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25 January 2024

best indie artists

THE BEST-SELLING INDIE ARTISTS AND BANDS

MUSIC, OLD /
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    In 2024, indie-rock is still doing brilliant business, with modern indie rock bands like Wet Leg and The 1975 achieving the holy grail of wild critical and commercial successs. But who are the best selling indie artists of all-time? And which indie solo artists are smashing it? In this article we run down the biggest players in the game, from Oasis and Radiohead to the Arctic Monkeys.

    What Is Indie Music?

    First things first: what is indie? Indie is a subgenre of rock music that first emerged in the mid-80s in the UK and New Zealand. Initially the term was used to describe DIY, guitar-based music released through independent record labels, usually created by artists who pitted themselves in direct opposition to the mainstream. But as the popularity of the scene grew, indie artists were soon snapped up by the major labels, meaning that by the 1990s “indie” simply became shorthand for a specific sound.

    Within the umbrella of indie music there are now a huge range of distinct subgenres, from grunge and shoegaze to Britpop and dreampop via new rave and alternative dance and hip hop. Read on to find out more about some of the key players.

    Who Are the Bestselling Indie Artists?

    • Oasis
    • The Cure
    • Radiohead
    • Florence + The Machine
    • Arctic Monkeys
    • The White Stripes
    • Blur
    • The Smiths
    • Bon Iver
    • The Strokes
    • Arcade Fire
    • Pixies
    • The 1975
    • Vampire Weekend

    Oasis

    Boasting a staggering 40 million albums sold worldwide, Oasis are far and away the biggest indie-rock group of all-time. Based around the famously combustible creative partnership between brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, the Manchester-formed Britpoppers dominated music for an 18-year period, beginning in the early 90s.

    Amongst their many accolades are two Ivor Novellos and six BRIT Awards, including one for the best album since 1980 in the shape of their 1995 masterpiece (What’s The Story) Morning Glory.

    The Cure

    Few indie bands boast the enduring appeal of The Cure. Formed in Crawley in 1978, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 and have been cited as a key influence for artists as diverse as Nine Inch Nails, Deftones and Phoebe Bridgers.

    Transfixing listeners with their deeply melodic mix of gothic rock, post-punk and new wave, the Robert Smith-fronted outfit have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and they’re set to release their 14th studio album, Songs Of A Lost World, imminently. Until that drops, why not reacquaint yourself with a classic:

    Radiohead

    Formed at school in Abingdon, Oxford, in 1985, Radiohead are widely agreed to be one of the best indie artists of all time. Over the course of nine studio albums, the Thom Yorke-fronted five-piece have evolved immeasurably, moving from the angsty alt sounds of Pablo Honey and The Bends to art-rock inspired by prog (OK Computer), IDM (Kid A) and folk (A Moon Shaped Pool).

    This chameleonic approach has paid off commercially too: to date, they’ve sold over 21 million albums – including nine million in the US and 5.3 million in the UK – and boast over 24 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

    Florence + The Machine

    With more than 8.1 million albums sold since 2009, Florence Welch is the most successful indie solo artist in the UK. Blending magical realist imagery with barnstorming choruses, her distinctive musical style has won her BRIT and Ivor Novello nods plus a coveted headline slot at Glastonbury in 2015.

    Her most recent album was 2022’s Dance Fever, which DIY magazine dubbed “a welcome shot of fairy-tale hedonism ripe for post-pandemic dancefloor indulgence.”

    Arctic Monkeys

    From indie-rock upstarts to sophisti-pop superstars, over the course of two decades Alex Turner and co have become one of the UK’s biggest indie bands, with the record sales to prove it. So far they’ve shifted over 8 million albums, including 1.5 million in the US and 5.6 million in the UK via their long-time label, the prestige indie Domino. Nominated for the Mercury Prize for last year’s LP The Car, the Sheffield band’s biggest album remains 2013’s AM.

    The White Stripes

    Fronted by Jack White and featuring Meg White on drums, Detroit duo The White Stripes formed in 1997 and built a huge following before disbanding in 2011. Their minimalist take on garage rock and blues revival has sold over seven million albums, with 2003’s Elephant shifting 3.6 million units alone and spawning a football chant for the ages in the shape of ‘Seven Nation Army’.

    Jack continues as a hugely successful solo artist and label boss to this day, running his own indie imprint Third Man Records.

    Blur

    Famously pitted against Oasis in the battle of Britpop, Blur have more than proven their worth as one of the UK’s most successful indie bands, not to mention one of very few to keep their original line-up.

    Over the last four decades, the quartet’s irresistible guitar-pop has incorporated influences from gospel, shoegaze and electronic music, with their originality winning them five BRIT Awards and record sales in excess of seven million albums. And after a 14-year hiatus, Damon Albarn and co reformed in 2023 for the release of their ninth studio album The Ballad of Darren, which was praised by the NME as a “tear-jerking, soaring epic.”

    The Smiths

    AKA the band that began it all. Built around the legendary musical partnership of guitarist Johnny Marr and singer/lyricist Morrissey, and backed by bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce, The Smiths were the original poster boys for the UK’s fledgling independent music scene. Formed in Manchester in the early 80s, the quartet pioneered a distinctly British strain of rock music, pairing jangling guitar lines with infinitely quotable lyrics.

    The quartet were together for just five years but are responsible for one of the most iconic discographies in the history of modern rock, featuring classics such as The Queen Is Dead and Meat Is Murder.

    Bon Iver

    The nom de guerre of US singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, Bon Iver are one of this century’s biggest musical phenomena, with a total of 3.29 million albums sold. A large part of that success can be laid at the door of the tender indie-folk on their 2007 debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago.

