The Cassette in 1980s Indie Music Scenes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23026174 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rob Drew (Saginaw Valley State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 138-152 |
| Publication date | 2019-05-04 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Rock Music Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1940-1159 • E-ISSN: 1940-1167 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/19401159.2019.1596597 |
| OpenAlex | W4248912424 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 7 |
The cassette format took on three central functions within 1980s independent music (indie) in the United States: It served as a means of connection among musicians, facilitated the process of auditioning, and allowed formal distribution through cassette-only releases. In all these capacities, the cassette served simultaneously as an instrument of diffusion and as a token of intimacy and community, values essential to indie’s self-image. In turn, indie highlighted the commercial potential and interpersonal resonance of the cassette format, helping to save the cassette from its reputation as a facilitator of piracy. At the same time, the cassette forced indie scenes to acknowledge the limits of their communitarian ethos.
Art · Digital era · Ethos · Facilitator · Indie film · Political science · Reputation · Visual arts · World Wide Web · Cinema and Media Studies · Computer Science · Law · Music History and Culture · Theater, Performance, and Music History
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |