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-- The quintessential question about labels: What are they for?

The quintessential question about labels: What are they for?

I've used the search engine. So... what are labels for, exactly?

Stealing cash and generating hype.

To sell their signed music to a wider audience than the artist would be able to alone?

I would guess (and I really am guessing) it's a way for a producer to get a certain bit of acknowledgement in the industry. i.e. get signed to a label and some of the labels recognition is passed on to you.

In addition I would bet it's cheaper for labels to press records than it would be for an individual. So it's more cost-effective for an individual to sign with a label and get their records produced.

The flipside is that you're going to share whatever you sell with the label.

I really don't know though; that's just me guessing.


Anyone?


Edit: Also, they can be used to slow/speed your records so the beats match.

as far as i'm concerned...record labels are only good for a two things...

1. marketing
2. pressing and distribution

marketing in that if you are on a certain label...people that seem to like their releases are going to listen to your work other than an unknown production associated with no label. not only that, but labels send out your stuff to the pros and get them playing your tunes. other than that...they have contracts with distributing companies and record pressing companies so it is cheaper for them to do business in that sense then an unknown. and i guess also they usually take care of the final mastering of the track that you give them. most tracks need to be professionally mastered before they are ready for pressing and most large labels probably have producers that can get your tune up to par...


in today's market place...i think they are really only good for the pressing and distribution. with the internet i think someone can effectively market themselves without the use of a label...

agreed with Floorfiller, imagine one lone artist and his chums trying to send their records out to various shops across a country, now imagine shops in various countries. It needs resources and contacts. Then imagine the cost of pressing and distributing the records and it mounts up to several �����.

Then promotion still has to be done. The artist themselves could probably pull this off, just ask a couple of friendly DJs to spin the track or send out promos, but even then does 1 guy have time to mail out 30 odd promos worldwide?

For the artist its all about time and money, they dont have enough of either really to pull a record label off with success, not witout help.

But then you start getting down the the mega-djs like Armin/Tiesto/PvD who while may not exclusively run their labels, they still take an active part. How they find the time i dont know

Makes sense, thanks for the explanation. The reason why I was confused is because often artists seem to have their records in a wide variety of labels, or a variety of labels often belong to one single artist... didn't seem to make much sense before

quote:

Originally posted by Lira Makes sense, thanks for the explanation. The reason why I was confused is because often artists seem to have their records in a wide variety of labels, or a variety of labels often belong to one single artist... didn't seem to make much sense before

Thats partly because a label will pickup a tune if they feel it fits within the ethos of the label. Certain labels have a reputation for style and quality, thats not to say some of the smaller labels dont have good releases .

An example say Nikola Gala, producer of Progressive house/trance, most likely going to be signed to labels that promote progressive music like Lost Language / Precinct / Deep Records / Release Records, not a label like Vandit, although its not impossible for Vandit to sign it . Its probably to do with the labels experience of their genre of music and their experience of similar artists.

You may have noticed the likes of Armada (Armin van Buuren co-runs it) have sublabels, like Electronic Elements / Armind / Captivating Sounds. Again a slightly different trance audience for the labels concerned. I suppose its easier to have specific people working with sublabels which they have experience with that genre, rather than having one huge label.

1-They are a business first and foremost- for profit
2-The second reason is (usually) a desire to put out music they dont feel is getting enough exposure and to break new talent etc

thats it

quote:

Originally posted by Freak 1-They are a business first and foremost- for profit 2-The second reason is (usually) a desire to put out music they dont feel is getting enough exposure and to break new talent etc thats it

I think your first point is sadly becoming more and more emphasised than the second. Most would argue that a lot of labels these days just churn out what they know will sell. Thats the case here in Liverpool with the "Scouse House" however much i hate it . Even some respected people here admit that labels will put out anything by certain artists because they know they will sell, regardless of the labels opinions of the release

Pleased to see Lost Language havn't gone this way like a lot of labels, Ben has signed some fresh new talent and some unusual stuff

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