    Released in the UK through 4AD, it was recorded in a remote cabin in Wisconsin and has gone on to sell more than 1.46 million copies, largely thanks to the success of breakout single ‘Skinny Love’. Since its release, Vernon has gone on to share a further three albums as Bon Iver, and collaborate with A-listers like Kanye West, Travis Scott and Taylor Swift.

    The Strokes

    The Strokes were nothing short of a phenomenon in the early 00s, ushering in a garage-rock revival and becoming a by-word for New York cool. The band’s seminal 2001 debut Is This It? has sold over 1.75 million copies, closely followed by 2003’s Room On Fire with 1.5 million units sold.

    Today, they boast over 12.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify. And when the likes of ‘Last Nite’ and ‘Reptilia’ still sound so fresh, who can blame them?

    Arcade Fire

    With 3,046,000 albums sold, one Grammy win and a further nine nominations, Arcade Fire are unquestionably one of Montreal’s biggest musical exports. Blending indie-rock with baroque-pop, the Canadian collective’s biggest seller remains The Suburbs (2011) but their last LP, WE, received rave reviews, with the Evening Standard declaring there was “no better soundtrack for the apocalypse.”

    Pixies

    Famously cited by Kurt Cobain as one of his biggest inspirations for Nirvana, Pixies were formed in Boston in 1986 by songwriter Black Francis and guitarist Joey Santiago, with Kim Deal joining on bass/vocals and David Lovering playing drums. Their original line-up lasted for just five years, in which time they established a fearsome reputation for fusing abrasive guitars with indelible melodies and surreal lyrics incorporating references as diverse as Native American animism (‘Caribou’) and Spanish-Mexican filmmaker Luis Buñuel (‘Debaser’).

    Having reformed in 2014, Pixies have now sold nearly three million albums.

    The 1975

    Another British band formed at school, The 1975 delight in defying stylistic categorisation. Over the course of five albums, the Manchester-formed four-piece have explored indie, emo, synth-pop and new wave, blending irresistible melodic hooks with extremely self-aware – and often satirical – lyrics courtesy of frontman Matty Healy.

    Alongside four BRIT wins and two Grammy nominations, they’ve sold over 2.7 million albums and boast more than 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

    Vampire Weekend

    Infusing indie-rock with influences from African pop, 70s folk and ska, Vampire Weekend were a unique proposition when they first emerged in early 2006. A decade and a half on, they remain one of the US’s most idiosyncratic and acclaimed bands, boasting record sales in excess of 2.9 million and two Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album (for 2014’s Modern Vampires Of The City and 2020’s Father Of The Bride).

    Brand New Indie Music To Love

    Love indie-rock? Check out the latest release from Sydney-duo Racing Birds.

    Blending alt-country, rock ‘n’ roll and bohemian blues, Bobbie Lee Stamper and Jeremy Strother evoke the sights and sounds of a late-night drive through Southern California in 1969. On their latest album, Let The Sunbirds Fight Till The Death, the duo evolve their sound across a gritty, retro-inspired album recorded with vintage gear. Expect a range of up-tempo foot-stompers and slow-burning heartbreakers.

    Discover More

    Looking for indie music for your project? Well, look no further. We’ve got a host of high quality music from artists including Jake Shillingford, Gareth Johnson and Tribes-lynchpin Johnny Lloyd. Check out our playlist hub, which features hand-picked indie and indie-rock selections.

    Want to read a little more about indie music to gain some inspiration? Head to our Blog, where you’ll find an array of articles including What is Indie Music? and The Best Indie Background Music.

    Need Music for Your Project?

    At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

    SIGN UP

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    microgenres

    THE RISE OF MICROGENRES IN MUSIC

    FEATURED, MUSIC, OLD /
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      How many music genres are there in the world today? No-one truly knows – and thanks to the internet, streaming services and accessible, affordable software, there’s been a massive upsurge in micro-genres, or niche subgenres, in recent decades.

      Music is more fluid than it used to be in the heyday of jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, blues and pop. The evolution of music means that there’s now more crossover than ever – music has few geographical boundaries, as demonstrated by the global success of Latin music genres, but how do micro-genres emerge, and which are the ones you should know about?

      Then and Now: Micro-Genres Through Time

      You can date the origin of micro-genres to around the 1970s when people started coining words to describe highly specific subgenres of literature, film, art and song genres. In music, most examples cover the myriad subgenres of heavy metal and electronic music – though some were coined by record dealers and collectors as a way to pump up the value of certain, original records. Think of 70s phenomenon Northern soul, or freakbeat, garage punk and sunshine pop. Northern soul, with its roots in mod culture, was a dynamic, 360° culture of fashions, dance moves, vinyl obsession and more – not just a music style.

      In the 90s, electronic and dance music producers created specialised descriptions of their music as a way to assert their individuality – so trance branched out into progressive trance, Goa trance, deep psytrance and hard trance. House, drum and bass and techno also spawned a large number of micro-genres.

      Subgenres such as dubstep, reggaeton and hyperpop hit the mainstream. But because there were fewer ways of being exposed to and consuming music – radio and TV, largely, and then latterly MTV and YouTube – the more ‘micro’ differences between certain tracks would be filtered out. However, as Pitchfork points out, ‘now streaming services help to codify them into neverending playlists and see-what-sticks genre tags.’

      Lo-fi, melodic dream-pop Chillwave was one of the first music micro-genres to formulate online – gaining mainstream recognition in early 2010 when it was picked up by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Journalist Emilie Friedlander identified chillwave as, ‘the internet electronic micro-genre that launched a hundred internet electronic micro-genres (think: vaporwave, witch house, seapunk, shitgaze, distroid, hard vapor).’

