This early underground scene was carried forward in a similar fashion during the punk of the late seventies with a different agenda but carried a similar aesthetic, ie, in small venues, voiced opinions both political and social in fanzines and independent records sold to dedicated and often localised audiences. All were non-commercial unless they transformed otherwise, which was often accompanied by the phrase "sell out".
It was repeated in later decades with disco records created by nightclub DJ's, hip hop "from the streets" and heavy metal.
It's probably fare to say the heavy metal underground is still the largest community. To support that view take one look at the metal underground website with over a 1000 groups registered from around the world and few you will have heard or heard of.
In April this year new psychedelic rock groups appeared in strong numbers at a festival in Austin Texas, few of which would be heard commercially.
Independent record labels dealing in nothing but vinyl for a particular genre appear to be growing due to internet availability and that may be making a level playing field of anything that's been seen as underground in the past. One click and an entire sub-genre opens up. No word of mouth required.
".. music now transmitted laterally and collaboratively via the internet. You once had a series of gatekeepers in the adoption of a trend: the innovator, the early adopter, the late adopter, the early mainstream, the late mainstream, and finally the conservative. But now it goes straight from the innovator to the mainstream."
The Independent.
Alternatively you're quite likely to find a piece of music on YouTube made with all the same credibility as anything Underground in previous decades but has only a small amount of plays due to it not having been found.
It appears the underground today is so vast it's just a matter of whether you've clicked the link.
Here's The Black Angels - 18 Years.
Genre : New Psychedelic rock, Garage rock, (use to be Underground)
