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> You don't need a record label you don't need a book publisher, you can, if people want to consume your content just write your book and have people just send
by throw_m239339 5y ago
> You don't need a record label you don't need a book publisher, you can, if people want to consume your content just write your book and have people just send you money via patreon or one time donations.
Yes you do need the biggest possible label. All the big artists today (post 2000), they might have started building their audience on the internet organically , but at some point one absolutely needs a label that has all the connections, budget for advertising, touring, featuring, ...to grow as an artist, nothing has changed on that regard. What collapsed is the record industry, which virtually doesn't exist anymore, save from vinyl records maybe.
The people that are useless on the other hand are the middlemen like Spotify and co, they serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Better distribute your music freely on Youtube instead and grow your audience there, or do live shows on Twitch.
This is a technologist forum, but people here needs to remember that just because you have a product to sell doesn't mean it will sell, no matter how good that product is, you often need to hire people dedicated to selling that product to clients. Music is no different.
- 999900000999 5y agoTech N9ne doesn't have a label. Most of the music I listen to is independently released. I actually enjoy supporting artist directly vs having a label steal half of what they make.
- throw_m239339 5y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_N9ne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_N9ne According to wikipedia, Tech N9ne has been on many labels before, including majors such as Warner Bros. What is your exemple supposed to demonstrate? At some point, during his career, this artist benefited from being on a major label.
- 999900000999 5y agoHe got dropped though. Meaning that you really don't need a label to succeed. Many artists do better after going indee.
- throw_m239339 5y ago> He got dropped though. Meaning that you really don't need a label to succeed. And? It doesn't change the fact that he did get exposure thanks to a major label at some point. You have proven nothing, on the contrary. You have demonstrated my entire point. Nobody makes featuring with Eminem or Lil Wayne without being backed by a label. Featurings are never free.
- 999900000999 5y agoI beg to differ, he had no success at all while on a label. Most artists who get dropped are never heard from again. Even if he did have a deal at some point it's not the reason he's successful. I'd argue in Tech's case he's just absurdly more skilled than the vast majority of other artists. If you need an example of artists who do well but have never been signed to a major take ICP.
- throw_m239339 5y ago> I beg to differ, he had no success at all while on a label. Looking at his Wikipedia page quickly, this is an entirely false statement. There may be some people that succeed without ever being on any label, but he is not one of them.
- 999900000999 5y agoI'll accept being wrong here. I hope we get to a point where artists can serve fans directly, but that might be a long ways off.