What is Underground?

[aaron altar]

It's simply music that the masses are usually unaware of and doesn't have any marketing pushing it. Truthfully it's a rather subjective term, listen to what you like and learn to dig for the best of it.

[photojojo]

Doing what's not popular. Not because it's not popular, but because you like it.

[backtothefront]

Underground isn't only just in reference to music, it's also an ideal, a scene (of sorts) and a frame of mind. IMO today's "edm" scene in America has little or nothing to do with the underground dance movement. In fact, I'd say it's the absolute antithesis of it.

Bravo, well said, my thoughts exactly.

[enorjy]

I know the current edm has nothing to do with it. but with music being relatively online accessible, isnt the underground music thing kind of in a grey area?

[Patch]

If you don't know what is underground, you don't need to know.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, mate. If someone asks you to play some "underground sh*t", call 'em a dick and tell 'em to fuck off.

[Eliot Han]

Underground isn't only just in reference to music, it's also an ideal, a scene (of sorts) and a frame of mind. IMO today's "edm" scene in America has little or nothing to do with the underground dance movement. In fact, I'd say it's the absolute antithesis of it.

also depends how far you look ... there is still an underground scene in the US (I can vouch for LA at least), we don't go around promoting it as much as the mainstream EDM has, but trust me underground is still very much alive.

[mostapha]

Doing what's not popular. Not because it's not popular, but because you like it.

That's the part the Hipsters missed.

[enorjy]

also depends how far you look ... there is still an underground scene in the US (I can vouch for LA at least), we don't go around promoting it as much as the mainstream EDM has, but trust me underground is still very much alive.

that looked sick

[LmnLm3]

If you don't know what is underground, you don't need to know.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, mate. If someone asks you to play some "underground sh*t", call 'em a dick and tell 'em to fuck off.

I don't mean this in an offensive way, but I think this is pretty on the nose - if you don't understand, nobody can explain it to you I honestlly feel like that's what makes it so valuable to those who subscribe to that life.

As far as music, anything that goes along with true non-conformity and freedom (thinking of RATM, etc) or anything popular amongst said circles would qualify - it's not a specific "genre" of music, but more of a quality that a music CAN have. Like a metadata tag on an MP3. Just because a song can be played in a main-room house setting does not disqualify it from being a true underground song. Same with the people - hitting up the main room of a big club doesn't get your "underground membership card" revoked. (I think this is the other thing that hipsters missed the point on...)

[boarderbas]

Underground is underground as long as it's not labelled underground.