Underground Techno music
Many people prefer easy access mainstream music that they can get their hands on quickly. Some people do not have the time or interest to seek out less mainstream but equally enjoyable music. A good majority of listeners enjoy the simplicity of walking into the nearby media store and buying their favorite CD or listening to their favorite station on the radio. Other listeners prefer underground music that requires more effort to get to but has such special qualities, that the effort is worth it.
Popular music – different from the genre “pop music” – is music that reaches the largest possible audience by being distributed through the media industry. It is generally any genre of music but has a presence in mainstream media outlets, such as, the radio, television, media stores, and internet. Usually, what constitutes popular music is that it appeals to a large number of people and its sales are a clear indicator of its popularity, while it can be music aimed at any age group.
Underground music, by definition, is not in strict contrast to popular music, but, it is different in principal. Underground music is typically less mainstream and not as easy to come by as popular music, relying mainly on word of mouth or local community radio DJs. Notably, many popular music artists started out in the underground music scene.
Underground music is not just about music that is “hidden” and hard to access. It is, according to most definitions, the kind of music that is intimate and sincere. According to some experts on the topic, the concept that underground music is a secret is completely wrong, as no music group or performer completely excludes anyone or anything. It is virtually any music that is simply not main stream.
The idea of underground music came about in the 60s with the psychedelic movement in music that was related to the rebelling hippies of the time. Now, underground music is generally used to describe a wide variety of music, such as, artists that sign themselves to small independent labels, music with very controversial or illegal content, specifically extreme metal, some punk styles, and artists that do DIY guerilla concerts, just to name a few examples.
One thought on the topic of underground music is that, since it is not bound by corporate censorship, underground musicians have more freedom and therefore more space for creativity. While popular music might not have the same mysterious appeal of underground music, it is easily shared and enjoyed for what it is.