The Indie Scene 77 (also catalogued as The Indie Scene 1977: The Story of British Independent Music) is a seminal compilation album released in 1991 by the specialized UK archival label Connoisseur Collection. Serving as the opening volume of a highly celebrated, chronological ten-part series documenting the evolution of British independent music through 1986, this record functions as an audio blueprint for the exact moment the DIY ethic reshaped the music industry. The collection stands out because it deliberately highlights self-financed, small-press 7" vinyl singles that bypassed major record companies, capturing the raw, democratic explosion of localized garage bands and independent labels that laid the structural groundwork for modern alternative rock.
The extensive 24-track configuration reads like a historical directory of punk, power pop, and proto-new wave pioneers, spotlighting early work from the Buzzcocks, The Stranglers, The Adverts, and The Vibrators. Beyond standard UK punk anthems, the compilation earns immense historical praise for preserving rare, transitional singles from short-lived groups featuring musicians who would later achieve global superstardom—such as Joe Strummer's pre-Clash outfit The 101'ers and Gary Numan's early, aggressive guitar-driven work with Tubeway Army. Though it targets the British landscape, the tracklist strategically integrates a few highly influential American independent acts, like The Ramones and The Dead Boys, to contextually demonstrate the aggressive transatlantic exchange that fueled the 1977 musical revolution.
