Music Information

The Future for Independent Record Labels


Small independent record labels are facing a different fight today to obtain a share of the music industry. The best possible means in which small labels were able to get their CD's sold vanished in 2003 when Southwest Wholesale Records and Tapes closed the doors. The ability to have their music placed in a position to be sold along the same shelves as the major record labels is becoming increasingly more difficult. The absence of competition on the shelves has generated an increase in profits for the major labels. What can smaller more nimble labels do to compete with the major labels?

Promotion and Radio -

The major labels have a tight grip on the radio, for example, it is probably the means in which to promote and break in a new artist. (Maybe the hold is a little tight and illegal: Eliot Spitzer, New York's attorney general, is investigating whether the majors bribe radio stations to play their music.) The amount of money and influence that the majors have cannot be matched by a smaller record labels. They cannot fight this battle and often songs that are deservingly good enough to be played will not be played. Play lists are generated in a single office and downloaded to the station managers to every part of the country. The station managers have no choice but to play what the corporate headquarters have instructed them to play for the day. What then can smaller more nimble labels do to compete with the major labels?

The Future - The Internet

Battle lines can be drawn in this vast market. Smaller labels can have attractive websites for their acts at a relatively cheap price. Hosting of these sites will not be an unmanageable expense either. The smaller labels can promote with banners and not have to absorb the cost of printing and manually distributing flyers and post cards to a smaller scope of potential buyers. The buyers on the Internet that can be reached are the same as that of the major labels.

What about radio over the Internet? It is still developing and today would be a great time to develop an artist over the Internet. Major labels have no control over the stations on the Internet yet!! Developing a radio station over the Internet is viable option for a small label. The cost associated again with doing so is not prohibitive.

Investigate and do your homework about the Internet and promoting on-line. The market is open for smaller companies as much as it is for the bigger companies.

Eugene Brooks has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate Degree that he earned from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Mr. Brooks is the President and CEO of the Texas based, independent label "KMJ Records." KMJ Records can be found on the web at http://www.kmjrecords.us and features chopped and screwed CD's by Z-Ro and various other Dirty South Houston Rappers.

This article is copyright © 2005 by Eugene Brooks and may be reprinted in it's entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement are included.


MORE RESOURCES:

New Music Download Site - PositiveMusicandDownloads.com ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
"Too often the industry has dictated what type of music we should be listening too. Artists who have a more positive message can't always get past music ...


Telegraph.co.uk

World's Greatest Artists Help Launch (RED)WIRE, (RED)(TM)'s New ...
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
Every Wednesday, (RED)WIRE members receive an issue delivered to their desktop featuring exclusive music from the world's greatest artists. ...
(RED)WIRE Music Service Launches I4U
Music Stars Help Fight AIDS in Africa With New Digital Magazine ... Ecorazzi
Music service will help fight Aids The Press Association
Independent - Brand Republic
all 94 news articles


MTV UK

Britney Spears: 2008 Was a "Hell of a Year"
Seattle Post Intelligencer - 17 minutes ago
Admitting that she "didn't know exactly where I stood with everyone," Spears says it was her big night at the Video Music Awards, where she picked up three ...
Britney Spears, "Circus" (Jive) [2 STARS] Chicago Sun-Times
New Spears effort is a gooey, glittery grab bag Baltimore Sun
Britney Spears Reflects On Her 'Crazy Year' TheImproper.com
Daily Cardinal - NECN
all 208 news articles


Universal Music Enterprises Partners Up With Amazon.com to Offer ...
MarketWatch - 5 hours ago
Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) is coming to the rescue of financially-strapped or simply unimaginative gift-givers this holiday season. ...


Monsters and Critics.com

Elvis Costello puts serious eye on music in Sundance Channel's ...
New York Daily News, NY - Nov 30, 2008
Music on TV goes only so far. You can see a short performance with no interview from the star (on late-night talk shows or “SNL”), hear a full concert that ...
Elvis Costello's new TV show 'Spectacle' offers different look at ... The Canadian Press
When TV Advances Music Hartford Courant
Is It a Talk Show if the Host Sings? New York Times
TheCelebrityCafe.com - United Press International
all 94 news articles


Music group alleges copyright violations at RI pub
Boston Herald, United States - 1 hour ago
By AP PROVIDENCE, RI - A Providence tavern is facing a federal lawsuit for allegedly not paying for songs played at the pub. ...


BBC News

Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Queen music enters Grammy Hall Of Fame
NME.com, UK - 1 hour ago
Music including Jimi Hendrix's rendition of 'The Star Spangled Banner', Queen's 1977 single 'We are the Champions/We Will Rock You' and The Police's 1983 ...
2009 GRAMMY Hall of Fame ® Inductees Announced as the GRAMMY ... Business Wire (press release)
Hendrix's Banner, Queen's anthem head for Grammy Hall of Fame CBC.ca
all 30 news articles


East Meets West With the Launch of The Melrose Collection by Fila
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
The Nina Sky sound embodies all genres of music and their edgy New York subculture. The Melrose launch is centered on a fully integrated marketing and ...


Bands delay albums, leave music labels in lurch
Baltimore Sun, United States - 9 hours ago
By Ethan Smith | The Wall Street Journal As recently as last month, Universal Music Group's Interscope Geffen A&M Records planned to release five major ...


Yahoo! Reviews A Year in Search
MarketWatch - 7 hours ago
In 2008, she made a comeback with a new album, three MTV Music Awards, a sitcom guest star role and documentary on her rise, fall and career comeback. ...

Music - Google News

home | site map
© 2006