Defining indie music is somewhere on the list of head-scratching questions like "what came first, the chicken or the egg?"

For decades, music critics, musicians and fans have attempted to create the one-and-all, decisive definition (um..Wikisomething) for indie rock, and it is still unclear to most people.

So we go back to the original question: What is indie rock (which envelopes many sub-genres).

Traditionalists snarl at the question, claiming that the answer is simple; indie music is any music that is not released by the Big Four (formerly the Big Five until Sony and BMG merged last year) conglomerate of the recording industry - Sony/BMG, EMI, Warner and Universal.

In essence, the traditionalists have it right, and they are usually the ones who harken back to the punk and post-punk eras when indie music really began to challenge the major labels.

But still, there are many music listeners who consider themselves indie music fans, not independent music fans. And many still ask "when did alternative rock start?"

Somehow, it seems as if the term indie has evolved to include bands that start out small, then accumulate a following, perhaps get a hit single and whether or not they sign on with a major label are still considered "indie". Recent examples include Taking Back Sunday and The Killers.

But many of the "indie" artists that have become very popular have signed on with major record labels. Therefore, are they indie artists any longer? Or is that approach to the understanding of indie music just completely off?

Who knows, but I think indie music, or again "indie rock", really encompasses so much music that it is nearly impossible to pin it down. Nevertheless, another worthy stab at defining indie rock is offered up by the folks at IGN Boards.

For the sake of this website, we are going to primarily focus on really, really indie artists who deserve much more attention. Does that mean we are helping to guide them towards a possible new attitude, big cars and homes and a major record contract? We don't know, and we don't really sweat it.

Ultimately, it is up to the fans to decide what they like and what they want to label it as (everyone has their own playlists nowadays, right?).

However, we will also cover bands that are making a buzz and continue to follow groups like The Decemberists who 'crossed over' and signed with a major record label last year.

If an artist or band have made great music as indie artists for a while, and then continues to make great music with a major label, this site will keep fans up-to-date on their news, releases, tours and other worthy information. But again, the primary focus will be on purely indie bands.

From all the online messages and bulletins I've read, and everyone I've talked to and everything the definition of indie rock is malleable, and perhaps that is its greatest strength.

Indie rock means different things to different people. For some they have no idea what it means and for others, they have found a way to define and rationalize their criteria for what qualifies as indie rock.

The real test of what makes an indie artist, and thus, indie and alternative music, hard-core indie vigilantes assert, is when an artist surrenders creative control of his work, even when he makes alterations to his work at the bequest (and/or possible breach of contract) of others for "packaging" reasons.

If he bends to the pressure, he has lost his soul, the musician has transformed and he or she is an indie artist no more.

One friend calls them "corporate money sluts who don't have the courage to say 'fuck this, my creative freedom is more important than the mansions and cars. Plus, " he snickers, "indie rockers get laid more and by hotter chicks."

I will be updating this page periodically as I obtain more insights into what makes indie and alternative rock and how much emphasis needs to be placed on how much fame or fortune the "indie" artist gains.

One thing for sure is that we can whittle indie music down to a time period and a collection of sub-genres.

Offer your thoughts about indie and alternative music by joining the discussion (use Comments button).

Over time, we can gather various opinions, facts and sentiments to come up with a reasonable definition of what is indie rock.

Attention Writers: We are building a database of indie rock record labels. If you want to take a label and write a review about it, include some of its biggest artists and whatever else is relevant, send an email to contact at indierockcafe.com

Successful submissions will receive a free listing in our link exchange page plus of course your published writing on a music blog that gets 5,000 hits a month and counting.

Here's a list of just some of the record labels. Please use the Comments section to add labels not on this list and help IRC grow into one of the best indie music blogs on the Internet. I will also be updating this list as time goes on, but too busy working on other sections of the IRC site, plus the upcoming Indie Rock Concerts and Indie Rock Songs websites.

Labels: Indie Rock Definition, What is Indie?