truth Is
Laura Marling - My Manic & I
Katie Melua - If You Were a Sailboat
DJ Mei-Lwun
.
posted by geekyguy at 8:53 AM on March 17

I am a pop tart at heart (I like Ashanti, Britney etc)

I also love stuff like The Whitest Boy Alive, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Goapele, Robyn, Alice Smith, Feist - all of those are really approachable artists that have a good groove.
posted by heartquake at 10:36 AM on March 17

That Ashanti tune has an awesome bass drum sound.
posted by billtron at 12:15 PM on March 17

That Ashanti track is a really good song. Sounds like your friend should get you out of the indie ghetto, instead of you bringin' her into it.
posted by klangklangston at 12:30 PM on March 17 [1 favorite]

I want to thank everyone for their input, I appreciate it. I am not sure that everyone who answered understood what I was trying to say but it is not their fault, since I was not specific enough but I like seeing varying opinions and everyone who answered makes a valid point. Thanks again.
posted by thenuts at 9:08 PM on March 17

Ask yourself why you aren't trying to have her introduce you to more of the music she listens to. I'm being serious. Is it because the music she listens to is crap? That's purely opinion, and your opinion that indie music is 'better' is no more valid than HER opinion that mainstream music is better.

That being said, you and her should both check out Pandora. The idea behind Pandora is that it introduces you to music that sounds similar to music you already enjoy. At first, it selects songs from a wide variety, so it will offer up some songs you'll love and others you probably won't. From there, it learns your tastes as you narrow in on what you like or dislike.

Seriously, it's very cool.
posted by 2oh1 at 11:01 PM on March 17

Those are all good suggestions, but why not just sit with her and listen to some music you like together? Or gift her some songs on iTunes.

And don't be insulted if your attempts at changing her musical tastes don't work. Anything beyond "here are some songs I like" might be construed as your being pushy.
posted by gjc at 5:08 AM on March 18