ryanslist: Top 10 "Indie" Labels

It's time once again for another completely objective (not) list from yours truly. The subject? I suppose the title gave that one away, so we'll move on to defining how I've defined the list:

• How do we define which labels are "indie" labels and which ones aren't? This is a bit more hazy than I expected it to be. There are those labels that are obviously not considered independent because they are prominent members of the RIAA and own almost the entire known world: EMI, Warner Music Group, Sony BMG, and Universal Music Group. Each of those run a number of smaller labels (i.e. Warner Bros., Atlantic, Arista, Interscope, Columbia, RCA, etc.). So we can throw all of those out. Beyond that, there is a bit of a "gray" area. For one, many independent labels are at least partially owned by these major conglomerates (Sub Pop is 49% owned by Warner Music Group), and many more are actually listed as members of the RIAA. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll be up front about the fact that this list is a pretty liberal one: Many of the labels listed on the RIAA's site are there because of marketing and/or distribution deals. So if a label fell into that category or if a major label didn't own a controlling interest, I considered that label fair game. When I wasn't sure I checked with RIAA Radar. Take issue with that if you will.

• How do we actually define which "indie" labels were chosen for the list? This basically came down to a question within a question: Artists or albums? Ultimately I decided to go with albums for one reason: Artists can move from label to label, and at the independent level it seems as though they can just about do that whenever they want (not so amongst the majors). The albums those bands produce, on the other hand, remain with the labels for the entirety of that labels existence (for the most part). So, for me, labels truly will always be defined by the music that they release, not the bands that they are currently home to. I suppose you could base a list off of what bands a label discovered, but that's getting too muddy and time consuming for me.

Speaking of consuming time, I've done too much of that already. I'll list a couple of albums as a short argument for each label, but for the sake of brevity there won't be any all-inclusive lists, and I only listed one album from any particular artist on that label, max. I'm sure many will have problems with the parameters I've set or the arguments I've presented, but so be it; Off we go:

10. Tigerstyle

Know By Heart American Analog Set

A Data Learn The Language Mercury Program

Two Conversations The Appleseed Cast

9. DeSoto

Mission: Control! Burning Airlines

Emergency & I The Dismemberment Plan

This Is The Way It Goes And Goes Juno

8. Touch & Go

Anahata June of 44

Spiderland Slint

Summer in Abaddon Pinback

7. Matador

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain Pavenment

Twin Cinema The New Pornographers

Turn on the Bright Lights Interpol

6. XL

Ratatat Ratatat

The Loon Tapes n' Tapes

Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend

5. Jade Tree

Nothing Feels Good The Promise Ring

Hashin' It Out Euphone

Orange Rhyming Dictionary Jets To Brazil

4. Polyvinyl

American Football American Football

Frame & Canvas Braid

The Californian Sunday's Best

3. Merge

Kill the Moonlight Spoon

Funeral Arcade Fire

Madonna And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

2. Sub Pop

Diary Sunny Day Real Estate

Bleach Nirvana

Our Endless Numbered Days Iron & Wine

Give Up Postal Service

Everything All The Time Band of Horses

1. Dischord

Out of Step Minor Threat

The View From This Tower Faraquet

End Hits Fugazi

Novelty Jawbox

Different Damage Q And Not U

Remember, this is just one know-nothing's opinion. Let's hear your take!