      Pitchfork identified its appeal: ‘As America reeled from the collapse of entire sectors of the economy, young folks across the country burrowed into their bedrooms, fired up their laptops, and worked out their nostalgia with woozy new-wave synths, tape-warped samples, narcoleptic drum patterns, and hazy vocals hiding more than a smidgen of ennui beneath all that blissed-out reverb.’ It might have been relatively short-lived, but its sound ‘paved the way for everything from Tame Impala to lo-fi study beats.’

      From DIY to Digital: The Role of Social Media in Propelling Micro-Genres

      Theorist Mark Fisher wrote, as far back as 2004, that genre naming, ‘is not a neutral act of referring. Naming produces surplus value, something that wasn’t already there in the first place.’ He argued that a genre label has the potential to create an instant mythology for a sound. 90s jungle, grime, trap, UK garage – evocative names that conjure a feel for the music and where it’s come from.

      He also argued that, ‘when there’s a threshold shift in sound, there has to be a new name.’ But who is in charge of naming micro-genres now? Increasingly, it’s not critics or music journalists, but the artists themselves. In a world of SoundCloud and Spotify, how do you stand out? By claiming your own micro-genre.

      Glenn McDonald is a data analyst whose Every Noise at Once project tracks all genres of music he can identify on Spotify (as of August 2023, there are 6,275 listed). Micro-genres are driven online by like-minded people wanting to seek each other out and connect – plus, with a proliferation of platforms, forums and blogs, there’s far more discourse around music. As McDonald says, ‘we almost never make up genres, but we could. With great power comes great responsibility.’

      How do specific micro-genres take off? Largely through word of mouth, tags and online communities.

      Innovation or Fragmentation? Understanding the Impact of Micro-Genres on Music

      Micro-genres can help to point you to eras within a genre, for example 60s garage rock, 80s glam metal and Modern metal (an umbrella term that incorporates further micro-genres melodic death metal, metalcore and cyber metal), or a regional scene – Norwegian, American or French, say – and then through specific styles. It’s arguable that micro-genres are where the true music aficionados hang out – and where music tastes become most tribal.

      In terms of the industry itself, the fragmentation may mean that consumers are searching for smaller and smaller niches – but they may also be the groups that the industry depends upon most heavily. They’re the ones who go to gigs and buy the merchandise to support the artists they’re fans of – and identify themselves to other members of their ‘tribe’.

      Whilst the proliferation of micro-genres can lead to innovation, as The Fader says, ‘The internet has also sped up the process of hype and backlash, shortening our collective attention spans and forcing us to move on to the next thing with little ceremony… these specialised styles [are] like snapshots of a zeitgeist that’s being constantly redefined.’

      What Is an Example of a Micro Genre?

      Electronic music is a world that’s ever-evolving, with new micro-genres continually emerging to shape both sounds and scenes. Stutter House, also known as Tremor, Tremolo or Flutter House, is based on a production effect: a pulsating or stuttering vocal, lead or synth pad. It’s a micro-genre that’s largely been driven by producer Fred… Again, who’s worked with Stormzy, Ed Sheeran and FKA Twigs, and played a Glastonbury set this year that critics and fans alike were raving about.

      Bedroom Pop

      The clue’s in the name with bedroom pop – as one of its stars, Maia, aka mxmtoon, who recorded her indie folk-pop in her parents’ guest room says, ‘Anyone can make music, and I think that is the ideology behind bedroom pop. It’s more of an idea, of a person sitting in a small space and using whatever resources you have to make songs that you’re proud of.’

      The queen of bedroom pop? Surely Billie Eilish. Her early tracks epitomised bedroom pop: recorded at home and then uploaded to YouTube, Spotify, TikTok and SoundCloud, where she built a following. And when she and her brother Finneas accepted their first Grammy for ‘Bad Guy’, they really put the genre on the map. As Finneas said in his speech, ‘We just make music in a bedroom together. We still do that. This is for all of the kids who are making music in their bedroom today. You’re going to get one of these.’

      Check out Clairo, girl in red, Gus Dapperton, Cuco and beabadoobee for more bedroom pop – it’s a micro-genre that blends pop, indie, lo-fi and psychedelic.

      Witch House

      Witch house, sometimes referred to as drag, is an electronic music micro-genre with high-pitched keyboard effects, heavily layered basslines and trap-style drum loops. Its dark, dreamy sound also features pitched-down vocals and slowed-down tempos, dense reverb and creepy samples, a combination that Flavorwire described as, ‘generally, the feel of being trapped inside a haunted house – both exhilarating and terrifying.’

      Its roots are in ambient, dark-tinged synth-pop, trance and drone metal, together with 1980s ethereal wave bands such as the Cocteau Twins. Aesthetically, as you’d expect, there are plenty of occult and gothic-inspired themes (think The Blair Witch Project and Twin Peaks.)

      Names associated with witch house are Oneohtrix Point Never, Grouper, GFCF, Salem and Laurel Halo – the title was apparently coined by Travis Egedy, aka Pictureplane, as a joke in an interview for Pitchfork, but the term took off when it was picked up by other music journalists.

      Witch house has gone on to influence everything from Katy Perry’s ‘Dark Horse’ to Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ and Billie Eilish’s dark aesthetic.

      Dubstep

      Dubstep is an EDM genre that originated in South London in the early 2000s, an offshoot of UK garage that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production with bass-heavy, rhythmic loops and glitchy sound effects. It also brought in elements of broken beat, grime and drum and bass.

      Kick-start your dubstep journey with ‘I Can’t Stop’ by Flux Pavilion or Skrillex’s remix of ‘Cinema’ by Benny Benassi.

      Other dubstep artists to check out include Bassnectar, Magnetic Man, Flux Pavilion, NERO and Chase & Status.

