h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Indie" Rock today is more than the genre of "alternative" the college rock I listened to before Nirvana made it big. It spans all of the families of Rock and Roll. If a new metal band (they exist!) wants to record, it's higly unlikely that anyone from a mainstream label is going to sign them up. Their most likely route to possible profit is going to be an independent record label. Even if they manage to get signed by a major label, they will usually be dumped by that label and go back to the indies before too much time passes.

The independent and underground scene covers every possible genre, from Alternative, "Old School", neo-metal, and punk to ... whatever. It's hard to label one type of music and see where it finds its exact fit.

You're right, and this relates to the changing definition of "indie" over the years (see my somewhat intemperate rant in the "IGNORE THE ABOVE..." forum.) Independent record releases certainly come in all genres (dance, folk, anything the majors are wary of) but in Britain the term "indie" does tend to denote non-metal rock. All very confusing, I agree.