By Alyssa Noel
Obscure bands signing to small record labels changed the landscape of music and ushered in the indie era. In an essay on the new book, Big Day Coming, I trace the story of Yo La Tengo, and how its scrappy do-it-yourself dedication anticipated today’s music scene. From the dB’s to Dinosaur Jr., here are seven more pioneers of the genre and how they inspired and kickstarted the scene.