‘90s Indie Essentials

When Sonic Youth signed to a major label in 1990, they showed how ’80s-indie discord could be harnessed into a more streamlined sound. But after their proteges Nirvana dismantled the boundary between mainstream and underground a year later, indie rock’s DNA was forever altered, as the genre drifted further away from its post-hardcore roots to more accessible, artful realms. Beloved DIY acts like Pavement made the leap from zines to MTV by sculpting hi-fi fuzz with playful hooks, while unsung veterans like The Flaming Lips enjoyed their first taste of success by foregrounding their innate psychedelic whimsy. However, indie rock’s mainstream crossover inspired a reactionary retreat, as Guided By Voices transformed lo-fi recording from a budget limitation into an aesthetic. And by decade’s end, indie rock’s notoriously ironic disposition began to crack, as Elliott Smith and Neutral Milk Hotel turned down the volume while amplifying the emotional impact.