      Dubstep has, in turn, spawned its own micro-genres, including glitchstep (heavier on the glitchy sounds), chillstep, deathstep (give it a listen if you’re a heavy metal or deathcore fan) and ganjastep (ideal if you enjoy original reggae, with beat buildups and heavy beat drops.) Brostep emerged in the early 2010s and uses a blend of hip hop’s rhythm and dubstep’s bass.

      Vaporwave

      Named as a nod to vaporware – nonexistent software or hardware that’s announced, and even advertised, whilst still in its design stage – vaporwave took new-age optimism, digital synthesis, Sims-inspired computer graphics and call centre hold music and mashed them all together with retro imagery taken from 80s and 90s pop culture.

      Musically, it’s often based on samples of easy listening or lounge music – it’s been described as, ‘a nostalgic view of an imagined or actual past that never really existed.’ There’s a heavy use of synths and drum machines, plus vocoders to create a dream-like quality with slowed-down samples and pitch-shifted vocals.

      What’s the difference between synthwave and vaporwave? The former is largely inspired by 80s culture, featuring elements from movies, TV shows and video games. Vaporwave is characterised by a more ironic approach, often using samples from corporate advertising and other bits of consumer culture.

      Early pioneers were Daniel Lopatin (aka Chuck Person/Oneohtrix Point Never) – whose Eccojams Vol 1 featured chopped-up 80s tunes with loops and delay – and Far Side Virtual by James Ferraro, which showcased the genre’s love of computerised voices and chirpy elevator music. Esquire praised Floral Shoppe from Macintosh Plus for its ability to, ‘strike the delicate balance between being a parody of consumerism and actually really nice music to chill to.’

      For more vaporwave, have a listen to Blank Banshee, George Glanton, Luxury Elite and Skylar Spence.

      A World of Micro-Genres

      When it comes to music to license for your project or content, we have hundreds of thousands of original, high-quality tracks, covering a mass of micro-genres. Listen to our hand-picked playlists, or any of our new releases, including our NowNextFuture artists, who are guaranteed to be spearheading all the emerging micro-genres.

      Need Music for Your Project?

      At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

      SIGN UP

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      what is texture music

      WHAT IS TEXTURE MUSIC?

      MUSIC, OLD /
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        When you think of a piece of fabric, what comes to mind in terms of its texture? How thick or thin it is? How many layers? How smooth or rough it is? Or think of sandy or pebbled beaches, a brick wall, or a flower’s petals and leaves. Many of those ideas can be applied to types of texture in music too. Whether you’re using informal terms, such as ‘open’ or ‘closed’ texture, or more formal ones, such as ‘monophonic’ or ‘polyphonic’, musical textures can be unfamiliar. Our overview will help you to both recognise and appreciate music textures.

        How to Describe Texture

        ‘Texture’, when you’re talking about music, is basically a way to describe how it – or the sound – is organised. Think of it as how many layers a piece of music has, or which ‘building blocks’ it’s constructed from. And just like food, clothes or painting, many different elements can influence musical texture – and thus how it affects you and makes you feel.

        These include things like tempo, melody, harmony, rhythm and timbre. Timbre is what distinguishes the different instruments or voices playing or singing the same frequency or musical pitch. E.g. if you’ve got a guitar and a violin that are both playing a middle C, their distinct timbres is what means you can tell them apart.

        In simple terms, a piece of music can be described as having a ‘thick’ texture if there are lots of layers of instruments, or several melodies and harmonies being played simultaneously. Think of symphonic orchestral pieces, where there’s a string and woodwind section, plus a variety of percussion instruments – there might be a piano or organ added to the mix as well.

        As you’d expect, ‘thin’ textured music has just a few instruments, or a couple of melodies and harmonies.

        The most common terms when you’re describing music texture refer to how many voices or parts a piece of music has – and how the melodic part relates to the harmonic parts. In short, it’s how sound is organised. Other ways to describe texture include the ‘density’ of the music – how many notes are being played at once; its colour or timbre, delivered through individual instruments or voices and the music’s breadth – whether the range of pitches is broad or tightly grouped together.

        The Different Types of Texture

        There are four main types of music textures:

        • Monophonic
        • Polyphonic
        • Homophonic
        • Heterophonic

        Monophonic Texture

        A piece of music that just has a single line is a monophonic texture – such as unaccompanied folk melodies, or Byzantine and Gregorian chants. I.e., there’s just one sound going on. This video shows you examples of violin, orchestral and different sorts of vocal monophony:

        Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major is a great classical example of monophonic music.

        Want to feel a bit more fancy when you’re singing to yourself in the shower? Think of yourself as creating a monophonic music texture instead!

        Polyphonic Texture

        If you’re building chords, with six, seven or eight sounds going at the same time, you’re creating polyphonic music. It was developed during the late Middle Ages – created simply by having musicians play or sing two different songs simultaneously – and became the dominant musical texture during the Renaissance.

        This is a texture that consists of two or more simultaneous melodic lines, with parts that weave in and out of each other. Bach is a composer known for not only polyphonic solo instrument works, but also using the texture when composing for orchestra – for example, his Brandenburg Concertos.

        For a really simple way of remembering these terms, think of spaghetti. One strand of spaghetti (or a single melody) is monophonic. Many strands interweaving with each other – like spaghetti on a plate – is polyphonic.

        Polyphonic music is also sometimes called contrapuntal music and may have an element of imitation, where one voice or instrument copies what’s just been played by another – think of a ‘round’ like ‘London’s Burning’.

        Contrapuntal or counterpoint is most commonly found in Baroque music, but, as in the video above, it’s also been used by everyone from the Beach Boys to Muse and Blur. You can also see it in musicals, when two characters are singing at the same time, each from their own perspective – as in ‘One Day More’ from Les Misérables. Each character sings a verse, then as the song develops, the different characters’ lines overlap.

