The pros and cons of having an indie artist obsession

Being a fan of the most ambiguous bands you’ve never heard of, I spent most of my high school years chasing after British alternative artists in Brooklyn and waiting for 1:00am trains home at Grand Central.

There are many things I love about my taste in music, from getting to introduce others to the greatest songs they never knew existed to the surprisingly cheap merch, but there are just as many drawbacks for a young hipster.

Pro: Concert prices

Thanks to your obscure taste in music, you just spent $20 on a ticket to see one of your favorite bands perform front row instead of spending $75 to see Elton John sing Levon from the nosebleed seats at Madison Square Garden for your dad’s birthday.

The tickets for a relatively unknown artist or group typically go for less than $45 – even on resale sites they’re rarely more than $60. That means that it won’t break the bank to go have a once in a lifetime experience, something all broke college kids can surely appreciate.

Con: 18 or 21+ venues

Now this is no longer an issue for most college students, but if you are truly committed to the indie life, you encountered this trial at some point in your music-appreciating career. That time when you just really wanted to see James Bay perform in Boston in 2014, but realized you were only 16 and it was a 21+ venue, yeah we’ve all been there.

This age restriction made your 15-17 years a massive struggle, but the time always came when the artist became popular enough to sell out a larger venue in Philly or SoHo, finally allowing you to experience them in person. A bittersweet moment for your artist and their growing fan base.

Pro: …18 or 21+ venues

As you grew older, this restriction became a true blessing, meaning you could enjoy your favorite band in concert without artsy 15-year-olds in black jeans with rips at the knees and chokers, accompanied by their crabby parents. And, eventually, you’d even be able to drink in peace at a 21+ concert surrounded by other true “adults” pretending they were nursing something more serious than a rum and coke while enjoying the show.

Posing with the trash at Barclays Center because, well, we are trash

Con: Lack of availability

Having an obscure taste in music has its accessibility challenges as well. This means that some of the more mainstream music streaming apps don’t even carry your favorite band’s latest album. Not that you’re above illegally downloading the new music anyway.

Pro: But when you do have to pay…

Since no one knows who the band even is and can’t name a single song, when you do chose to fork over some money for their new music, it is rarely very expensive. While more mainstream artists can sell their albums for $30, and $1.29 per individual song, more indie artists are much cheaper. Most songs are $0.69 with the whole album only costing around $20 max.

Jack Antonoff channeling Billy Joel much?

Con: The hipster stigma

There’s this stigma around indie artists and their devotees, and I’m here to break it down for you. Yes, we do live in our Doc Martens and mom jeans come Fall, and our wardrobes primarily consist of black, but that isn’t to say we don’t appreciate America’s Top 40 Hits and don’t definitely jam out to the latest Meghan Trainor song (Me Too is probably the most important song of 2016, let’s be real).

We occasionally brag about our different tastes in music, but to be honest, the way I found my favorite obscure, alternative band was through One Direction. So think again next time you judge your neighborhood hipster.

Refusing to let the cold ruin your aesthetic

Pro: Enlightening others

This is hands-down the best part of having a “different” taste in music, being able to introduce others to your favorite artists. Virtually every group my sister follows currently, are simply artists I forced her to listen to in the car when she was driving and I had gained control of the aux cord. Playing Chance the Rapper on repeat until your sister can rap along is quite the accomplishment. Being able to text your best friend and say,”You need to listen to this song right now,” and watching that song appreciation blossom into a full-fledged fangirl just warms my cold heart.

Snapchat filter goals

So here’s to all of the late night train rides, waits in line where your legs shine red through your black tights due to the wind chill (sometimes sacrifices need to be made to maintain an aesthetic), and every time you had to say “You’ve never heard of them,” whenever someone asks who sings the song playing.

Having a taste for independent and downright random music has helped me meet some of my favorite people, introduced me to songs that help for any mood, and shaped me into the bad-ass emo bitch I am today. Thanks Matty Healy, I owe it all to you.