r/indieheads

[Thursday] Daily Music Discussion - 21 May 2026

Talk about anything music related that doesn't need its own thread. This thread is not for discussion that is tangentially music related; that belongs in the general discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.

Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, or discuss recent album releases. If you want to discover some indiehead bands, browse our archives from the Battle of the Bands.

reddit.com
u/AutoModerator — 6 hours ago

Just how big was Nirvana before Smells Like Teen Spirit blew up?

We've been told countless times how this song seemed to change rock music overnight by bringing the Seattle underground scene and "alternative" music in general to the mainstream. What I'm not sure of (and would love to hear from people who were there at the time) was how big Nirvana was prior to that. They'd landed a major label deal, so clearly there was interest in them. The 80s saw the rise of indie/"college" rock, which was probably primed for a breakthrough in the 90s with or without Nirvana.

When I think of pre-grunge alternative rock, the biggest names that come to mind are groups REM, The Replacements, Husker Du, Pixies, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr in the US, as well as stuff like The Cure and The Smiths overseas. These groups were not dominating the billboard charts obviously but they were more successful than most underground bands. At the time I imagine REM or The Cure (both of whom had already released some quite poppy songs) would've seemed like a more obvious choice than Nirvana to make alt rock fully mainstream. Was Bleach-era Nirvana seen as on par with these groups? Just how big was the spike in attention Nirvana (along with Pearl Jam, RHCP etc) experienced in 1991 compared to what the bigger alternative acts from the 80s were accustomed to?

reddit.com
u/Other_One397 — 15 hours ago

[Thursday] General Discussion - 21 May 2026

Talk about anything, music related or not! Or if you want to discuss music, check out the daily music discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.

Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, or discuss recent album releases. If you want to discover some indiehead bands, browse our archives from the Battle of the Bands.

reddit.com
u/AutoModerator — 6 hours ago

[Wednesday] Daily Music Discussion - 20 May 2026

Talk about anything music related that doesn't need its own thread. This thread is not for discussion that is tangentially music related; that belongs in the general discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.

Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, or discuss recent album releases. If you want to discover some indiehead bands, browse our archives from the Battle of the Bands.

reddit.com
u/AutoModerator — 1 day ago

New Music Friday: May 15th, 2026

New Music Friday is the weekly thread dedicated to cataloging all the Album/EP releases that came out this week, including non-subreddit relevant releases. This is also a great place to discuss these albums, or bring to attention other albums released this week.

>❓ "this seems intriguing after a cursory look"

>⭐ "im interested in this for one reason or another"

>❤️ "ive been waiting for weeks, months/i'm absolutely in love with this"


May 15th


❤️ Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE

Label: Ourness

Genre: Post-Punk Revival, Political Hip Hop, Neo-Soul, Dance-Punk Revival

Kevin Morby - Little Wide Open

Label: Dead Oceans

Genre: Folk Rock, Americana, Singer-songwriter

Rostam - American Stories

Label: Matsor

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Indie Folk

Telehealth - Green World Image

Label: Sub Pop

Genre: Post-Punk, Art Punk, Synth Punk

Jeff Parker ETA IVtet - Happy Today

Label: International Anthem

Genre: Jazz Fusion, Spiritual Jazz

Spencer Krug - Same Fangs

Label: Pronounced Kroog

Genre: Chamber Pop, Indie Folk

Dua Saleh - Of Earth & Wires

Label: Ghostly

Genre: Contemporary R&B, Alt-Pop

Eluvium - Virga III

Label: Temporary Residence

Genre: Ambient, Drone

Vinyl Williams - Star Harmony

Label: n/a

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia, Dream Pop

nara's room - tearless, thoughtless

Label: Mtn Laurel

Genre: Indie Rock

Johnny Dynamite - Helpline

Label: Born Losers

Genre: Indie Pop

Fake Dust - Decrepitizing Din Of The Cerebral Psyopticon

Label: Iron Lung

Genre: Grindcore, Deathgrind

Smerz - Easy EP

Label: Escho

Genre: Hypnagogic Pop, Alternative R&B

Charlie Chimi - Disco Chimi

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie

Touch Girl Apple Blossom - Graceful

Label: Perennial

Genre: Twee Pop, Slacker Rock, Jangle Pop

Shakey Graves - Fondness, Etc.

