MINOR AND MAJOR MUSIC COMPANIES

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MINOR AND MAJOR RECORD LABELS

Minor Labels

• Look for unique individual talent• It’s all about the music – the

content, not the exterior• Have less money invested for

distribution• They target costumers who are

willing to PAY for music, a lot of indie companies steer towards adults, not teenagers who download music for free

• They work with less know radio stations to promote their music because major stations are more expensive

• Careful budgeting

Major Labels

• Have large amounts of money behind them

• Are able to successfully distribute they products featuring the song on major radio stations and TV stations

• Artists aren’t able to be very creative, as the companies are mostly focusing on the money and income artists aren’t able to take risks

• Focus on the exterior of the artist and steer away from the actual quality of music

• They make millions• They are easily able to get an

artist noticed worldwide

THE HISTORY OF DOMINO RECORDS• The Domino Records Company was founded in Putney, South West London 1993

by Laurence Bell and his partner Jacqui Rice.

• The company is an independent record label that set out to find unique bands allowing them to be creative and able to explore and the main idea od self expression.

• The label started up with a weekly budget of £40 Enterprise Grant and some demos from some American friends.

• The labels first release was the Sabadoh EP Rocking Forest.

• Many of the early releases were from American artists who were signed to Drag City (which still continues to this day)

• Success was NOT immediate (now Domino records are the most successful independent record label in the UK)

• 1st number 1 album in 2005 by Franz Ferdinands – You Could Have It So Much Better

• 1st number 1 single was ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor’ by the Arctic Monkeys 2005

ARTISTS

Arctic Monkeys

Alex Turner

Franz Ferdinand

Hot Chip

The Kills The Wild Beasts

The Last Shadow Puppets

Four TetAnd more…

HOW DID THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY ?

• Since 1993 Domino Records has grown to become one of the UK’s largest, most successful independent music labels, why?

• Domino has licensing links with Sub Pop and Drag City which they built relationships with in the early days.

• Through licensing agreements Domino was able to build up a catalogue of releases that already had promotion behind them and all the recording costs had already been covered saving their money.

• Music tastes changed in the UK and Domino already had a rooster of suddenly popular cult favourites with minimum fuss through licensing, again making them money.

• Franz Ferdinand really landed Domino in the Indie league in the 2000’s their first album was a favourite, then with there release of their ‘It Could Have Been So Much Better’ which earned their first No. 1 album.

• Arctic Monkeys came along shortly after with their 1st single ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ which was extremely successful, making the label…more successful.

• Domino was extremely happy and even happier to keep these up coming bands in the wake of their success.

• Domino also did a great job of balancing their major artists with releases by somewhat less commercial, less known bands, with the success of Bands like Franz Ferdinand they have been able to put a lot of money and effort into these less known artists, increasing the level of success.

• Hey founded a sub label: Geographical Records for music that falls outside the typical indie rock/pop genre, they help artists that would typically have a hard time getting into a label and ‘take them’ due to their experimental and individual nature.

• They have a large amount of artists on their indie label

• They are easy to contact if you are interested in becoming part of their label, therefore more possible success through new artists.

In conclusion, Domino gained there success through their other record relationships, licencing , the change in UK music taste, they already had the artists at hand, Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand earned success and raised attention to the label, they balanced major artists and less known artists tactfully, founded a successful sub label and large amounts of artists under their thumb all helped Domino become the most successful Independent label in the UK.

• They take risks

• Invest in unique artists which steer interest

• They take advantage of free social media sites, raising attention about new releases making them their money

• Smaller label means more in touch with the new ‘trends’ in alternative music, because they are independent they are able to explore these trends, raising interest again, becoming more ‘cool’ and likeable which leads to more sales and more money

DOMINO:

THE HISTORY OF SONY MUSIC

• Sony Music Entertainment is an American corporation owned and operated by Sony Cooperation of American and the sub Japanese Congolorate Sony Corporation in 1929

• 1929–38: American Record Corporation

• 1938–90: Columbia/CBS Records

• 1991–2004: Birth of Sony Music Entertainment

• 2004–08: Sony BMG: Joint venture with Bertelsmann

• 2008–11: Return to Sony Music Entertainment

• 2011–present: Leadership changes & restructuring

ARTISTS

Aerosmith Alicia Keys ACDC Bob Dylan

Daft Punk

Chris Brown

Justin Timberlake

And many more…

HOW DID THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY?

• The invested in digital MP3 technology

• The first to offers DRM free songs

• Allow their music database to be available for download with 200, 000 song available on Amazon

• ‘Extended copy Protection’ XCP and ‘Media Max’

• Invasion of privacy

• Popular superstar artists are signed to their label therefore they bring in a lot of money to sony

• They have many superstars under their belt, and are still making money off pass superstars that have died

WHO WOULD I GO WITH?

• If I were an new artist I would go to an independent record label like Domino records. This is because it’s more focused on the music rather than the exterior. You are able to be free and task risks and be creative whereas with a major music company like Sony Music you are moulded into an artist that THEY want you to be so you are popular to the ‘general’ ‘basic’ audience so you appeal to everyone and make the music company money. You’re not able to take your own risks or have much say in what you want to do. Yes, you will hopefully make lots of money with a major music company but you risk not making the music you love and enjoy and you’re just pleasing the company so they can make more money off you. So personally I would rather make less money and have more freedom with making the music I like rather than making loads of money but not being true to the music I really like.