Indie music thrives on creativity and innovation, where artists break conventions and push boundaries.

While mainstream acts dominate the charts, many rising indie musicians are crafting genre-defying, emotionally rich, and groundbreaking music.

Here are 20 underrated indie artists spanning various styles, each bringing something fresh to the industry.

1.🔥 Anatole Muster (Switzerland) – Jazz Fusion & Electronic

Anatole Muster is redefining contemporary jazz with his accordion-infused, electronic soundscapes. Born in Switzerland, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, blending his love for traditional jazz with experimental production. Influenced by legends like Herbie Hancock and George Duke, he has collaborated with artists like Tennyson, Kiefer, and Louis Cole. His albums Wonderful Now and Hopecore showcase his ability to merge jazz with electronic textures.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

2.🎻 Laufey (Iceland) – Jazz & Classical Fusion

Laufey Lín Bīng Jónsdóttir merges jazz, classical, and indie pop into a nostalgic yet fresh sound. Growing up in Reykjavík, her mother—a professional violinist—instilled in her a deep appreciation for classical music, while jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald shaped her artistry. Laufey studied at Berklee College of Music and gained viral fame by reintroducing jazz to younger audiences through TikTok. Her albums Everything I Know About Love and Bewitched modernize jazz with storytelling elegance.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

3.✍️ Arlo Parks (UK) – Poetic Indie Soul

Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho, known as Arlo Parks, grew up in London absorbing literature and poetry. Raised in a multicultural household, she found solace in writing, inspired by Sylvia Plath and Haruki Murakami. Her introspective lyrics and soulful melodies made her Collapsed in Sunbeams a Mercury Prize-winning success. Her latest album, My Soft Machine, continues her deeply personal storytelling, making her one of the most emotionally resonant voices in indie soul.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

4.🌙 Men I Trust (Canada) – Dreamy Indie Pop

Founded in Quebec City in 2014, Men I Trust blends smooth basslines, ethereal vocals, and mellow indie pop. Friends Jessy Caron and Dragos Chiriac initially formed the band as a jazz group but shifted to indie, later recruiting singer Emmanuelle Proulx. Their DIY approach has garnered them cult status, with albums Oncle Jazz and Untourable Album showcasing their hypnotic, immersive sound.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

5.🌸 Japanese Breakfast (USA) – Experimental Indie Rock

Michelle Zauner, the force behind Japanese Breakfast, infuses her Korean-American heritage and personal experiences into her music. Raised in Oregon, Zauner’s struggles with identity shaped both her albums and her bestselling memoir Crying in H Mart. Blending shoegaze, synth-pop, and dreamlike indie rock, her albums Soft Sounds from Another Planet and Jubilee showcase profound emotional depth.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

6.🎸 Tom Misch (UK) – Jazz & Funk-Infused Indie

London-born Tom Misch grew up in a musical household, developing a passion for jazz guitar early on. He gained a following through SoundCloud before releasing his debut album Geography, blending funk grooves and jazz-inspired riffs. His collaboration with Yussef Dayes on What Kinda Music further showcased his improvisational mastery.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

7.☁️ Clairo (USA) – Lo-Fi Indie Pop

Claire Cottrill, known as Clairo, is a Massachusetts-born artist whose DIY production and soft vocals redefined lo-fi indie pop. She gained viral fame with Pretty Girl, showcasing her raw, bedroom-recorded sound. With influences from Elliott Smith and The Beatles, Clairo evolved from lo-fi aesthetics to folk-inspired indie rock, as heard in her albums Immunity and Sling. Her authenticity and effortless songwriting continue to shape modern indie music.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

8.🌿 Faye Webster (USA) – Alt-Country & Indie Folk

Raised in Atlanta, Faye Webster’s music seamlessly blends indie folk with country influences. Her family’s deep ties to bluegrass inspired her early songwriting, but her time spent in the city introduced her to Atlanta’s hip-hop scene, influencing her smooth and melancholic storytelling. Albums like Atlanta Millionaires Club and I Know I’m Funny haha showcase her ability to merge genres while keeping a laid-back, introspective sound.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

9.🖤 King Krule (UK) – Dark Jazz & Post-Punk

Archy Marshall, better known as King Krule, grew up in London surrounded by creative influences. His deeply brooding voice and fusion of jazz, punk, and experimental rock have earned him a cult following. His albums 6 Feet Beneath the Moon and The OOZ delve into themes of isolation, depression, and gritty urban life, making his music both haunting and immersive.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

