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Underground music refers to a variety of sub-genres or groups who work clandestinely or undercover, as opposed to the mainstream or trend. In India the mainstream includes typically anything to do with the Bollywood or anything that involves ripping off classic favorites. Anyone singing original compositions in English or doing anything that does not fit in the “Bollywood” bill is termed as underground. They perform in small venues and their only source of promotion would incorporate cheap media like college radio or commercial radio or by word of mouth.

The style of underground music comprises music right from the psychedelic hippie music of the 60s to the punk rock from the 90s and the hip hop of this millennium. Although underground music refers to different musical genres it is also believed that they often deal with common beliefs or values like appreciation of nature, love etc. Certain categories of underground music are completely hidden and are far off from the hands of the community. Certain underground music groups in course of time may change their square from not being a part of the mainstream to going public and getting rid of the “underground music” tag like certain hip hop bands of the 80s eventually became popular. However then there are others who never left their non-mainstream roots.

In the 2000s due to the increasingly availability of the internet and a variety of digital technologies it became easier for underground music groups to promote their music more efficiently and effectively. Today even underground musicians can get their music across to a world wide audience easily through Myspace or Face book. A recent mail I received stated that today underground music has in fact became the new trend or the new mainstream and has been giving a tough competition to the official mainstream music at most cafés. Bands and DJs are now producing and promoting their own music and selling their CDs thus gaining hardcore fans with every gig. A few days ago I also came across this website called “income” which promotes various underground music groups.

However it definitely involves a lot of risk. But at the same time underground music has a lot of advantages as well as under:

• Provides a strong base or opportunity for new comers and the only priority is to be agile enough.
• Provides a great and promising platform for qualified musicians who have no god-father in the industry to pull them up.
• Once these bands are gain popularity they are viewed through rose tinted glasses by people and they have a great fan following.
• These underground musicians sometimes tend to be in more demand than even film stars.

Moreover it leaves a lot of scope to new and budding musicians of high caliber. It is only a matter of time before this so-called underground scene becomes a part of the national mainstream consciousness.