Young people today very often use the term "underground", and in a completely different context. However, not everyone can clearly explain the meaning of the word - it is customary to simply take the term for granted and not even think about the reasons for its occurrence.
Literally, "underground" can be translated from English as "underground" - in particular, the term is applicable to all kinds of basements, underground passages and the subway as a whole. However, in the 60s of the last century, the word acquired a new meaning and began to refer to a whole layer of modern culture: creativity that tries to invent something new, to be original and original; denies any rules and canons.
This type of "new art" originated in the 60s of the last century in the United States in parallel with the development of the hippie subculture, mainly among little-known musicians. The style was taken hostage by itself: an attempt to make “unusual music”, to search for new approaches and ideas for some time ruled out any possibility of achieving mass success, which created a second unwritten side of the ideology of the “underground”: the underground should remain non-profit.
However, due to this position was rather a lack of opportunities. This is confirmed by the first "appearance to the people" in 1969, when one of the recording studios, seeing the potential hidden in the course, released a series of commercial music albums "That's Undergroud", which were very successful.
At this moment, the culture split into two parts, which are preserved today. The former do not recognize any commerce in any manifestation, and fundamentally record songs on cheap equipment (or do not record at all), refuse to publish albums and remain only in a narrow circle "for their own". The second part, on the contrary, sees the main task in creating music "not like everything else", but they do not shy at all from making money on this music. This creates controversial musical groups (in Russia, "Amatory" can be considered an example), which, on the one hand, adhere to the traditions of the underground and alternatives, but on the other, are widely known.
Today, any informal movement classifies itself as an "anti-culture". The term is most widely used among rap and hip-hop, which by definition is apolitical and not commercial in nature. This also includes street art, street racing, any other art and activity "not for everyone."
