What Being an Indie Music Artist is Really About...

Being an indie artist has its benefits as well as its drawbacks, which is not up for debate and cannot be denied. That said, being an indie artist, band, or otherwise gives you artistic freedoms that you may or may not get with a major label and its marketing machine. I’ll explain it from my own experience in the music biz, which may resonate with your story or be completely different.

Like most indie artists—though not all—at one point early in your career, you were probably chasing that major label deal, dreaming of recording in pro-caliber studios with an A-list producer and their top-notch engineers. Of course, you were. It sounds like a dream: talented people working with you to create the best possible record with the best songs you’re writing at the time. Then the marketing team gets behind this amazing new record you’ve made, but they might have a few ideas of their own. From my seat in the songwriter section, I saw things unfold in ways that didn’t sit right with me, not in any way that had to do with the music. There were meetings with management, lawyers, and others, all trying to advise you on what’s best for you, even though they don’t really know you. Without diving into too much detail, some of the things I saw and heard turned my stomach and tore at my soul. The marketing team is just doing their job, I get it. Their job is to groom you with a “look” and fit you into a box to sell you as a product that fits in a specific section of the music grocery aisle.

To me, there’s more than one way to approach art or commerce, just as there are many ways to sing a song or strum a chord. For me, I had to walk away from that situation, regroup, and ask myself what my true desires were and what I was trying to achieve. The answer was clear then and still resonates strongly in my bones today: I’ve always just wanted to be a working musician, playing the music I believe in, that fulfills me and that I want to play.

So, after gathering my thoughts, desires, and dreams, I decided the indie artist route might be the best approach for me and the songs I write. I say it like I had a choice, but really, I had no choice—I’m a songwriter, damn it. Yes, it would be nice to have the support of a major label machine behind you, but you can still make the music you want without it. That’s the true and beautiful thing about being an indie artist. With some planning and a lot of hard work, you can make the records you want to make, sing and write the songs you want to sing and write. No one is telling you what your art is supposed to be or what box you’re supposed to fit into.

For me, I could never let myself be put in a box or confined to one specific thing. I love all kinds of music—rock, country, blues, jazz, punk, crooners, divas, you name it. My only criterion is that it’s good and it moves me. It makes me smile, cry, laugh, think, or not think at all—just feel alive the way I want to feel alive.

So, how do you go about this indie recording thing? I can only answer this from the perspective of a singer/songwriter/guitarist and an indie label owner (Word Song Records and Stomp Records), the two labels I started to put my music out there.

Let’s say you’re in an indie band or a solo artist, and you want to record a single, EP, or album. The first thing you need to do is write the songs and rehearse the hell out of them. As an indie artist, you won’t have a lot of money, so you don’t want to waste time in the studio trying to figure out musical parts, harmonies, or tempos that should’ve been sorted out beforehand. I’m not saying you should come into the studio and play like robots—just that you should know the song and have a strong idea of where it’s going and what sounds you want to hear. Here’s a tip: the better you know the song, the looser you can play it, and the more you can play with it.

If you’re playing gigs around town, talk to other musicians and find out where they’ve recorded. Ask if they liked the vibe, how much it cost, how the engineers were, and what you get for the money. Were they happy with the finished album? Ask how they got along with the studio staff, but the biggest question is, “Would you go back there and record again?” I can tell you from personal experience that I’ve recorded in some fantastic studios with superb engineers, but there are some studios I won’t use again because of the vibe created by certain staff members. For me, the vibe is everything when creating art of any kind. Also, ask around about who to use for mastering your record—this is important stuff, the final step to any great record, and it shouldn’t be overlooked.

You’ve now recorded your song, EP, or album, and it’s time to get it out there. In today’s world, you’ll likely need to think about making a decent video for social media, along with short video clips. Then there’s the question: “Do I press vinyl, CDs, or just go digital?” That’s a question only you can answer. Find out the cost of pressing these options and ask yourself if you, as an indie solo artist or band, can sell enough to cover the manufacturing costs and at least break even. If you can sell enough to make a profit, now that’s an exciting time. That gives you some cash to use as you like—make more records, invest in social media, grow your fan base, or, heck, blow it like some rock stars do!

For me, doing what you love and having the freedom of choice is paramount to one’s well-being. I’ve put in more hours than I care to count into my music, and I’ve loved just about every minute of it. There are always ups, downs, and sideways turns, but that’s life as we know it. I’m fortunate to have a great band and true friends I’ve been making albums with for many years. No one tells me or us what to play, what to sing, what to write, which songs go on the record, or what the cover art should be. As an indie artist, I’m in control of all those things. Yes, it can be overwhelming at times, but it’s also fulfilling. With the talents I have, I just want to write the best songs I can, with the best lyrics I can, and sing and play them to the best of my abilities. To me, that’s what being an indie artist is all about: doing what you want to do.

Now, with Outside Within (2025), that indie spirit is alive and well. Recorded live at Hipposonic Studios—formerly Little Mountain, where legends cut their teeth—we laid down 18 songs in just 7 hours on a Saturday, with me adding acoustic overdubs the very next day. Bill Buckingham mastered the tracks, locking in the raw energy of Rob Blackburn, John Werner, and Mark Gruft in the room. The 12-song album, released on Word Song Records, roars from the Tom Petty-inspired “Courage Comes”—written in a flash after a Terry Fox-inspired morning and captured in just two takes—to the gritty pulse of “Graveyard Trees” and the soulful lift of “Tell the World.” It’s me at my most unfiltered—heartland rock meets lived-in stories, all cut in one blazing weekend to keep it real and unpolished.

The response has been electric, with “Courage Comes” winning hearts and the “Discover Me” video climbing past 10K views. Next up, we’re bringing this fire to the Coho Festival on September 7 at Ambleside Beach. Swing by grahambrownsongs.com for the full album, videos, and merch—and grab “Courage Comes” as a free download. The road ahead’s got more twists, and I can’t wait to take you along for the ride.

Wishing you all the best success, with love and laughter coming your way.

Cheers, GB

The COHO Festival

September 7, 2025, 1:30–2:30 p.m.Ambleside Park Main Stage

Register Now