The article "twee" redirects here. For a definition of the word "twee", see
its entry on wiktionary.Indie pop is a genre of
alternative rock that originated in the
United Kingdom in the mid '80s, with its roots in the Scottish
post-punk bands on the
Postcard Records label in the early '80s such as
Orange Juice and
Josef K and the dominant UK independent band of the mid eighties;
The Smiths. While the term '
indie' had been used for some time to describe artists on independent labels (and the labels themselves), the mid-'80s saw a steady increase in bands who had a pop sensibility but generally favoured a relatively simple guitar-based sound over the highly produced, synth-driven pop that was prevalent at the time on major record labels. The late '80s saw a shift in the UK independent scene towards a more 'rock' sound, with many bands evolving in this direction (e.g.
Primal Scream and
The Soup Dragons). At the same time, a second wave of bands emerged who harked back to the more jangly guitar pop that was so popular in 1986, a particular influence being the more poppy/jangly bands on the
NME's
C86 tape (e.g.
The Pastels, and
The Shop Assistants), and there emerged a distinction between 'indie pop' and the more US-influenced '
indie rock'. The more jangly indie pop bands later came to be referred to as 'C86' (after the tape itself) or Cutie or
Twee due to what commentators called the "revolt into childhood" of its followers, or a term coined by
John Peel: shambling bands. Musically its key characteristics were jangling guitars, a love of sixties pop and often fey, innocent lyrics. The UK label;
Sarah Records and its most popular band,
The Field Mice, although more diverse than the label indicates, were probably its most typical proponents. Scenes also developed in the USA particularly around labels such as
K Records. Genres such as
Riot Grrrl and bands as diverse as
Nirvana,
Manic Street Preachers, and
Belle and Sebastian have all acknowledged its influence. In the mid '80s, indiepop was criticised for its tweeness and underachievement but many now argue that its release and the birth of the genre was a pivotal moment for independent music in the UK. It continues to have a strong following and inspire musicians, not just in the UK but around the world with new labels, clubs and bands devoted to the sound.
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