Label: Dualtone

Genre: Contemporary Folk, Singer-songwriter

Super Sometimes - Show the World What's Underneath

Label: Pure Noise

Genre: Pop Punk

New Constellations- It Comes In Waves

Label: Nettwerk

Genre: Indietronica, Alt-Pop

The Hoosiers - Compassion

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop

The Spatulas - A Blue Dot

Label: PPM

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop

The Field - Now You Exist

Label: Studio Barnhus

Genre: Ambient Techno, Neo-Psychedelia

Rhododendron - Ascent Effort

Label: The Flenser

Genre: Math Rock, Post-Rock, Post-Hardcore

Porches - MASK

Label: n/a

Genre: Slacker Rock, Slowcore, Indie Folk

Active Child - Active Child

Label: Sony Masterworks

Genre: Art Pop, Dream Pop

I'm Kingfisher - Give Up Together

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Indie Folk

Gozu - Gozu VI

Label: Metal Blade

Genre: Stoner Metal

Jasmine Myra - Where Light Settles

Label: Gondwana

Genre: Cool Jazz, Spiritual Jazz

Farveblind - Micro Pleasures

Label: n/a

Genre: Pop Punk

Tamikrest - Assikel

Label: Glitterbeat

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Tishoumaren

Discovery Zone - Library Copy Do Not Remove

Label: RVNG

Genre: Progressive Electronic

Khun Narin - III

Label: Innovative Leisure

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Molam sing

SUSS - Counting Sunsets

Label: Northern Spy

Genre: Ambient Americana

Sol Monk - Sands Don't Sleep

Label: Raw Tapes

Genre: Deep Funk, Jazz-Funk

New Idea Society - Fire On The Hill

Label: Relapse

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Folk

Held. - GREY

Label: MNRK Heavy

Genre: Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock

Crown Lands - Apocalypse

Label: InsideOut

Genre: Progressive Rock, Hard Rock

1,000,000 HOLY MOTHERS - ABERRANT

Label: n/a

Genre: Doom Metal

Defect Designer - Depressants

Label: Transcending Obscurity

Genre: Progressive Metal, Deathgrind, Tech Death

Dream Drop - blackcastle

Label: n/a

Genre: Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal

Philip Glass & Allen Ginsberg - Allen Ginsberg: One Hundred (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Minimalism

Clem Snide - Turpentine Rags (EP)

Label: Only One on the Mountain

Genre: Alt-Country, Contemporary Folk, Indie Rock

For Breakfast - Longer Than Spring

Label: n/a

Genre: Art Rock

Mad Honey - Bridge Over Cumberland

Label: Deathwish

Genre: Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Slowcore

Ivy Knight - Iron Mountain

Label: Scenic Route

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Indie Folk

Towa Bird - Gentleman

Label: Interscope

Genre: Pop Rock

Sour Worm - old songs to release maybe

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Bleary - Little Brain

Label: yk records

Genre: Dream Pop, Indie Rock

Dermot Henry - Aiming Torches At The Sun (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Alt-Folk

