What is a label in music? This question is asked by many readers of articles on show business that meet this term. The present material will reveal the essence of the concept.
A record label is a brand or trademark that is associated with recording audio and shooting video. Sometimes it is also called the publisher who owns this trademark. Such organizations typically manage the production, distribution and promotion of audio products. Often they also monitor copyright compliance.
Talent Search
What is a label in music? This question can be answered as follows: this is a company that is engaged in the search for talented artists and authors, and the management of their creative activities. Some major labels have special departments called A&R (artists and repertoire). Their activity is to search for talented creative people and make a forecast for the development of a new artist or composer.
They act as intermediaries between musicians and record labels or publishers. Any activity that contributes to the preparation of an album recording and its release is the responsibility of the A&A department.
The duties of employees are to analyze the modern music market, study the tastes inherent in the mass audience at the moment. This helps them find artists who will continue to enjoy commercial success. Therefore, the staff of such departments of record labels are usually quite young and many of them are musicians, critics or producers.
Contract
To fully understand the question: what is a label in music, you need to consider such a relationship between artists and publishers as signing contracts.
Representatives of record companies are authorized to draw up such documents. Usually a contract between a label and an artist is a kind of business agreement. This is a small free-form document that governs business relationships between performers (authors) and publishers. Usually, copyright lawyers are present when compiling them. Such specialists are hired by musicians.
Sound recording process
Label staff also monitor the progress of the disc creation process. Such work includes helping artists select a producer for a particular album and scheduling work in the studio, as well as control over all aspects of producing a high-quality recording. They act as experts to help artists and authors select the songs that are best for the album. For those musicians who do not write their own works, representatives of the label find composers and songwriters.
When work on the album comes to an end, experts listen to all the material. Sometimes, as a result of such an analysis, some songs are excluded from the album.
Experts often recommend that musicians include a few more tracks on the disc or rewrite existing ones.
One of the main questions at this stage of the work is whether some songs will be released as singles preceding the release of the album. Such recordings are needed to promote the future disc on radio and television, and also so that fans can familiarize themselves with fragments of the disc in advance.
Types of Labels
Another important point in the discussion of what a label is in music is the types of record companies.
Such organizations can be small, local or independent (they are called "indie"). Labels are also part of a large international company. But firms of this scale are extremely few.
In 2012, there were only 3 labels that can be called international or large (major label) - these are the Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.
Independent music
Record companies or music publishers that are not under the control of the so-called "Big Three" (the list of the largest companies was given above) are considered independent, even if they are large corporations with a complex structure.
The term indie is sometimes used only to refer to companies that are really small. But often this word refers to companies that record non-profit music, regardless of their structure and size. Indie labels tend to be more friendly with artists.
Lists
On the Internet there are many sites that offer visitors to get acquainted with the lists of popular companies working with certain genres of music.
One of them contains the following list of electronic music labels:
- Turbo records;
- Ed Banger;
- Kompakt records;
- DFA records
- Theomatic;
- Rabid Records
- Mad Decent.
This information can be useful to DJs, as well as composers using modern electronic musical instruments in their work.
Techno music labels are also included on this list. Surely some readers of this article will be interested in information about domestic record companies.
Especially for them below is a list of Russian music labels.
- "GOST";
- Sination;
- Slowdance
- Abracadabra Recordings;
- Acidsamovar Records;
- Blank not label;
- Death Records.
Own company
How to create your own label in music? This question is often asked by those artists who want to work on their own works independently, as well as people who want to professionally create music albums.
You can create your own label by following the recommendations below:
- Determine the direction of the music you want to record.
- Create your company logo.
- Find artists to work with.
- Register a company. This will require a study of the law. If you create a label together with partners, then at this stage you need to sign a contract with them.
- You will need a label promotion. Advertising your company is an extremely important issue. Typically, such companies are promoted through radio and print media.
- Release the first album.
- For the first release, select the most successful material from what artists offer you.
This article provided a brief summary of what a label is. Advice was also given on creating your own record company.