This book explores Russian independent music – nezavisimaia muzyka – in a time of profound transformations in Russian society, looking especially at the mutual influence between music and the socio-political context in which it was created. Contrary to what is commonly believed, the book argues that nezavisimaia muzyka, as a widespread form of non-state-sponsored culture, was not necessarily oppositional to the Russian state, but rather rooted in identity quests that overlapped with some aspects of the official narrative and at the same time mocked, disrupted and refashioned others.

The book demonstrates that Russian independent music is considerably more than the creation, appreciation and dissemination of sounds: that to participate in the scene is to participate in the construction of cultural legitimacy, imagined communities and national identity, involving values that can be cosmopolitan, ‘westernising’, conservative, supposedly ‘Russian’ and, often, a mixture of all these. In addition, the book examines Russian independent music’s interaction with Western music and assesses its successes and failures in conquering a niche in foreign markets.

A rich and fascinating journey into Russian independent music culture, this book will be of interest to scholars of Russian literature, media, culture and politics, popular music, sociology, national identity and Russia-West relations.