Indie — 1980s Genre Guide

1980s indie defined the sound of UK and US underground guitar music. Explore the genre's labels, key bands and best albums.

1980s indie is less a single sound than a scene: artists releasing on independent labels, distributed through specialist networks, and championed on student radio. The Smiths, Pixies, R.E.M. and dozens of others built the foundations of modern alternative music here.

Key artists

• The Smiths — British indie's defining band.
• Pixies — Loud-quiet-loud blueprints for the next decade.
• The Jesus and Mary Chain — Feedback-drenched melodies.
• Violent Femmes — Acoustic American indie pioneers.