How to Start a Record Label in 2022 (On a Budget)
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Loading... - Azzam Kengne
- 30 Aug 2022
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Starting a record label isn’t a totally crazy idea.
In fact, local independently curated labels are becoming more and more important. But, if you want to learn how to start a record label of your own there’s a handful of things to plan for and pay attention to.
In this article, we’ll unpack everything you need to know about starting a record label. From practical operations to marketing and design, to your overall branding strategy.
There’s a lot to be thinking about—but fortunately, we’ve got some expert advice and helpful tricks and tools to help you along the way.
Let’s get started.
Why start a new record label?
Let’s do some soul searching—starting a record label is no easy feat, so let’s make sure you’re getting into it for the right reasons.
Are you starting a record label because you want to make a lot of money really fast? If so, you might want to manage your expectations. Making money with music is not impossible, but it’s not easy.
Unless you’ve somehow lined up some A-list talent and you have some serious marketing dollars, your label won’t be profitable for the foreseeable future.
Even with more and more top-tier artists are staying away from major labels and opting to go the independent route, it takes years of experience and connections to land that kind of talent.
So, If that’s the case congrats! Stop reading this and get to work planning your rollout.
Your scene deserves to have someone representing it.
For the rest of us, money is not a reason to get into founding a record label.
That being said, let’s look at four (very good) non-monetary reasons to start a record label.
You love discovering and curating new artists and material
Maybe you’re connected with an undiscovered local scene. Or maybe you love spending your time digging around new releases on Bandcamp.
You know your taste is amazing and through your passion for under-appreciated music, you probably have some personal connections with many artists.
If you want to elevate your favorite artists and help them potentially find a bigger platform for their art, starting a record label is an excellent and totally righteous way to do that.
Your scene deserves to have someone representing it—so why not take up the burden and help give the yet-to-be-discovered artists in your world some well-deserved attention.
It’s so rewarding to be that special supportive presence in a music scene, whether online or in person.
You need a central platform to publish your own art
If you create and collaborate under a variety of monikers or in different configurations with different creators—it’s not a bad idea to have all those projects represented under one umbrella.
Having a central place to find everything you’ve worked on makes it super easy for fans of one project to discover other things you’ve done.
It’ll also work well as the central vehicle for selling all your merch.
Plus, having everything under one label takes the pressure and confusion out of correspondence for each project.
It’s more efficient and easier to have your label as the central place for correspondence and planning—you won’t have to be scattered between different email and social accounts anymore. Read More...
