Record Label

A record label is a company that will distribute and oversea the production of recorded music. For a band who wish to have their music widely available, distributed globally and receive mainstream radio airplay then their only option is to be signed up to a record label, although this is easier said than done as a record label will carefully assess which artists and bands they will take on board on factors such as their marketability and the costs that would be required to keep the band on the road for touring purposes.

There are numerous types of record label that exist, the largest are known as major labels and will have practically unlimited resources, many artists wishing to garner a great deal of popularity would be interested in signing with a major record label, however the demands imposed on artists by these types of label are often very high and artists will frequently have to compromise their sound in order to be signed to a record label, which has more interest in shifting units than integrity in music. A smaller record label is often known as an indie label, meaning independent record label, they will have less resources than a major record label, but will not demand such a high level of control over an artists music as a major record label would. When artists signs with a label it is important for them to carefully consider the contract they are entering into as many record labels have exploited artists in the past and still do.