Russophone or Anglophone? The Politics of Identity in Contemporary Russian Indie Music

Abstract

This article reveals the connections between Russian nationalism and Russian indie music. It argues that indie trendsetters’ views on music converge, perhaps unconsciously, with the state’s promotion of an assertive nationalism and its cultural implications, following the same politically inspired defensive mechanisms. In support of this argument, the article analyses the reaction by some music intermediaries in public discourse in the 2010s to the popularity of Russian Anglophone bands in local settings. The article thus reconceptualises the relationship between indi and politics in Russia since the Pussy Riot affair in 2012.