There’s a New Underground: Since the Old One Went Mainstream
Written By Jacob Finney | 10/21/2025
Back before we had AI, livestreaming apps, or TikTok—before algorithms decided what we see—music promotion was a completely different game. There was a time when even a small post on MySpace, Facebook, Tagged, or MyYearbook could gain traction. Promoting music used to be as simple as uploading a song and sharing it with friends. YouTube was small, views came easier, and artists could organically grow their audience.
What Changed?
Today, self-promotion looks nothing like it did in the early 2000s. To market yourself in 2025, you have to create content—videos, reels, shorts, even stories like this one. The audience that once gathered in clubs and venues is now mostly online. Handing out flyers on the street still works, but it’s not the powerhouse tool it once was.
Performing live has evolved too. You no longer need a venue or tour bus to reach people—you just need a phone and a stable internet connection. Livestreaming platforms like TikTok have become the new stages. Artists can now record songs in front of a live audience, interact with fans, and even perform directly from their home studios.
The New Structure of the Underground
The underground music scene has transformed. Back in the 90s and early 2000s, artists depended on record labels for promotion, artist development, and exposure. Today, those tools are in the artist’s hands. Musicians can build their own brands, release their own press materials, and market their work globally—all without a label.
Independent artists now invest in their own marketing—running ads, creating content, and distributing press releases. They also have the power to release their own music directly through digital distributors such as DistroKid, TuneCore, UnitedMasters, and others—something that once required a label or a major deal. The playing field is global, not local. The “local artist” concept is fading fast. In 2025, every independent artist has a worldwide platform at their fingertips.
The Cultural Shift
But there’s another change—cultural. The underground once stood apart from the mainstream, known for unity, authenticity, and creativity. Now, parts of the underground are beginning to mirror the mainstream’s drama, division, and competition.
Still, a new wave is rising. The Gen Alpha generation is shaping its own underground culture with artists like Ken Carson, Yung Gravy, and Playboi Carti—technically mainstream, yet still carrying that underground spirit.
Meanwhile, the classic underground that shaped Millennials and Gen X gave us names like Insane Clown Posse, Tech N9ne, AMB, MARZ, Esham, Potluck, Twiztid, Bizarre, Brotha Lynch Hung, Mr. Garth Cultivader, and Kottonmouth Kings (before the KMK and Potluck feud). That era built the foundation for what the underground stands for: self-expression without compromise.
The New Underground Begins
The underground today is deeper than ever—hidden beneath algorithms and trends, but thriving in creativity and independence.
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