Rough Trade.

A definition of Independent music - Independent music is different from the typical lyrics and notes that appear in a mainstream music record, it is also an artist that is not attached to a major company and it is on its own.
Punk rock era was seen as the birth of independent labels as it allowed any one any where to record music and release it to the rest of the public, punk music was also not been heard on mainstream labels this gave independent labels an advantage over mainstream records.
Web 2.0 is also having the same effect on the music industry as independent labels did during the punk era as web 2.0 is allowing any one to release music on social sites such as myspace and facebook this allows anyone to listen freely to music, sites such as youtube are allowing the public to listen to the music over the internet with out paying for it which means that singles and albums arent doing as well as they use to. The main site that is having the most effect is itunes as it allows people to download music without buy the singles or the album.
Some bands would rather stay with an independent label rather than signing to a major company as independent labels allow them to have a say in what happens to the music they have recorded it also gives them a 50-50 pay as like major record companies. It also allows them to record their own music rather than following codes and conventions which most major record companies do.
Definition of hegemony-Domination, influence, or authority over another, especially by one political group over a society or by one nation over others (e.g.: internationally among nation-states, and regionally over social classes, between languages or even culture). Or Dominance of one social group over another, such that the ruling group or hegemon acquires some degree of consent from the subordinate, as opposed to dominance purely by force.