When you’re an artist, you have the option of either releasing your music independently or working with a label. Many people these days think that labels are the devil and that it’s always better to stay independent, and a lot of this has to do with the notoriously bad deals record labels have been giving to artists over the years. But the truth is that there are certain types of artists who could thrive under a label while others would probably do better if they formed their own labels and published music that way. Let’s look at some of the benefits and disadvantages of both options so you can make a better decision.
Major Labels can Give You that “Push” You Need
If you’re with a label and they actually make you one of their priorities, the world will open up to you and you’ll get tons of opportunities. You’ll be able to land spots on major television shows, get interviews with major networks and radio stations, play in bigger more prestigious venues, get sponsorship deals with multinational brands, etc.
Unfortunately, there is still a ceiling for independent artists. Independent artists don’t get Grammys for Artist of the Year or get to perform at the Super Bowl. That’s just the way it is. So, if your goal is to reach superstardom, then going with a label is the way to go.
Going Independent Gives You More Artistic License
If you’re an extremely creative artist and you want to have full control over artistic direction, then there’s a strong chance you’ll be extremely unhappy with a label. Not only will you need to have every single one of your projects greenlit by them, but they might scrap whole projects and ask you to start over. That’s when they’re not shelving you because you can’t produce a piece of work that they feel is good enough for them.
One of the most frustrating things for true artists who are stuck in record contracts is not being able to release work when they want. You might have songs that they feel are the best they’ve ever created, but if the label doesn’t want them to release them, they will never be heard by the public. This can be truly heartbreaking for an artist, and one of the reasons so many of them become unhappy as their career goes and disappear. So, this is something you’ll need to think about before you sign that dotted line.
Going with a Major Label Will Get You the Best of Everything
Another benefit of going with a major label is the resources they have at their disposal. Again, if you’re a priority for the label, you’ll get access to the best studios, engineers, producers, and writers. Having a top producer and top writer creating a song for you with the push of a record label makes it nearly impossible not to succeed. If you have what a record label needs, then it’s definitely the easiest way to go for you as an artist.
Staying Independent Allows You to Keep More of Your Money
One of the biggest benefits of going independent is that you keep more of the money you generate in your pockets. Not everyone knows this but record labels will often take up to 90% of the revenue from your record sales. This leaves you with 10% to share with your lawyer, agent, manager, and the IRS. This is why so many artists with hit records end up broke or you hear stories of artists who still are broke after they have a major single on the radio.
When you’re the label, you’re the one collecting that 90%. You’ll also keep most of the money from shows, and won’t have to worry about things like publishing or money getting taken from your merchandise sales and other revenue streams.
You have to know that running a record label is not as easy as creating an LLC, however. It’s a very complex business, so you need to understand and be interested in the business side of things if you want to be successful.
If you want to learn how to start a music label, we suggest you check out Pirate.com. They explain the exact steps to starting a music label and some of the pitfalls to avoid. They will teach you things such as how you should time releases, how to create buzz for yourself and other artists, and how to distribute your music, among others.
A Label Will Get Your Music in More Places
If you’d like your music to be heard everywhere, whether it’s the radio, TV commercials, or movies, then only a label will be able to give you that. Music from independent artists doesn’t make it to TV commercials because companies want to benefit from a major artist’s recognition. So, if you want your music to have a wider reach or if you want to influence the world beyond music, going with a major is usually the best way to go.
Going Independent Gives Your More Freedom in General
If you’re a free spirit and you want to be free to do whatever you want with your life, stay independent. Some people want to still be able to take care of their family or start one even if they have a musical career, and it will be nearly impossible if you have contractual obligations.
There are even stories of artists who have vanished from the map because their record label stopped supporting them after they had a baby. If work-life balance is important for you, or you’re simply a free spirit, the independent route might be better for you.
We hope we are able to shed some light on the differences between signing with a record label and staying independent. Now that you know more about both, look at both options in detail and hear from people on both sides of the fence to get their opinions.