How Independent Bands Manage

The term "indie" has been used for some time to describe artists of independent music labels. Some very accessible indie-pop bands include Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, and Two Door Cinema Club. However, all are signed to independent music labels. What separates these bands from an actual independent band is that independent bands aren't signed to a music label at all. These bands operate by themselves, figuring out both the musical and financial side of their bands and often having to put in a tremendous amount of work to even be able to continue. An independent band's greatest ally is the internet actually. Being able to use sites like Soundcloud, YouTube, Tumblr, and Bandcamp to be able to release and spread their music for virtually no cost at all. (The real cost is in the production of the actual music the artists are making, which can vary depending on the approach the independent artist takes on recording their music.)
      However, an independent band's greatest challenge is touring. The expenses of touring are massive and more often than not, bands end up having a "tour debt," in which they spend more money than they made during the tour. The tour expenses include production expenses, such as equipment + van rental; living expenses, such as hotel and food; and other miscellaneous expenses, such as gas and parking tolls. These combat with the tour income, which include Ticket sales, merchandise sales, and tour sponsorship. A little sum of money is also gained by digital downloads that may occur during the tour from sites such as iTunes and Amazon, and also streaming fees which amount to very little. Even a band that has planned out every step of a tour will normally end up with a higher tour expense than what they earned during the tour. Smarter & more well known bands will make up for this difference through the money they earn in the side through their music. It's definitely no easy task to manage as a completely independent band, especially since most bands that find themselves unable to manage themselves find it easier to seek the support from perhaps an independent label, or even a major label should they be appealing enough.
        It's safe to say that the effort of completely independent bands tends to go unnoticed, but it's also amazing how the new age of social media has enabled a rise in more independent bands, especially since the distribution of digital music online seems to be much more interactive with today's popular social music media.