        Homophonic Texture

        This is the most common type of texture – you’ll find it everywhere from orchestral music to pop, rock and jazz and film music. The term comes from the Greek words ‘homo’, meaning ‘same’ or ‘similar’ and phonic, meaning ‘sound’ or ‘voice’.

        There’s a melody, with chords and harmonies that support it. This ‘fills out’ the music and gives it a richer colour. For example, if you’ve got a rock or pop artist singing a song while playing guitar or piano at the same time, that’s a homophonic texture. A homophonic classical piece could have a violin playing a solo melody line, whilst the rest of the orchestra plays behind.

        Watch this video for an explainer of a simple line of melody and accompaniment that demonstrates homophonic texture:

        Here’s a great example of a multi-layered homophonic texture that’s just using voice:

        There are two main subtypes – homorhythmic and melody-dominated. Homorhythmic texture is characterised by all parts of the melody and harmonies having the exact same rhythm. This can also be called block chord texture – it’s often found in choral music, hymns and barbershop quartets.

        Want a classical example? Have a listen to the choral part of Handel’s ‘Hallelujah Chorus’:

        Melody-dominated texture is any other type of homophony that isn’t block chords. The melody is the main ‘musical idea’ that you’re hearing, and the harmony performs a supporting role. The harmony doesn’t perfectly line up with the melody.

        An example of melody-dominated is Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ – there’s one melody, and harmonies are playing around it. However, the piano’s playing a different rhythm than Adele’s singing, so the texture can’t be homorhythmic.

        Heterophonic Texture

        Outside of 20th century classical works, this texture isn’t particularly common in Western music, but it is a feature of East Asian ensemble music. It’s characterised by two or more instruments, each playing a different version of the same melody.

        In addition to these four types, there’s also antiphonal texture – this is when there’s more than one group of instruments or voices, usually placed in different parts of a church or concert venue. There’s generally dialogue between the two groups, with melodic ideas passed between them.

        Renaissance composer Giovanni Gabrieli used a lot of antiphony, with much of his music written to be performed at St Mark’s church in Venice.

        You can also hear heterophony in Bluegrass, Cajun and Zydeco music – listen out for the tune being played by two instruments – say a fiddle and a banjo – at the same time. Each will add their own characteristic embellishments, ornaments and flourishes.

        High/Low Texture

        A widely-spaced texture would have one part that’s very high, and one that’s very low. This large gap between the notes is sometimes also described as spacious or open-textured. As you’d expect, the opposite of this is a closed or tight texture: all the instruments or singers are playing or singing notes that are very close together.

        Thin Texture Music vs Thick Texture Music

        A piece of music’s density not only depends on how many instruments are playing, but which instruments you’re using. For example, listen to the difference in the sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Scar Tissue’ – when the band play the original, it’s got a heavier-sounding density because of the bass guitar and drums, when you compare the same song performed by a string quartet.

        If you just heard this, ‘thin texture’, version of the track in isolation, it might take you a minute to pinpoint what the song is:

        This explainer brings all these elements together, which features musical illustrations:

        Inspired Music Textures

        So, now you know the basics of how to describe texture in music, next time you’re listening to a piece or a song, ask yourself which type of texture is being used? Is it thick or thin, high or low? Which type of ‘phony’ is it based on? And which of these elements change between sections?

        As a musician, think about ways you can use texture to improve or vary your compositions. Can your texture be changed by adding or taking away an instrument or a harmony? Maybe you can change the textural density by simply changing the dynamics from loud to soft, or vice versa?

        Here are a few top tips on balancing textures:

        An appreciation of textures can also be incredibly useful to bear in mind when you’re looking for music for a project by another artist – whether it’s a Hollywood blockbuster trailer that might need to be very dense and layered, giving the viewer the idea that there’s going to be plenty of action and edge-of-your-seat excitement throughout the whole two-hour runtime, or something that’s more sparse and airy, so that the message or product in an ad can take centre stage.

        A composer like Hans Zimmer is a master of texture when it comes to his movie soundtracks – from a single, distorted voice at the start of Dune to using layered instruments and working out how to create a ‘futuristic sound’:

        To using just three chords to create the sound – and emotion – of Interstellar and then building up the textures to produce an epic soundscape:

        Listen to some of our fantastic, original music from our catalogue for more inspiration, from graceful, understated symphonic textures to dark, mysterious and brooding electronic textures and Dame Evelyn Glennie’s eclectic percussion textures.

        Looking for musical textures and sound design? We’ve got you covered – explore our Editors’ Toolkit for more. We’ve got new releases every fortnight, together with hundreds of hand-picked playlists to make choosing the perfect track a cinch, whether you’re selecting music yourself, or briefing one of our expert team to help you.

        Need Music for Your Project?

        At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

        SIGN UP

        WHAT IS TEXTURE MUSIC? Read More »

        dream music

        THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DREAM MUSIC & THE BEST DREAMING SONGS

        MUSIC, OLD /
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          When you’re longing for nothing more than a good night’s sleep, music can help you drift off. Many studies have proved that music can prompt us to release dopamine, the hormone that helps us to relax. In this state, you’ll breathe deeper and your heart rate slows down, creating the perfect state for sleep.

          With hundreds of ‘Sleep’ playlists on Spotify, what are some of the world’s favourites to fall asleep and dream to?

          The Best Dream Lover Music

          What makes great dream music? You need a slow tempo, or BPM (Beats Per Minute). A normal resting heart rate is around 60-100BPM, so anything in that tempo range is good – the ideal seems to be 98BPM. Piano comes out as the most soothing instrument in dreaming music, as it’s generally very tranquil.

