The Music Industry: DIY v.s Independent Label v.s Major Label

By:Teyland Avery

The Music Industry

The Music industry is large, beautiful and complicated industry that has been Changing for the decades. What hasn’t changed is that artist need a Artist will always need help with marketing, distribution and growth in popularity. Artist of the past would sign to a major label and all of those things would be done, but now there are more than one way to present yourself.

History of how music was doneIn the Past to make it big as a artist you

would have to get noticed by a major label they would market you by getting you on the radio,put your music videos on tv and more. In recent times major labels would do the same but would take majority of the profits of artist and would even take their creative control.

My Theory

My theory is that major labels thanks to the internet is sort of obsolete and that people are better off with doing it on their own or signing to a independent label (at least till they have built their name in the industry).

I believe that it is better to be an independent label/ DiY artist than with a major label or one of its sublabels.

In this presentation I will reveal pros and cons of all types of labels/ artist.

How the internet has changed that

Music is now streamed so there are less people actually buying music.

Streaming stopped some from file sharing (Stealing)

Thanks to the internet artist can Market themselves with the sites like Instagram, Vine, Youtube, Facebook, Youtube, Myspace.

There are even social sites like soundcloud and bandcamp where artist can listen to other artist, collaborate and promote themselves.

What is a diy artist?

A DIY artist is a artist that deals with things on there own or has a team chosen by the artist to help them.

DIY artist depends on him/herself as well as the team that they have created.

This type of artist has all of their creative rights and earns all of the profit they make.

What Is an independent Label

A independent is a label that doesn’t depend on the help/funds from major labels.

Independent labels can either be a stepping stone for artist to make it to a major label

What is a major label

“A giant publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks; coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos; conducts talent scouting and development of new artists”

The four that own all!

Pros of Major labels

Large Budget on marketing, producing.

Best engineering.

Several ways you are marketed.

You don’t have to do anything that does not deal with making music and doing concerts.

They create your merchandise.

Radio play.

Cons of doing a major label

Small Percent of profit returned.

Little to no creative room.

The label always knows best for an artist.

Uses the artist till ran dry.

Sometimes only signs artist to get a buzz and neglects them.

360 Deals

Artist that are on Major labels

Drake

Beyonce

Maroon Five

Lady Gaga

Britney Spears

Justin Bieber

Red Hot chili pepers

Independent label pros

Owners of independent labels tend to mentor and help artist grow.

Artist has control over most of their creation.

Artist receives more marketing than they would than they could for themselves.

Artist also receive more profit than from a major label.

Independant label cons

Less connections to the bigger labels Example: if you wanted to collaborate with a big artist your label may wouldn’t be able to contact said artist or the label.

Lower budget.

(some) Labels market you in “goofy” ways like by making fake news about you to save money.

Less Radio play.

Artist on independent labels

Lecrae

Adele

Kendrick Lamar

Schoolboy Q

Tupac

Prince

Rolling Stone

Macklemore

And More

Pro’s of Diy

You are your own boss.

You receive the amount of profit you want.

There aren't any yes men.

You build relationships with distributors of your music or merchandise.

You can make your own album.

Con’s of DIY

You have to do everything by yourself.

You don’t have the money to market yourself.

You have to learn who to meet and how to work with them.

You have to build your fan base.

You need people around you to help engineer your music.

No Radio Play.

Diy Artist

Chance The Rapper

Childish Gambino

Odd Future

Pro Era

Zoe Keating

Jane Weaver

White Mystery

Keshia Cole

And Plenty more Artist

Why it’s hard without a label

You have to find people that you trust to help market.

You have to meet people that will help you distribute your music.

Their isn’t really anyone to guide you on what to do.

You have to find your own manager and be able to trust them.

You will be the product and the boss so you have to learn how to sell yourself (musically) and have to lead your team in right directions.

Less room/more room for errors.

Why you may not need a label anymore?The internet made it possible to

become famous within a night.

You can market yourself on social media/instagram,youtube,facebook etc.

Word of mouth through social media/ blogs is better than being on tv nowadays.

You can distribute your music on your own website, soundcloud, spotify or through itunes or google music.

Work Cited

https://bandzoogle.com/blog/major-vs-indie-what-really-happens-when-you-sign-a-record-deal

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/10/trent-reznor-david-byrne-on-diy-vs-major-labels.html

http://www.musicthinktank.com/mtt-open/indie-vs-major-which-record-label-contract-is-right-for-you.html

http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2013/07/02/threesixty/