Independent record labels and their often implicit relationship with major labels are one of the themes investigated in this historical retrospective through exploratory research with bibliographic review that addresses the musical landscape in which independent artists are embedded. Due to the complexity and breadth of the topic of independent production in the music industry, it was chosen to explore not only the structure of independent record labels but also the nature of independent scenes themselves. For this purpose, categories such as "independent artist," "artist direct" (Mulligan, Mark, 2021), and "artist entrepreneur" (Cerqueira, 2018) will be addressed. Furthermore, the importance of the contemporary connection between independent artists and the consumer market for songs through social networks will be highlighted, as they have become an important channel for the dissemination and promotion of their works. This work arises from the close relationship of one of the authors of the article with independent music production, being himself a artist direct who seeks to understand the challenges and opportunities that permeate this ever-changing musical universe.