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Record Labels and the Music Industry

            A record label is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music; recordings or videos. A record label can often also be a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks; coordinates the production, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos. They also conduct talent scouting and development of new artists ("artists and repertoire" or "A&R") and maintain contracts with recording artists and their managers. Record labels are now massive corporations that don't just own one record label but own a variety; these bigger labels are located in New York, los Angeles or Nashville. These large corporations usually consist of a headship company that owns more than one label, for example Warner Brothers Records owns Reprise Records and Maverick Records. BMG owns Arista Records, RCA and J Records. .
             Independent record labels (or indie record label) are record labels that operate without funding from an outside organization of the major labels. Independent labels are a good way to get your music distributed and grow a fan base. Independent labels will give you less money to make your record than a major label would but they don't take as big a cut in it. What they gain in niche appeal they lack in larger distributing so often distribute in smaller, more regional zones. Independent labels are great stepping-stones for hard working artists looking to make a good record and get their music heard and boost their fan base. As a small band you want the record deal that gives you the biggest percentage of royalties from your record. Many artists have started with an independent label before making a deal with a major label although some stick to the independent for their whole career. Two of the most popular and successful independent labels are rough trade and pinnacle who in their peak were responsible for more than 30% of the music market, independent labels were set up for artists who wanted to keep the sound and image they already had and just get their music out there which is what rough trade do they are very much about what the artist wants rather than making money.


Essays Related to Record Labels and the Music Industry

1. Marketing in the Music Industry

The music industry obtains numbers far worse. ... About 11 billion dollars circulated in the United States music industry in 2009, but rather than artists and bands making boatloads of cash, major record labels took about 9 billion of those dollars. ... A record label is defined as "a company that produces and sells records, CDs, and recordings of artists who identify with that company" ("record-label"). ... In the music industry, the bands are the employees and the record companies are the CEOs.  ... Record labels behave as bullies in the music industry giving artists ...

  • Word Count: 2865
  • Approx Pages: 11

2. Record Label

There is a long chain of activities involved in the process of the production, distribution and reproduction of a piece of music, and a bit of it has nothing to do with the record label itself, but knowledge is required to achieve success in the biz. ... From the record label's point of view, you must find the correct kind of contract for your artist. ... Publishing companies show the importance of written music and separate the person who wrote the music from the person who recorded it (if indeed they were two separate people). ... Mechanicals': Royalties from record and reproductio...

  • Word Count: 955
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Girl Power in the Music Industry

Certainly not the concept of gender equality within the music industry. ... Burger Records, an independent record label based out of Fullerton, California, has proven themselves as feminism friendly as they have hosted an event titled Burger A-Go-Go for the past two years. ... Rock enthusiasts of both genders fell in love with the idea of an all-female festival, especially because the record label was able to book Kathleen Hanna, founder of Riot Grrrl, and Kim Gordon, guitarist and vocalist of Sonic Youth, for the show. ... Names like Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Ella Fitzgerald have surely altered...

  • Word Count: 2499
  • Approx Pages: 10
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Music In The Digital Age

Despite the music industry's protests, a significant movement towards a digital music format has elevated. ... On the horizon, of the music industry is a new generation of Internet record labels, distributing digital music from the artists directly to the consumers. ... The Major Labels considers this as a threat because digital distribution is breaking down the structure of the music industry of product based distribution. ... In the music industry, the concept of massive spending on promotion, marketing, and distribution is what gives the major labels their competitive edge. ... All ...

  • Word Count: 1281
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography

5. Discovering and Acquiring Online Music

These artists are signed to major record labels earning millions living the high life, what would one sale less do to their livelihoods? A few years down the line this did prove to be a problem for the entire music industry. ... Which previously would've been much harder without record label help to promote them. ... The future of the music industry is a two-way interaction, with artists and labels just beginning to understand how to make use of new formats" (Ljung, A). ... 'The recorded music industry can grow to a $100 billion-plus business within the next 15 years "but only ...

  • Word Count: 1814
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. The Internet's Effect on the Music Industry

Over the years, the music industry has seen a dramatic shift in how we buy music and a shift in sales. ... That was a slap in the face to the RIAA and the record labels. So what's the fuss about and why are record labels losing so much money? ... This has put pressure on the labels to record at least 5 radio friendly formula hits per album. ... In short, the recording industry is being taken over by technology and people taking control of their music and not being exploited to make a huge dollar. ...

  • Word Count: 1383
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Billion Dollar Music Industry

The producer has been an essential job in the music industry since the late 1960's. ... However these top producers work for some sort of record label. These labels are who are actually in charge of the music making process. ... To further my knowledge on what goes on in this industry I decided to pay a visit to Sony Records in Nashville. ... " After years of research on marketing and songwriting by record labels it is funny to see where music is today. ...

  • Word Count: 1341
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Music Industry's Influence on P2P File Sharing

When you wanted to listen to music you went to the store and bought the record. ... Furthermore, the music industry decided which artists they would sign to a label and what music was available to the public in stores. In order for an artist to generate demand for their music they first had to land a record contract with the music industry because the music industry controlled the distribution of all music available to the public. ... The massive amounts of downloading and swapping attracted the attention of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which represents the major reco...

  • Word Count: 4257
  • Approx Pages: 17
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Music and Napster

Consumers are at odds with record label executives and the artists are caught somewhat in the middle. ... The latest wave of technology to effect music has caused record labels and artists to rethink the whole structure of the music industry. ... (Kasaras, 2002) MTV was another battle that the record industry had to wage. ... Record labels are losing a great deal of revenue because of this latest technological advancement. ... When a band or artist signs to a record label, they get a large amount of backing. ...

  • Word Count: 3321
  • Approx Pages: 13
  • Grade Level: High School

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