Well do ya, pun … err, hipster? CNN had teased this exposé, but the time has come to see if “you have what it takes to walk the walk and talk the talk in the indie scene, a scene that thrives on snobbery and does not look kindly on newbies.” We have no idea what the fuck these Johnny-come-latelys are going on about, but if you’re curious, take CNN.com’s Indie Cred quiz.
Tune in, if only for their responses to yours. (Correctly answering the Jenny in The Wizard question elicits: “Jenny Lewis also plays in the band Rilo Kiley”!) Our experimental clicking lead to a 3/10 score, earning us this profundity:
Poser alert! Better fill up your Netflix queue with recommended selections from their independent section and beg your local record shop clerk to clue you in on need-to-know bands and albums.
But they forgot to ask one question, so we’ll pose it for them. Fill in the blank: People who use CNN.com to test their indie cred are…
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%s1 / %s2
…insecure kids that need some sort of acceptance.
clueless, but just having some fun.
using stereogum to hate on cnn’s indie quiz:
snobbery
regular Stereogum/GorillaVsBear/MyOldKyBlog/Etc. readers
Loser. I got 4 out of 10.
..the foundation of an empire built on their own blood?
Because listening to innocuous, inoffensive singer-songwriter drivel is soooo rebellious…
concerned about politics AND theie self image.
so shrewd and savvy(!)
I got 4 right, so I’m Moderately Down… The quiz certainly didn’t take into consideration my Panic! At The Disco t-shirt.
If there was mention of Curb your Enthusiasm then I would be satisfied.
… also watch fox news.
i thought the picture of moz kinda looked like joaquin phoenix. walk the line 2? except with the smiths and now johnny cash, ya know? ugh.
What the hell! I sat there and it takes like 15 minutes for the page to reload after each question.
What a waste of time.
CNN is miserable any way that you roll the dice.
… do not have indie cred
…people who don’t have indie cred, sorry about making a sentence that makes no sense there
GOO! I thought the exact same thing when I saw that Moz picture.
This is so gay
waiting in line to buy k-fed concert tickets right this moment.
Jaybronis to the maximus.
God cred? I thought this was going to be another Sufjan post.
…going to a legitimate news source to learn about a popular culture TREND. There’s nothing special about indie. It must suffer the same way all other ideas do that gain popularity. Those people at CNN are just trying to do their job.
“People who use CNN.com to test their indie cred are… ” slightly better then people who use quizuni verse to tell them what kind of x-man character they are. but only SLIGHTLY. (i got a four.)
i got god cred.
I got 9 out of 10. Looks like I should start a blog. That is the next step right?
ya’ll are just mad cause you didn’t score a 5/10 like i did. cnn thinks i should “keep doing what i’m doing.” boo-ya.
jesus, that was 8 kinds of retarded and 14 kinds of stupid all mixed together and baked into a cake.
I love their comments! its like for reassurance, Yes, sweetie, Rilo Kiley, good job!
i see the pic of stephin merritt up there…i’m guessing that’s anderson cooper’s doing.
what the hell, CNN is not indie, how are they experts on if your indie or not! too funny! that said, I too got 3/10. sad. or not.
I’m not sure how opinion based answers reveal indie cred. I thought the whole thing was about being able to argue vehemently about how one band or another has been more influential, with obscurity usually winning out, as the people in the discussion could then feel more self-important and aware of the ‘scene.’
I kept clicking things while waiting for the page to load and ended up with this:
You got 18 out of 10 correct on your first attempt.
Poser alert! Better fill up your Netflix queue with recommended selections from their independent section and beg your local record shop clerk to clue you in on need-to-know bands and albums.
Indie cred or not..Jenny Lewis continues to have a nice rack…is Kevin Smith really indie? God ..is he a dick…
7 out of 10.
i got 5/10 and i was TRYING to be really indie. i clicked on SXSW for the vacation when i’d rather go hiking.
what Smashing pumpkins video did they direct?
… very bad in bed.
This is really insulting. It’s just built on stereotypes. Think about if they did this with “do you have street cred?” and then all the questions were black stereotypes, like about selling crack or beating someone up for their Air Force Ones. But, yeah, Jenny Lewis has an amazing rack.
I got 7 right and i’m still only moderately down. What does it take, man?
… currently working at CNN.
Is indie about to get co-opted?
7 out of 10 – it helped I went to school with Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Ferris
3/10 AND I don’t even recognize the guy in the top right photo above. I knew that was Stephin Merritt below – that counts for something, right? And Dayton & Ferris directed the Smashing Pumpkins video for that bombastic, pretentious SP tune – what was it called? You know, the one with the irritating, nasally vocals… I’m not narrowing it down much, am I… “Tonight, Tonight” – that’s the one? Right?
Indie cred? what the fuck does that mean? You people are retarded.
People who use CNN.com to test their indie cred are…clutching at straws.
I like how it’s a “Special Report”. Given the shite quality of this thing it looks like CNN is about as inept at reporting on cultural trends as they are at covering any sort of substantial news.
does anyone else think this reeks of the media attention that was given to the Seattle scene/”grunge” explosion of the early ’90s?
Well…Bottle Rocket IS the best Wes Anderson film. That quiz was lame, but I like quizes so I took it anyway. 3 out of 10…riiiight.
Clearly the person who wrote and is scoring this survey hasn’t much clue as to what’s really going on in the indie scene. Otherwise the questions would have been a lot more interesting and required true knowledge of these artists. That’s a bit ironic, don’t you think?
I definitely agree with the kid below who said it’s all based on stereotypes, any person with true indie cred will see right through this. Come on, your best Jenny question is that she was in The Wizard? Not only does everyone know that, but she also hates to be associated with her film past and, as anyone with indie cred would know, would despise that question being asked about her.
I feel dirty after taking that. Is there two-way mirror around here somewhere? Where are they getting this from, Urban Outfitters employees in a suburb? What empty irrelevant questions. Ugh. Let me return to nursing an icecold PBR.
I’m not indie, I only got 3 right. I know I was supposed to answer “Bottle rocket” but i really just didn’t think it was that good.
any network that uses Flin Flon in their bumper music is indie?!?
I love “cred” tests…they remind me of why i hate everyone.
wiggum – “STOP SAYING INDIE IN THERE”
You got 14 out of 10 correct on your first attempt.
…What?
yah and how many of their subjects are represented/otherwise owned by the CNN parent company. Hmmm?
You can’t really co-op “indie” culture as it stands; it’s already pretty commercial.
You guys are all very cool, and very independent. Its amazing how so many people doing the same thing are all so indie, and so cool.
Doesn’t one actually lose street cred if they are told that they have street cred by CNN?
6 out of 10, moderately down.
What the F*ck is CNN?
To the person who said indie is a sad trend, what are the alternatives for someone who wants to enjoy current media (film, music, art) that is intelligent, progressive and interesting? While indie has become a trend for some… who merely enjoy it on a surface level or exploit it(ala the killers), I’d like to think of it as a saving grace for a generation where to strive for more intellect is looked down upon and conisdered a niche.
…don’t know that “Morrissey recently released a new record, Ringleader of the Tormentors.”
There is one tear rolling down my cheek, old-school, like that indian from the ’70s PSA’s.
nice comment Devin true that… fuck being hip
8/10 too cool for school – i feel validated! well, by a mainstream news agency at least, what more could I ask for?
indiecredulous
…just as sad as Stereogum
could they have picked an uncuter picture of Chan???
People who use CNN.com to test their indie cred are…killing time before they have to go pick up their son/daughter from soccer practice.