A how-to guide for independent artists to help you think, plan, and promote like a record label
Be Your Own Record Label
The Ultimate Guide
To be honest, there’s nothing better for an indie artist’s career than having a healthy and helpful partnership with an indie record label.
Unfortunately, that’s not always in the cards for every independent musician…
I love record labels and I think they do amazing things for artists, and the labels I’ve interviewed over the years are all run by people who are music fans first.
And while record labels aim to help their artists as much as possible, it’s just not possible to help every artist. A lot of musicians can’t wait around for a record label to partner with them. Self-releasing music is incredibly empowering, and when done right, it can be extremely effective.
The partnership between an indie artist and an indie record label is a beautiful thing, but there are a few things that can be learned from record labels for any artist who is choosing to “go it alone.”
How to think and operate like a record label...
Record labels are great at thinking long-term. An effective label strategy is implemented over the course of an entire year, or even longer… For this reason, independent artists need to think long-term.
Regularly engage with your fans and commit to a monthly content schedule that will help you grow your audience. Be prolific and establish a release schedule where you have something to release at least quarterly (four times per year).
Remember, “People over estimate what they can do in a year, and under estimate what they can do in ten years.”
How to release music like a record label...
Developing a successful album (or single) release plan is one of the hardest things to do for an artist and for a record label.
One record label I spoke with told me they like to have an album completed 22 weeks prior to release date. That’s nearly six months! This generous lead-time allows record labels to send the new release to the press, allow time for mastering, manufacturing, and music videos.
It’s even a good idea to start communicating with the pressing plant (vinyl, CDs, cassettes) during the recording phase to ensure that you’re not rushing the manufacturing process.
How to manage money like a record label…
A good record label is a fiscally responsible one. The overall profit of a record label comes from their total revenue minus their total expenses. For this reason, keeping your expenses down is just as important as finding ways to generate revenue.
Don’t spend money on something just because you think you’re suppose to or because one of your peers did. Be strategic with how you budget for your album release. Do your research on your potential audience and figure out what formats they like, what types of merch they normally buy, and where they regularly get their music.
How to promote music like a record label...
Once you’ve finished mixing your next full-length record, pick a release date that is as far off in the future as you can stand (2-4 months is ideal).
Use this down time to prepare a release plan that includes releasing music and content every week in the 6-8 weeks prior to the release.
Make sure you save some promotional assets to release in the weeks and months after the release. The post-release campaign is one of the most effective (yet overlooked) strategies an indie label and a self-releasing artist can use to promote their newest releases.
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How to think like a record label…
How to budget like a record label…
How to release music like a record label…
How to promote music like a record label…
Record Labels
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How to Submit Your Music to RECORD LABELS!
How Do Record Labels Work? FAQs
Do record labels have built-in audiences?
One of the things that indie artists covet the most about record labels is their pre-existing, built-in audience.
Growing an audience is imperative for an unknown artist, and an established record label can help springboard an artist’s career.
But not all labels have such committed fanbases, and the ones who do are more likely to be protective of what they promote to that audience.
How do record labels get music into record stores?
Most mid-size indie labels will have what’s called a “physical distribution deal” with a distributor. These companies communicate with indie record stores and fulfill orders.
They represent a select group of labels and generally they don’t do deals with independent artists.
Indie musicians should start by developing a relationship with their local record store owners. Bring a copy of your record by as a gift to the store owner and ask if they’ consider carrying your title(s).
How do record labels get press coverage for their artists?
A great record label spends years building and nurturing an authentic press list. Their goal is to establish relationships with writers, bloggers, and curators.
Indie artists can start building their press list by sending out short, personal emails to writers you admire.
Make sure this blogger or curator has featured music similar to yours in the past. Don’t send them too many emails, and don’t overload the email with too many details.
How much does a record label spend on an album campaign?
Some small record labels don’t spend anything on PR campaigns. Aside from a few dollars on ads or SubmitHub, these labels try to keep their expenses low by doing as much as possible on their own.
Other larger indie labels will spend between $1000-$10,000 on a music publicist.
If you’re going to invest in your own album PR, make sure you do a lot of research, and establish some key goals you’d like your team to achieve.
How do labels get songs on Spotify playlists?
Some labels use a distributor to manage their digital and their physical distribution. These companies often have a more direct line to Spotify editors.
But for the most part, small to medium sized record labels are simply using the same Spotify for Artists pitch tool that all indie artists have access to.
Just make sure you pitch your songs to the Spotify editors 4-6 weeks in advance of release day.
Do I need to sign to a record label?
I still believe that an equal partnership between a great label and a great artist is the way to go.
Having said that, thousands of artists have been incredibly successful self-releasing their own music. And the best way to do that is to try to learn from how record labels work!
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