Jump to content

Should you try to sign on to a major label in todays market


guitarville

Recommended Posts

  • Members

If you or your band has that artistic talent which has a stroke of freshness of creativity, then I don't think you should give up on your dreams. It just may pan out for you.

In todays world of commercial music (at least overseas) hot bands come and go as the clock changes time. Only a few are allowed to remain clicking by the biggies. And I do mean only a few. Thankfully this changes quite rapidly in today's music arena.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

It's always been that way. Far more one-hit wonders and bands who have no hits at all and bands who release one or two albums and then disappear than those with long careers. We just forget about all the also-rans as time goes by and the past compresses. (If we ever managed to hear of them at all in the first place.)

 

Why not go for the record deal? It certainly couldn't HURT anyone's career.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
To be fair' date=' that's kind of the point. If the deal didn't favor the label, they'd have no incentive to make it a success. The trick is to get one where if the label makes a profit, so does the artist.[/quote']

 

Of course. The thing is not to get screwed over, as much as that's possible. When you are first starting out, the label is the one with all the marbles.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Generally, the acts that create their own success before approaching a record label are the ones that are in a better bargaining position. And of course, only acts that can turn a solid profit are the ones that can make enough money for a label to leave something leftover for the artist too.

 

Here are the traditional steps: 1) Create the strongest act possible—both musically and monetarily, 2) Find the best manager possible, 3) Find the best lawyer possible, and 4) Negotiate the best record deal possible.

 

But yes, even in today's climate, the largest exposure and therefore the biggest profit opportunities are achieved via a major label deal. It's just that record sales profits aren't what they used to be.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Hey' date=' if you can do better, then go right ahead. Show us what you've got. Best, Geoff[/quote']

 

The subject is silly. No one on this forum is getting signed. We`re all too friggin` old and the last time I looked, none of us look like Rob Lowe at 50+. Also, labels are dead. Why would anyone here be interested in signing to a label? You`re better off selling out of the trunk of your car.

 

Geoff, there have been some good threads here of late (some were deleted by Blue) but you may want to take a look at the one I wrote about The Lost Art of Focus. I`m not tooting my horn but I think there are many topics were can discuss that are much relevant and realistic for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I never thought the "you" in the topic referred specifically to middle-aged members of SSS, I interpreted it a a general "you," meaning anyone. But yeah—despite the talent that exists in the middle-aged members of SSS—I wouldn't advise any of us to strive for a label deal.

 

As for the labels, they may have declined; but they're far from dead. Universal Music Group reported revenues of $6.7 billion last year. Lady Gaga's net worth is reported to be $220 million, so there's still money to be made as a major label artist.

 

Last but not least, I know you and others here can write good posts. That's why I stop in.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Sometimes, major label people can be entertaining. Don't dismiss efforts to court them, if only for this.

 

A fun comment I received from an A&R guy who was visiting our band's rehearsal studio was this:

 

"Really love your stuff. Love it. If you could just reign in that creativity..."

 

Now that's comic gold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

A fun comment I received from an A&R guy who was visiting our band's rehearsal studio was this:

 

"Really love your stuff. Love it. If you could just reign in that creativity..."

 

If that doesn't justify the existence of this thread, nay, the internet in genera, I don't know what does.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I was signed to labels for a period of about 20+ years, with a total of 8 albums to show for it. The major ones (e.g., RCA) were toward the beginning, with boutique labels in the middle and I closed out with Narada Records in the early 90s. What majors used to be able to give you was a vehicle for promotion and distribution, as well front the expenses for studio time. They still do, but they seem to lack direction about what distribution means these days. So now we have 360 deals, and of course liasons with management companies. The whole scene is much less straightforward, because the money is made is a zillion different places - some CD sales here, some merch there, a licensing deal, maybe a movie soundtrack, etc. When I was doing the label thing, there were royalties that you needed a pal in organized crime to collect, and live concerts, where you could make some serious bucks. That was it, and labels could cope with both.

 

Today, ANYONE can get signed to a major label IF they can show that they'll make a ton of money for the label. If I had 4,000,000,000 YouTube views and 600,000 downloads on iTunes, you can bet a record label would be interested. But the irony is if I did have that many views and downloads, I wouldn't need a record label :)

 

The reason why labels are for the young doesn't have as much to do with age but that if you're going to do music on that level, it has to be career where you start early, keep at it, have a great of persistence, and apply a ton of business smarts. Once you get past a certain age, there's less interest in doing a startup - and that's what signing with a label is like. If you're an entrepreneur, sharp, young, and immensely talented, there's still money to be made with major labels. Maybe. Sorta.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

My observation from behind the scenes is that successful recording artists generally have an exceptional amount of energy and stamina, which—as you demonstrate, Craig—isn't exclusive to young people. That said, it's certainly more common in young people.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
I never thought the "you" in the topic referred specifically to middle-aged members of SSS' date=' I interpreted it a a general "you," meaning anyone. But yeah—despite the talent that exists in the middle-aged members of SSS—I wouldn't advise any of us to strive for a label deal.[/quote']

 

My immediate reaction to "you" was anyone…. not just our community here but as I mentioned, I think you`re better off creating a YouTube channel and promoting yourself from there. Then using whatever vehicle you can to bring in the $$$. For me, its been beneficial to sell my CDs straight to the consumer. I have an online presence which actually does bring in some $$$ every year or so for a few bucks, enough for me to tell my wife we`re eating out tonight on some singles. Its a nice little laugh we get out of it but nonetheless, selling directly to the consumer has been the best option for me because I`m selling the entire record on the spot.