Parra for Cuva - Nacar

Label: n/a

Genre: Downtempo, Tropical House

Mrs. Magician - Spiritual Hangover

Label: Swami

Genre: Indie Rock, Power Pop

Sylvie's Head - Everything is Free

Label: Welfare

Genre: Alternative Dance, Baggy

Jobi Riccio - Face the Feeling

Label: Yep Roc

Genre: Americana, Singer-Songwriter

Kelley Stoltz - If You Don't Know Me

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Psychedelic Pop

Beautiful Hotnes - Tastes Like Filth

Label: n/a

Genre: Industrial, Electro-Industrial, Electroclash

Tyrannus - Mournhold

Label: n/a

Genre: Black Metal, Blackened Crust, Thrash Metal

Orphan Donor - Ailments

Label: Zegema Beach

Genre: Sludge Metal, Noise Rock, Screamo

PawPaw Rod - Picture Day: A PawPaw Rod Album

Label: n/a

Genre: Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul

S.G. Goodman - (Re) Planting by the Signs

Label: Thirty Tigers

Genre: Americana, Singer-songwriter

Nymphlord - Shedding Velvet

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Potionseller - BUZZARD

Label: n/a

Genre: Pop Punk, Emo

Sergeant - Symbols

Label: STROOM

Genre: Art Rock, Dub, Sound Collage

Total Pleasure - Fear Of Passing (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Guitar Pop

Divine Divine - S/T (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Alternative/Indie

Ramsey Thornton - I Called It!

Label: Gar Hole

Genre: Indie Folk, American Primitivism

Olivia Marsh - Paraglider (EP)

Label: Warner Korea

Genre: Contemporary R&B, Alt Pop

Maya J'an - blindfaith county (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Alt-Pop

Julieta Venegas - Norteña

Label: Altafonte

Genre: Norteño, Ranchera, Sierreño

Maluma - Loco X Volver

Label: n/a

Genre: Reggaetón, Latin Pop, Dance-Pop

BNYX® - GENESIS FM

Label: Field Trip

Genre: Pop Rap, Atlanta Bass, Freestyle

Sofia and the Antoinettes - Leaving The House Is A Performance (EP)

Label: Warner

Genre: Alt-Pop

All American Rejects - Sandbox

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Rock, Power Pop

Lord Sko and Statik Selektah - ELEVATOR MUSIC

Label: n/a

Genre: East Coast Hip Hop

Lucki - Drugs R Bad

Label: Empire

Genre: Trap, Plugg

Nick Grant - Smile

Label: n/a

Genre: Conscious Hip Hop, Chipmunk Soul, Pop Rap

Lil Shine - Get Rich Or Die Sippin'

Label: n/a

Genre: PluggnB, Pop Rap

Quando Rondo - Until I Return

Label: n/a

Genre: Trap, Pop Rap

Vic Spencer - Inspire Your Idols

Label: n/a

Genre: Jazz Rap, Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop

BashfortheWorld - Dinero. Dolores y Dios

Label: n/a

Genre: Trap, Southern Hip Hop

Katteyes - DESEO

Label: Rimas

Genre: Reggaetón

Adriel Favela - COBRA

Label: Universal

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

Sech - SECHO GANG

Label: Rimas

Genre: Reggaetón

Chip Fu - Invisible Footsteps (EP)

Label: Fat Beats

Genre: East Coast Hip Hop

Periphery - A Pale White Dot

Label: n/a

Genre: Djent, Metalcore, Alternative Metal

Ital Tek - Mind Abandon

Label: Planet Mu

Genre: Electronic, Darkstep

Port Noir - The Dark We Keep

Label: InsideOut

Genre: Alternative Metal, Djent

Pro-Pain - STONE COLD ANGER

Label: Napalm

Genre: Groove Metal, Thrash Metal

Lost in Separation - Lost In Separation

Label: n/a

Genre: Metal, Alternative Metal

Aeons in Solitude - Black Lumina

Label: n/a

Genre: Gothic Metal

Lorn - Searing Blood

Label: I, Voidhanger

Genre: Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal

Primordial Black - Heterotopia

Label: n/a

Genre: Death Metal, Black Metal

Advent Horizon - Falling Together

Label: Testimony

Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal

Arroganz - Death Doom Punks

Label: n/a

Genre: Death Metal, Black Metal

Desiccation - Legatum Mortuorum

Label: Carbonized

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal, Doom Metal

JUNION - The Golden Citadel of the Astral Sphere

Label: I, Voidhanger

Genre: Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock

Makkmat - Syke Fantasier

Label: n/a

Genre: Grindcore, Powerviolence

We Follow the Earth - Foamdrinker

Label: n/a

Genre: Doom Metal, Sludge Metal

u/VietRooster — 23 hours ago