UNDERGROUND vs MAINSTREAM: WHICH SIDE ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR?

Which one is really suitable for a Punk Rock band whether stand beneath the flag of underground pride or just blindly put their band future’s with the mainstream instruction? If we make some polls for this question, absolutely a lot of Punk Rock lovers will answer being an underground band is much better for a Punk Rock band because of musically freedom, free from commercialize world, DIY ethics, and resembles the Punk attributes itself.
Nowadays, underground music always being a casualty of misunderstood among the naïve people. When we ask a common man about underground music, supposedly they will answer underground music a set of song that loud, fast, harsh and insult lyric, noise and etc. It is definitely not. Underground is a term to determine the status of a band in term of their management, movement, record distribution and band or artiste promotion. So, we cannot easily claim a specific genre as underground. For instance, a Black Metal can be a mainstream band if the band signs up a contract under the major label even though the music is very heavy instead, a mellow-pop band can be an underground if the band sign up under the independent label. In this case, mainstream band will be managed under major label with mainstream style and underground band will be managed under independent label with underground style. So, think about it carefully.
Another thing relate with this case is the usage of independent word. Independent is the status of underground band which the band is under contract of independent label. The word spoke widely by common people. What makes it confuse? The first confusion is about independent music or in short indie. Indie is a kind of music genre. The word independent in this case is refer to the band that play Indie music where the music root is come from the 60’s UK pop and emerged during the 80’s UK music scene. The band example is Oasis, Blur, The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Ocean Colour Scene and in Malaysia like Hujan, OAG, The Times, Bittersweet etc. So, all of these bands we call as independent band in term of music. Then, another independent case is, a band under contract with an independent label but the band play different music than Indie. So, the band called independent band as well. For instance like a Punk Rock band from America call Rancid plays Punk Rock music but the band is under the management of independent label, so Rancid is an independent band even though they play Punk Rock.
To make underground and mainstream more obvious, let’s compare it along with the example. Firstly, in term of recording company or label, underground band will sign up with independent label and mainstream band will sign up with major label. In this case, underground band is more free to play music because independent label is independently to let their band without put so much condition during recording contract deal. However, mainstream band has lack of musically freedom because of the recording contract conditions from major label. The example of major label is EMI and Sony BMG. Epitaph and Hellcat Record are the instance for independent label. Secondly, in term of promotion. Mainstream band will be promoted in the mainstream media like newspaper, entertainment magazines, television and radio. They have a huge musical scope because the major label’s aim is popularity and profits. Then, underground band will be promoted in the underground scene like fanzines, gig flyers, gig and news letter. So, the musical scope is limited because the aim of independent label is the music produced only for its followers and popularity is not important. Thirdly, in term of record distribution. Mainstream band record is available in music store anywhere because the musical scope is huge. Underground band record is available only in selected music store, jamming studio and gig because the musical scope is limited and the music produced is only for their followers.


By: WAN MOHD FAIEZ BIN WAN ISMAIL(A128476)