 

As for the labels' date=' they may have declined; but they're far from dead. Universal Music Group reported revenues of $6.7 billion last year. Lady Gaga's net worth is reported to be $220 million, so there's still money to be made as a major label artist.

 

Last but not least, I know you and others here can write good posts. That's why I stop in.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

 

Well, I don`t have to tell you or anyone else on this forum for that matter but for every Lady Gaga, there are countless nobodies. And I don`t mean that in a derogatory way either because many of those nobodies have more talent in their thumb that I do in my entire being. I`m just saying that for the "average" singer/songwriter/performer, the label option is a dead end. Its a silly idea to even pursue. Thats why I said this entire thread is silly.

 

And thank you for the compliment. ;)

 

EB

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
With all due respect' date=' this is the lamest thread we`ve had in some time… [/quote']

 

There's a reason why I posted in this section of the forum. The guys here know and have the experience to answer my question that is of importance to me and maybe to others that are also reading this thread.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Today, ANYONE can get signed to a major label IF they can show that they'll make a ton of money for the label. If I had 4,000,000,000 YouTube views and 600,000 downloads on iTunes, you can bet a record label would be interested. But the irony is if I did have that many views and downloads, I wouldn't need a record label :)

 

I don't know that things have changed much in that regard except for the means to build that audience that garners major label attention. In the old days it usually meant pressing your own records/CDs and selling a lot of them regionally or getting signed to a small regional label that may or may not have access to national/worldwide distribution sources. Used to be you'd try to get your new band signed to a label like Sub Pop, who would then be distributed to the stores by maybe a dozen different regional distributors. But promotion from the label and distributor would be virtually non-existent. (Although Sub Pop isn't the best example because they were actually a pretty solid label as indies go. But there were dozens/hundreds of little local "labels".)

 

But by the time most of the bands who got offers from major labels reached that point, they arguably didn't need the record label. Except they provided better promotion, better distribution, etc. Nirvana was already a pretty big deal when they signed to Geffen, but no way "Nevermind" would have sold like it did had it been their 2nd album on Sub Pop.

 

And for all the YouTube "sensations" out there, there still aren't very many artists having big success going it completely indie. They all seem to eventually need that major label push. Macklamore is about the only recent exception I can think of, really.

 

 

The reason why labels are for the young doesn't have as much to do with age but that if you're going to do music on that level, it has to be career where you start early, keep at it, have a great of persistence, and apply a ton of business smarts. Once you get past a certain age, there's less interest in doing a startup - and that's what signing with a label is like. If you're an entrepreneur, sharp, young, and immensely talented, there's still money to be made with major labels. Maybe. Sorta.

 

True all that, but it DOES have a lot to do with age as well. For whatever reasons, most older folks just aren't all that interested in new artists. 99% of the time they'll hear something new and say "meh...whatever" and go back to playing their Beatles or Mahavishnu Orchestra or Cream or whatever else it is they continue to love. It's always been difficult to market new artists to older audiences, which is why someone over 40 scoring their first record deal is so rare.

 

Music is a lifestyle commodity. The artists that become huge and really can generate a lot of income are those with whom their fans relate to on a deeper level than just thinking that's a catchy tune. When we're young we connect with certain artists because they are reaching us deeply, singing about who we are and what we're going through and expanding our thoughts and emotions. As we age, we have less need for that connection and find it in other areas.

 

There are exceptions to all of this, as always. But selling new music from new artists to people above a certain age has ALWAYS been a challenge in this business. Now, more than ever, as the entire industry itself is in such decline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

 

So you like the threads about selling medication and kitchen furniture more?

 

I've been following those threads closely. You see, I want to make copious quantities of that famous Rich West-Country Sauce that people seem to be clamoring for these days.

 

First, I wanted to make it by the tub - then by the vat. Then I wanted to expand to fifty-five gallon barrel size. Now, I can see I'll need to fill railroad tank cars* with it to keep up with demand.

 

So these English kitchen threads have been very helpful. After all, only an English kitchen can produce that Rich West-Country Sauce England is so rightly famous for.

 

*Of course today we're told that nothing fit for human consumption can be shipped in railroad tank cars. But we're talking about that Rich West-Country Sauce here man! Get a grip on yourself. Who's gonna know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...