indie

American  

[in-dee] / ˈɪn di /

noun

1. an independently or privately owned business, especially a film or music company that is not affiliated with a larger and more commercial company.

   to work for an indie.

2. a movie or other work produced by such a company.

3. a genre of music, especially pop or rock, that is independently produced.

4. a person who works for an independently owned business or is self-employed.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to an indie.

   an indie film producer;

   an indie video game.

2. noting or relating to independently produced music.

   indie rock;

   an indie pop group.

indie British  

/ ˈɪndɪ /

noun

1. informal

   1. an independent film or record company

   2. ( as modifier )

      an indie producer

      the indie charts

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Etymology

Origin of indie

First recorded in 1940–45; ind(ependent) + -ie

Explanation

An indie band makes music on their own or on a very small record company, not with a large recording label. Your favorite indie group probably makes most of its money from touring, rather than by selling its music online. Pop musicians who record songs independently of major labels are indie, and indie filmmakers work with small budgets and unknown actors, rather than large, well-funded film companies. The adjective is also sometimes used simply to mean "simple," "not commercial," or "outside of the mainstream." Indie, a shortened form of independent, has been around since about 1920, originally referring to movies, and by 1945 it was also used for music labels.

Example Sentences

“I’ve been taking it back to the indie music days and just beating the cement.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

For all of this weekend's games, he takes on two Manchester City fans - frontman and guitarist Tom Ogden and drummer Joe Donovan from indie band Blossoms - and a Chelsea supporter - rapper Songer.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

The indie singer-songwriter fills his new record with a plethora of musical references while using quiet locales to meditate on heady concepts.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Rival retailers were initially relieved when they saw Barnes & Noble begin to improve, in part because they admired Daunt’s personal start as an indie bookseller.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

I knew loads about Jesse—he loved baths but hated hot tubs, he listened to self-important indie music, cologne made his eyes puffy, he never washed his jeans—but Diego was an enigma.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson