Image via Wikipedia“How can my bad get signed” seems to be the running question for a lot of musicians out there. It’s almost as if getting your band onto a major record label is the climax for many bands; but is it right for your band?

Back in the day (which was a Wednesday… thank you Dane Cook), record labels ran the musical world. They were the companies that handled the recording, marketing and distribution of the records –a process that required big money and big channels of distribution, when they had. Since internet and computer technology has made it very easy for independent lables and small businesses (such as independent merch shops -like Cult Status, independent recording studios, CD/Record manufacturing houses, etc.) to start emerging, the big labels have begun losing their competitive advantage. A large portion of my customer base happens to be artists, bands and orchestras who act as independent business units that do all their own management and marketing –mostly by outsourcing printing, recording, merchandising and CD/Vinyl manufacturing to small businesses, while handling the bulk of the marketing, booking and management duties themselves. (though this is not the only model under which to operate)

The lovely graph (courtesy Wikipedia) was from a 2005 analysis that shows the Indie labels dominating a larger percentage of the world market share than any one major label. Since the time this graph was made, there has been some industry consolidation, including the bankruptcy and merging of several big players. During this time, the “indies” have been taking more and more of this market away from the big boys.

Are these the conditions to which you want to be contractually obligated?

Lets get one thing straight. Record companies are businesses that (now more than ever) need to turn a profit. They are not a charity and do not care about anybody but themselves and their shareholder value (or what may be left of it). No deal you ever strike with a record major record company will have your interests at heart.

Given this, if a 16 year-0ld Detroit DJ can be heard in New York, Seattle, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, London, Madrid, Dubai, Tokyo, Lodz and about a million other towns all over the world through the marvels of social networking and file hosting/sharing websites, tell me again why we need major labels and why you need to be signed? We don’t You don’t!

• Make great music
• Promote yourself and live your brand –constantly
• Hire a professional to do your graphic design, printing/screen printing, merchandising, web design and recording/mastering (the money you spend is by far worth the time and effort you save –plus you’re sure to get a polished look/sound)
• Do it all with love

Do this and you will have earned your success.