          From classical to ambient and pop, you can find songs with calming melodies, gentle rhythms and a peaceful feel in any genre – here are a few of our favourites:

          • ‘Someone You Loved’ – Lewis Capaldi. The Scottish singer-songwriter is a popular choice when it comes to dreamer songs – ‘Before You Go’ also scores highly. Sad songs, by their nature, are usually slower, so ‘Someone You Loved’, with its delicate piano, is a must-have for your dreaming songs playlist.

          • ‘Lovely’ and ‘When the Party’s Over’ – Billie Eilish. Whispery vocals are an Eilish trademark, making her catalogue full of fantastic dreaming songs. ‘Lovely’ features a piano melody and is hauntingly beautiful.

          • Deep Sleep Music Collective – this aptly-named group specialises in ambient music for sleeping and relaxation with multiple dedicated sleep playlists, including Peaceful Acoustic Guitar and Healing Sleep. ‘Amongst the Theta Waves’ has birdsong and harp, to make you feel like you’re in the middle of a magical forest.

          • ‘Only Time’ – Enya. Delicate strings and Enya’s soothing voice make the Irish musician a perennial favourite when it comes to dream songs.

          • ‘I Need Some Sleep’ – Eels. The lyrics nail how you feel when you’re in need of a good night’s kip. This is slow and twinkly and will help you drift off, with its ‘You’ve just got to let it go’ refrain helping to put you into a meditative state.

          • ‘All Alright’ – Sigur Rós. Sparse piano and low-key vocals keep this track from the Icelandic indie superstars in dedicated Spotify sleep playlists. But many of the band’s tracks have a dreamlike feel, so check out a full playlist if you don’t know their music:

          • ‘Venus, the Bringer of Peace’ – Holst. The second movement from Holst’s classical masterpiece is a beautiful, mystic homage to the Goddess of love, beauty, desire and prosperity, with tranquil horn and violin solos.

          • ‘Nocturne No. 2, Op. 9’ – Chopin. One of the masters of the Romantic era, Chopin’s music is a great choice, offering an abundance of relaxing piano works. This stunning nocturne was written when he was just 20 years old. For more calming classical, listen to Pastoral, from our Classical Collection

          • ‘Weightless’ – Looking for the track that’s scientifically proven to be the most relaxing song ever? Sound therapists and Marconi Union teamed up to create this song. The British Academy of Sound Therapy found it was able to lower blood pressure, slow heart rate and reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) at unprecedented rates. And at eight minutes long, you’ll probably be in dreamland before it’s finished. With 99 million views on YouTube, it’s the ultimate ambient

          • ‘Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)’ – DJ Shah. For more mellow beats, this track also does the trick, making you think of the sun going down on a beautiful beach somewhere sunny – perfect if you want to create a playlist of daydreamer songs too!

          Dream Music For You

          Want more? Here are the best picks from the Audio Network catalogue:

          • ‘Dreams of Glass’ – Ethereal textures and muted strings blend with soothing woodwind and gentle celeste
          • ‘Binary Dreaming’ - Vintage synths blur the line between dreams and reality in this atmospheric dreamscape
          • ‘Free at Last’ – Sparse piano + floaty guitar pads = deeply peaceful
          • ‘City of Coral’ – Take yourself to a magical place, with gentle piano, harp and ethereal vocals
          • ‘Sunset Depending’ – Guitar-led chill hop features sparkling synths and relaxed drums
          • ‘Fluorescent Rush’ – Dreamy electronica with elegant plucked strings and synth pads are the ideal companion to help you drop off
          • ‘First Touch’ – A lovely pulsing pattern with reflective strings and delicate piano make for a gorgeously gentle track
          • ‘Recovery’ – Hectic day at work? Slow yourself right down with drone builds, peaceful uplifting bells and a hypnotic electric piano motif in this dream lover song

          For more high quality original music, explore all of our latest releases, hand-picked playlists and collections.

          Need Music for Your Project?

          At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

          SIGN UP

          THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DREAM MUSIC & THE BEST DREAMING SONGS Read More »

          ribena ads

          THE BEST RIBENA ADVERTS

          ADVERTISING, OLD /
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            Did you know that Ribena is over 80 years old? Yes, first released in 1938, Ribena has been tickling our tastebuds for far longer than you’d expect. Which means that over its eight decades, there have been some fantastic Ribena ads! We look at some of the boldest and the best from the brand’s history.

            A Heritage British Brand

            Ribena was produced by the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) until 2013, when the brand was sold to Japanese conglomerate Suntory.

            Ribena’s original positioning was as a healthy drink for kids – it was distributed to children as a Vitamin C supplement during World War II by the government. Why is it called Ribena? Well, the name is derived from the fact that it was made from blackcurrants – whose botanical name is Ribes nigrum.

            Ribena’s ongoing success story was proven by its sale to Suntory – GSK sold it and Lucozade to the Japanese multinational for £1.35 billion.

            Future-Proofing the Brand

            In 2019, Ribena launched a new creative platform in a bid to ‘future proof’ the brand. It repositioned itself to focus on its heritage by creating the new tagline, ‘Blackcurrant Artistry since 1938’. Most brands reposition themselves to appeal to younger customers, but Ribena’s aim at this point was to align itself with an older audience.

            The first Ribena TV ad for the new campaign was created by agency Wunderman Thompson and featured a comedically intense hipster ‘blackcurrant artist’, Andrew Berry, who explained the method behind making Ribena. It’s a tongue in cheek approach to craftsmanship, as Charlotte Flook, the brand’s head, told Marketing Week.

            ‘It’s important [to talk about heritage] as consumers are continuing to look for brands with purpose. There are lots of brands that talk about their craft and their heritage, but it’s about doing it in a way that is modern and relevant for the average consumer.’