10.🌹 The Marias (USA) – Latin-Infused Indie Pop

Puerto Rican-born María Zardoya and LA-based drummer Josh Conway formed The Marias in 2016, quickly capturing attention with their dreamy indie pop infused with Latin rhythms. Their bilingual lyrics and cinematic production create an immersive listening experience. Their album Cinema is filled with hypnotic melodies that transport listeners into a warm, sultry atmosphere.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

11.🌊 Samia (USA) – Indie Rock & Folk

Born into a theatrical family in New York, Samia Finnerty found her way into songwriting early. Her music is deeply personal, tackling themes of love and loss with haunting vocals and poetic lyrics. Her albums The Baby and Honey showcase her raw emotion and introspective approach, placing her among indie rock’s rising stars.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

12.🎙️ Dijon (USA) – Soulful Indie R&B

Dijon Duenas grew up in Maryland and began making music that blended indie folk with R&B influences. His stripped-down production and emotive vocal delivery make his music feel deeply intimate. His debut album Absolutely highlights his ability to create raw, emotionally charged soundscapes.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

13.🌟 Beabadoobee (UK) – Nostalgic Indie Rock

Born in the Philippines and raised in London, Beatrice Laus (Beabadoobee) grew up listening to 90s grunge and alternative rock, which heavily influenced her sound. She started writing music as a teenager and found viral success with Coffee. Her albums Fake It Flowers and Beatopia capture both raw rebellion and dreamy nostalgia, solidifying her place in the indie rock revival.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

14.⚽ Soccer Mommy (USA) – Dreamy Indie Rock

Sophie Allison, known as Soccer Mommy, was raised in Nashville, where she absorbed the city’s rich musical history. She started posting music on Bandcamp and quickly gained traction. Her albums Clean and Color Theory explore themes of identity, heartbreak, and self-doubt with dreamy yet melancholic melodies.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

15.🎭 Sault (UK) – Mysterious Genre-Blending Collective

Sault remains one of indie’s greatest mysteries—an anonymous UK collective blending soul, funk, and indie rock with politically charged themes. Their albums Untitled (Rise) and Nine tackle racial injustice, identity, and resilience. Their refusal to participate in traditional music promotion has only heightened their allure.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

16.🦵 Wet Leg (UK) – Playful Indie Rock

Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers formed Wet Leg on the Isle of Wight, blending post-punk energy with witty storytelling. Their breakthrough single Chaise Longue gained viral attention, and their debut album continues their mix of humor and sharp musicality. Their carefree attitude has made them one of indie’s freshest acts.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

17.🔮 Yves Tumor (USA) – Experimental Indie & Electronic

Sean Lee Bowie, known as Yves Tumor, blends electronic, rock, and neo-psychedelic sounds into a genre-defying experience. Originally from Miami, they moved to Europe, embracing avant-garde experimentation. Their albums Safe in the Hands of Love and Heaven to a Tortured Mind showcase their ability to push musical conventions.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

18.🌾 Big Thief (USA) – Folk-Infused Indie Rock

Led by Adrianne Lenker, Big Thief creates deeply personal indie folk, shaped by her upbringing in Minnesota. The band was formed in Brooklyn, and their albums Masterpiece and U.F.O.F. are praised for their emotionally raw storytelling. Their ability to craft poetic and haunting music sets them apart in the folk-rock scene.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

19.🍧 Helado Negro (USA) – Latin-Inspired Indie Electronic

Roberto Carlos Lange, known as Helado Negro, grew up in Florida, blending his Ecuadorian heritage with electronic and folk influences. His bilingual songwriting and ambient production create immersive soundscapes, as heard in This Is How You Smile and Far In. His work explores themes of identity and cultural roots.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

20.🎧 Bartees Strange (USA) – Indie Rock & Hip-Hop Fusion

Born in England and raised in Oklahoma, Bartees Strange blends indie rock, hip-hop, and jazz seamlessly. His time spent in hardcore bands influenced his versatility, leading to albums like Live Forever and Farm to Table, which challenge genre boundaries. His music redefines indie’s scope, proving that fluidity is a strength.

🔗 Website

🖼️ Instagram

Final Thoughts 💫

Indie music is full of groundbreaking artists waiting to be discovered. These 20 musicians blend styles, defy genres, and redefine creativity, proving that the indie scene is one of the most exciting spaces in modern music. Time to dive into their work! 🎶

#IndieRevolution 🎶 #NewWaveMusic 🌊 #GenreBlending 🔄 #ArtistFreedom ✨ #UnderratedTalent 🚀