THE BEST-SELLING INDIE ARTISTS AND BANDS

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 14^th 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.