            The ad has a gentle, bucolic feel, with an orchestral soundtrack lifted by a soaring vocal as Andrew starts to wax particularly lyrical about the ‘fruits of his labour’.

            Poor Andrew was later comically tortured by ‘Ribena Fruitologist’ James Bloom in the spot for the brand’s Frusion drink:

            ‘Was there creative tension?’ asks Andrew, rhetorically, as James blows up a watermelon in the background and creates low-level havoc. But the two manage to successfully work together to create the new drink, backed by the calming tones of Bach’s Cello Suite.

            When it’s Ribena High Pressure Parking Palaver (2022)

            Ribena’s most recent campaigns focus on a new strapline, ‘chin up, my friend, chin up’. The brand have joined forces with agency BBH, who have opted for a major shift in direction. Ribena is being positioned as the thing to get you through those awkward moments when you might be cringing.

            The first ad features a hapless man having a right palaver trying to parallel park. Gently harassed by a bunch of scruffy-looking animatronic cats – nature’s most judgey animal – on his bonnet, his sunroof and wandering around in the street disappointedly saying, ‘maaaate’, this is an off-beat take on a daily occurrence.

            Charlotte Flook revealed that, ‘”Chin Up” puts our brand’s cheeky, irreverent personality at its heart by encouraging the nation to reach for a Ribena to help them laugh through life’s awkward little stumbles.’

            The second ad will chime with anyone who’s tried to surreptitiously check their appearance – the woman eventually reaches for her bottle of Ribena ‘when it’s Ri-bena bit awkward.’

            We can’t wait to see which small, cringey bit of modern life will crop up in the next ad in the series.

            Ribena Commercials

            Ribena Minis (2017)

            Ribena ads often focus on a sense of adventure, and in this one, our hero puts a Ribena Mini bottle through its paces round the house to test its ‘less spills, less mess’ cap, perfectly designed to create playtime thrills.

            The ad has a mix of big, bold Taiko-style drums for the ‘adventure’ elements – think the re-booted Jumanji series, and Indiana Jones elements – combined with a more everyday, light-hearted track. Putting the two together brings the comedy.

            Ribena Tropicoliday (2015)

            Ribena ‘turned up the tropical’ with its competition to ‘Win a #Tropicoliday’ in 2015 to promote its tropical range – Mango & Lime, Pineapple & Passion Fruit and Orange & Guava.

            Consumers had the chance to win one of five tropical holidays by finding one of three special bottles on the shelf. Once all three had been found, the contestants had to battle it out via a series of tropical-themed trials. And as if that weren’t enough, each of the three were supported by a social media star: Alfie Deyes, Sam King and Hazel Hayes. Watch how much fun was had by all in this promo film:

            You Can’t Get Any More Ribenary (2015)

            With owls shooting lasers from their eyes, giant and tiny robins balancing on blackcurrants, sunglasses and moustache-sporting rabbits and a girl riding a small hedgehog riding a larger hedgehog, it’s fair to say that this is one of the more surreal ad adventures – and in our view, one of the best Ribena ads in terms of being both visually memorable and having a banging earworm.

            Award-winning animation house NOMINT’s Christos & Yannis worked closely with JWT London to target young adults as part of a £6 million marketing campaign. JWT’s creative director John Cherry said that, ‘we’ve attempted to create an intense, playful and visually striking campaign, bringing to life the almost impossible-to-describe taste of Ribena’.

            As for that super-catchy track? ‘Zooby Doo’ by Tigermonkey keeps the ad, and everyone in it, bouncing along.

            If you’re wondering what it reminds you of, then it’s this iconic Flat Eric/Mr Oizo track from the Levi’s ad:

            The Ribena Colouring Café (2016)

            A remix of ‘Zooby Doo’ was used for the Ribena Colouring Café ad, which was ‘all about grabbing life by the felt tip’. Colouring-in connoisseurs were able to bring a unique illustration by artist Alex Lucas to life, courtesy of lots of individual pieces. Every Saturday, artist Lucas opens her front window, selling artwork through her ‘Window Shop’ in Bristol.

            The ad promotes the idea of leaving the world outside for an hour and adding a splash of colour, tapping into the vogue for grown-up colouring books that took off as part of the mindfulness trend (in the first months of 2015, 12 million adult colouring books were sold, from illustrators such as Johanna Basford.) The wall of the Ribena Colouring Café is shown through time-lapse filling up with each artist’s mini canvas, plus a light show once the piece is completed.

            It's a joyous example of how much fun art is, and how something simple can bring people together.

            Want More?

            There’s nothing we love more than a well-crafted ad, from IKEA’s Wonderful Everyday campaign to Nike’s biggest hits. Read our monthly ad breakdown to keep up to date, or check out which of our tracks have been used by brands recently over on The Edit.

            And if you want music to license for advertising, then we have everything from orchestral classics to brand new releases. Our in-house music experts put together playlists covering every mood and genre, including seasonal specials, if you want to capture a summer sound, or harness the festive spirit.

            Need Music for Your Project?

            At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

            SIGN UP

            This page was last updated 23/05/2024.

            THE BEST RIBENA ADVERTS Read More »

            movie and tv

            HOW TO MAKE YOUR MOVIE & TV CONTENT STAND OUT

            FEATURED, FILM, OLD /
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              Imagine Jaws without its iconic theme – suddenly it’s much less terrifying. Or the MCU’s superheroes saving the universe unaccompanied by a soundtrack – would the action seem nearly as epic? Music has a very special place in storytelling and suggesting emotion for a viewer. It can create that edge-of-your-seat tension; a certain song can bring in a rush of romance, or make you feel suddenly sad. There are classical orchestral pieces that have been used in so many different ways that you feel an instant connection to them – and you’ll bring that connection to the scene that’s using it now. In short: music is an emotional language.

