Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Tuesday, September 22, 2026

How social media is trying to recreate ‘indie sleaze’ like Tumblr and MySpace used to

Scrolling through social media, it feels as though “indie sleaze” never went away. Grainy flash photography, smudged eyeliner and a soundtrack of early 2000s indie music are once again dominating feeds. This revival is more of a reworking than a straightforward comeback. Today’s indie sleaze – exemplified in the music video for Charli XCX’s new track, Rock Music – is an algorithmically curated version of a once messy, participatory subculture. Its renewed appeal seems to lie partly in this aesthetic of imperfection, partly in its connection to earlier digital platforms and partly in what it evokes – a specific cultural moment associated with pre-social media digital life. The original “indie sleaze” moment emerged in the early-mid 2000s, connecting with music, fashion, nightlife and online culture. It coalesced around a wide mix of genres, including electro and “indie” rock, particularly bands from New York such as The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and in the UK The Libertines, Long Blondes, Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. However, it was more than just the music – the visuals and lifestyle played a core part. No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to

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Halsey vs Tumblr: The Notes App Apology That Broke the Internet | Dailyhunt

The internet witnessed a full circle moment this week after Halsey publicly called out Tumblr for leaving her out of its 19th anniversary celebration edit. Tumblr, a platform that played a massive role in shaping 2010s internet culture, shared a birthday compilation highlighting creators and cultural figures tied to its legacy. But fans were quick to notice one glaring omission: Halsey. Before becoming a chart topping global artist, Halsey built a significant portion of her early fanbase on Tumblr. Her poetry, aesthetic visuals, and deeply personal posts resonated strongly with the platform's user base. For many longtime users, Halsey and Tumblr are practically synonymous. So when she wasn't featured in the anniversary edit, she took to X (formerly Twitter) with a sharp but playful response. She wrote that she had kept their lights on for years and questioned whether this was the thanks she got. The post immediately went viral, with fans backing her up and reminiscing about the Tumblr era that helped launch her career. Instead of ignoring the situation, Tumblr leaned into it. Shortly after Halsey's post gained traction, the platform replied with a classic black background "notes app apology." In the statement, Tumblr addressed her directly, apologizing

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