We like to say, “The music industry has changed, therefore your strategy must change with it.” Nowadays, the gateways have opened up and artists have access to tools that only labels had access to in the past. Add social media into the equation, and there are so many more ways for artists to get recognition without the power of a record label behind them. This can be a great thing. However, it also creates much more competition when it comes to getting your music heard.
Although artists now have access to the tools needed to succeed, record labels still have the advantage because they not only have the connections in place already, but they also have the money to be able to afford it all. Indie artists can get a decent amount of success on their own without huge budgets. But, in order to really take it there, sometimes being backed by a label is the better choice.
BUT, with all of the competition out there, it makes it much harder to get a record deal, let alone one that you would actually want. So what makes a label sign an artist?
We’ve created a checklist of things that labels consider when looking to sign new talent. To get creative with it, we’ve made each bullet worth a certain amount of points.
Take out a piece of paper, and see how you add up:
- A catalog of professionally recorded, mixed, and mastered music – 5
- Quality music videos – 5
- Professional photos – 5
- Consistent content on all social networks – 5
- A professionally written bio – 5
- A website (www.artistname.com) – 5
- A mailing list – 5
- Professional visuals and album artwork – 5
- A team – 5
- Sells merchandise – 10
- Books shows – 5
- Books paid shows – 10
- Sells out shows – 15
- Has 10k+ fans – 10
- A publicist – 10
- Has distribution – 5
- Has sponsors – 10
- Has toured – 10
- Has radio play – 10
- Has blog/press attention – 10
TOTAL = 150
What’s your score?
If you scored between 100 and 150, congratulations! You are taking control of your music career.
If you scored less than 100, it’s time to step it up a few notches!
Here at Exclusive Public, we’re focused on making sure that you’re set up for success. If you’re looking to start seeing more results with your music career, contact us at admin@exclusivepublic.com or through our contact form to see how we can help get your music heard.