              Contents

              • Music makes the movies
              • Hook your audience – fast – the art of the trailer
              • Music to drive action and emotion
              • What is sync?
              • Why do I need a music licence?
              • Music to make standout content

              Music Makes the Movies

              Think of some iconic films and their soundtracks: Star Wars, Psycho, Tim Burton’s movies. Movies, trailers and their soundtracks have always gone together – right from the Silent Movie days, when there’d be a piano player at the front of the cinema to accompany the action and ramp up the emotion. Music acts as a subtle guide for the audience in how to feel, whether the stars on screen are battling in a galaxy far, far away, or one of the characters has a broken heart, just at the point they thought they had everything they ever longed for.

              Hook Your Audience - Fast

              Trailer tracks in particular, whether for TV or film, have to build an atmosphere – and anticipation – fast. They need to fit the genre, from action to horror, suspense to romance or excitement to intrigue.

              For a trailer, you’ll need to apply a structure, via the music, to enable you to tell the story quickly alongside the visuals. If you take a look at the best trailers, the music will feature:

              Intro//Build-up//Climax I//Climax II//Outro

              This music might be just one track, which moves through these gradual peaks, or it could be two or more tracks, ebbing and flowing to initiate the moods and high points.

              As of 2023, the teaser trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home from 2021 was the most-watched movie trailer within 24 hours of release.

              The trailer builds from a very low-key, quiet start to some huge slams to establish tension and excitement, and then brings in part of the iconic Spiderman theme right at the end to seal the deal.

              Marvel Studios are experts in cutting together smaller, more emotional moments and the big, action-filled sequences with the music to match in their trailers – Avengers: Endgame became one of the most anticipated movies of all time and its trailer notched up over 157 million views, using hybrid orchestral music for the soundtrack:

              The trailer for Jordan Peele’s horror smash, Us, takes a different route, using a heavily re-worked version of a track that appears in the film, Luniz’s ‘I Got 5 On It’. Slowed down, stripped back, full of echo and with the cello ramped up, the track that the family are happily singing along to in the opening scene becomes sinister and ramps up the tension, alongside the rapid editing and increasing threat.

              For both film and TV trailers, you need to match the music to your audience, as well as the content – as with this Netflix trailer for Heartstopper 2, which uses upbeat pop to connect to its fanbase:

              With the rise in teaser trailers, followed some weeks or months later by the longer, ‘official’ trailer, entertainment brands need to source more music in order to keep things fresh. Check out our handpicked trailer playlists to generate anticipation and elevate your content to ‘must-see’ status.

              Music to Drive Action and Emotion

              Music can affect everything from how you perceive a character (love interest, villain… or maybe both?), to a situation – upbeat or sinister, edge-of-your-seat thrilling or out-of-this-world, funny or frightening?

              Watch this witty explainer for some great illustrations on how changing up the music can alter how you feel about characters and scenes:

              Major big-screen brands like Pixar, Marvel, Mission: Impossible and James Bond have a recognizable sound when it comes to their music – and they use it expertly.

              It’s worth studying these big budget brands to see how they choose and use their music so effectively to promote their content, and to tap into both their audiences’ emotions, and their recall for the previous films and TV series to produce that ‘must watch/must have’ feeling for the new product.

              While not everyone can get Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman or John Williams on board to write a unique, orchestral soundtrack for them, we have the next best thing. Lorne Balfe, a composer who’s worked alongside Zimmer and created soundtracks for the Mission: Impossible films, has curated a collection to bring you the real sound of Hollywood. The tracks span everything from psychological thrillers to otherworldly adventures, together with the kind of epic themes that give blockbusters their big screen presence.

              What Is Sync?

              So, now you know why you need music for your TV or movie projects, let’s look at how to get it. If you don’t have the budget to commission a composer, you’ll want to search out some sync tracks. ‘Sync’ is shorthand for a music licence that’s granted to synchronise (‘sync’) music with some kind of content. That could be anything from films to TV shows, ads to video games, YouTube content to podcasts or radio dramas and movie trailers.

              Why Do I Need a Music Licence?

              The rights to a piece of music are usually owned by a record label and/or the composer or songwriter. If you don’t have a licence to use the music, then you can be fined, or your content can be taken down on platforms such as YouTube because of copyright infringement.

              When you purchase a music licence, the contract will look at how the track’s being used, how much of the track you’re using, and whether it’s used as background music, or as a title track during the credits, etc. Licensing big names or tracks can be very expensive, so if you’re working to a limited budget, you can turn to dedicated music libraries.

              Companies such as Audio Network, which own the rights to their music, take the stress out of licensing. You know that whatever track you choose from the catalogue, it’s fully licensed, and you won’t have to worry about take-downs or fines.

              Instead of having to negotiate with labels or artists, it’s ‘one click’ licensing, which makes the whole process very straightforward – no matter what content you’re creating. Audio Network have hundreds of thousands of tracks to choose from. Our hand-picked playlists make finding music to license quick and easy, whether it’s for TV programmes, advertising, digital entertainment or branded content. Plus, we have collections, from orchestral to hip hop, and regular new releases of high quality, original music in any genre, to suit every mood.

              Music to Make Standout Content

              Now you’ve seen how much impact music can bring to your TV or film content, from emotion to reinforcing brand awareness, be inspired by the best orchestral movie soundtracks, how drama and music take each other to new heights, from Titanic to Parasite, together with deep dives on hit TV soundtracks such as Wednesday and Sex Education.

              DISCOVER: MUSIC THAT RESONATES(opens in new tab)

              Need Music for Your Project?

              At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

              SIGN UP

              HOW TO MAKE YOUR MOVIE & TV CONTENT STAND OUT Read More »

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