Bethany Cosentino examines how indie musicians financed their careers in “C.R.E.A.M.”, an episode of 2004: The Year Indie Rock Broke. The discussion connects advertising deals and major-label contracts with the ability to leave day jobs.
Carl Newman of The New Pornographers, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and James Mercer of The Shins discuss when music became their full-time work and the choices that enabled it.
The episode addresses The Shins’ debated McDonald’s commercial and follows Modest Mouse from signing with Epic Records to its 2004 hit “Float On”. Feist describes how a French deal without recoupment obligations led her, almost accidentally, to one of North America’s biggest labels.
Licensing, labels and indie careers
The series examines indie rock’s move from college radio into the mainstream, including New York’s scene after 9/11 and the sounds developing alongside it in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
Its subjects include the record-industry collapse that steered bands toward advertising and television placements, the rise of the iPod, the iTunes Store’s launch, and how blogs and early internet culture could rapidly change bands’ reputations.
Other episodes examine how distrust of major labels encouraged a return to independent infrastructure while festivals and new distribution agreements expanded indie music’s commercial opportunities.
The series also considers how Hollywood music supervisors created opportunities through film and television soundtracks for bands that had lost record-industry investment.
Its licensing examples include The Shins’ McDonald’s placement and Modest Mouse’s appearance on The O.C., alongside debates about commercial compromise.
Other cultural reference points include The O.C.’s Bait Shop, Garden State, Gilmore Girls and Coachella’s early lineups featuring numerous indie acts.
Guests and production credits
Dropbox presents the eight-episode series, produced by Nevermind Media and distributed by Talkhouse, with additional support from Distrokid and Discogs.
Cosentino, a writer, artist and musician from Best Coast, hosts interviews with artists and industry figures. Alongside Gibbard, Mercer and Newman, the interview roster includes:
- Britt Daniel of Spoon, Emily Haines of Metric and Matthew Caws of Nada Surf.
- Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara, Megan Jasper of Sub Pop and Josh Rosenfeld of Barsuk Records.
- Josh Schwartz and Alexandra Patsavas of The O.C., and Helen Pai of Gilmore Girls.
Executive producers are Courtney E. Smith, the writer and journalist who scripted the episodes; Melissa Locker, a writer, journalist and Nevermind Media owner; and Jordan Kurland, the artist manager who originated the series.
Jim Fairchild of Modest Mouse and Grandaddy composed the original score. Poster artist Mike King created the artwork.
Cosentino’s connection to the era
Cosentino said the era and its artists helped inspire her to become a musician, making the hosting invitation an easy decision. Best Coast’s mainstream indie success in 2010 gave her a sense of belonging among those musicians.
She recalled playing with Death Cab for Cutie and sharing festival bills with The Strokes, The New Pornographers and The Walkmen as experiences she had dreamed of at 17.
Cosentino said the podcast deepened her understanding of the artists and period that shaped her musical development, and that she hoped listeners would enjoy its musical and educational return to 2004.
