A&R for Indie Record Labels

1. How to Find Artists for Your Label

Extend Your Radius
Start by looking close to home. Your band, your friends’ bands, and local bands in your community are all potential signings. As you build your label's reputation, gradually expand your search to the greater region and beyond.

Utilize Tools Like Bandcamp
Bandcamp is a powerful tool for discovering new talent. Narrow your search by genre, subgenre, city, and even how many units an artist has sold. This can help you identify artists who may need help with their careers and those who might not be interested in a record deal. Focus on finding artists who are at the same stage in their careers as you are with your label. This alignment will make it easier to grow together.

2. How to Get Artists to Sign to Your Label

Be a Fan First
Before you approach any artist, make sure you genuinely love their music. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and help build trust. Artists are more likely to sign with a label that is passionate about their work rather than one that sees them merely as a business opportunity.

Offer to Be an Additional Member of the Band
Think of yourself as an extension of the artist’s team. Offer to take on tasks that they might not enjoy or have the expertise to handle, such as marketing, distribution, or managing social media. Your goal should be to complement their strengths and fill in the gaps where they need help.

Provide Unfair Advantages
As your label grows, aim to secure exclusive opportunities, resources, or discounts that will make signing with your label more attractive. These could be industry connections, access to special distribution channels, or marketing tools that the artist wouldn’t be able to access on their own.

3. How to Get Artists to Stay on Your Label

Manage Expectations
Start by identifying what the artist expects from the relationship. Be honest about what your label can realistically achieve. Transparency about your strengths, limitations, and passions is crucial to avoid misunderstandings and ensure a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship.

Underpromise and Overdeliver
It’s better to set modest expectations and exceed them than to overpromise and underdeliver. Work harder than the artist on their own music, especially during the release and promotion stages when they may be exhausted from the recording process.

Be Generous and Abundant
Adopt an abundance mindset. Be generous with your time, resources, and support. This will foster loyalty and trust between you and your artists. However, also be prepared for the possibility that an artist may eventually want to move on to a bigger label. If that happens, support their decision and celebrate their success.