More than 3,000+ active music curators & pros are available on the platform: BIRP.fm, Dummy Magazine, Ba Da Bing! Records, Electro Posé, College Music, Tsugi Radio, Indie Folk Central, and many more. So far, Groover has helped generate over 4 million pieces of feedback, 800,000 shares (articles, radio broadcasts, playlist inclusions etc.) including 1,000+ signatures with labels, publishers, managers and touring companies.

The Ultimate Guide: Our best tips to optimize your experience with Groover

1. How to use Groover as an artist

Once you’ve signed up on Groover, you can follow those easy steps to send your track for the very first time:

1. Start a campaign and add the track/song that you want to promote using a YouTube link – can be unlisted – or SoundCloud link – can be private if shareable.
2. Choose the music curators & pros you want to contact. You can use the filters to help you find the right ones for you, and get more info by clicking on their cards.
3. Write a short pitch for your track, by giving context elements and indicating what your targets are. You can also add a personal message for each of the influencers. More info on how to write the perfect pitch here
4. Once on the summary of your campaign, buy Grooviz, the tokens which allow you to send your music to the blogs, radios and music pros on Groover. Each contact costs you 2 Grooviz (1 Grooviz = €1).
5. Validate your campaign. You’ll get your feedback within 7 days. After 7 days, you get Grooviz back for those who haven’t replied to you in order for you to contact someone else… Or the same person again. Just so you know, the current answer rate is around 90%. Magic ✨
6. After your campaign is launched, don’t forget to fill in your profile as much as you can. It’s a precious source of information for the music professionals that you contact and who’d wish to know more about you and your project.

2. Who are the blogs, radios and music pros on Groover?

Groover influencers are music enthusiasts who have been handpicked by the Groover team for their ability to spot new musical trends. Today they fall into 3 main categories:

• Media outlets: magazines, radio stations, blogs, playlists, YouTube channels… If they like your song, they will share it with their audience, allowing new fans to discover your music.
• Labels, Publishers, and Bookers: they are looking for the next talents to sign and promote, working as your potential future partners.
• Mentors: managers, coaches, or other professionals in the field. They have been selected for their ability to give constructive advice on your production, your career, or your project.

All of our influencers have the shared desire to discover music and have been carefully chosen for the value they can bring you. These musical influencers are independent and specialized in different musical genres. Today there are more than 2000 active musical influencers on Groover. Discover them here.

| Read also: Radio: How to Get your Songs Successfully on the Air?

Media, radio, label, music professionals on Groover

3. When should I send my music on Groover?

Before starting a campaign on Groover, you need to identify the current phase of your project:

• If your project is not artistically finished but you have demos, you can use Groover to contact labels, managers, touring companies, publishers– even if they will often wait to hear a “finished” project- or mentors who will be able to give you detailed advice on your strategy and production. Read our article How to find a Booker?
• If your project is mixed, mastered, ready to be released or already released, you are now in the promotion phase of your project. Using Groover can boost your visibility as soon as your first single is released and serve as a springboard before the release of a more ambitious project (EP, album…) or a major event (concert, interview, showcase). In this case, there are two potential ways to proceed- plans A and B below.

Keep in mind that some influencers- especially independent playlists – are much more responsive and efficient when your music has already been released on streaming platforms like Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music etc. Consider excluding these influencers from any campaign you may be running pre-release day and wait until the track is available on streaming platforms before contacting them. You can also add the Spotify link in your track info at that time.

💡 Tip: You can prepare organized lists of influencers– via the little bookmark icon- based on promotion type or timing: “Before release” and “Day of release” for example. This will save you time!

If you don’t know where to start, we strongly advise that you send your music the day of its release or some time after. Contact as many relevant influencers as possible in order to give your song the visibility it deserves!

Remember to regularly remind people who follow you to go listen to your track, look for new contacts, create new relationships with different players in the music world- artists, producers, media / radio / labels etc. If they discover your music and fall in love with it even a year after its release, they will not hesitate to share it with their community. This can continue to attract more and more curious people and fans around your music!

4. Can I send a song that hasn’t been released yet?

Yes, of course! You can use:

• An unlisted Youtube link– make sure to check that your video is embeddable.
• A private Soundcloud link– be sure to use a shareable link with a small code called ‘token’ at the end, obtained by clicking “Share” under the Soundcloud player.

Remember to indicate the upcoming release date of the song. The musical influencer will thus be warned that the song has not yet been released and therefore they should not share it yet.
If you are looking for a media to share your song as an exclusive premiere, don’t hesitate to specify that it is an Exclusivity thanks to the box specifically provided at the time of sending your song.
If you’re looking for advice on a pre-mix or demo, you can select the Demo option when entering your song information so that music influencers are notified.

5. Write the perfect pitch for your song

Once you have chosen the media, radios, labels and  music pros you wish to contact and added a link to your song, the last crucial step before validating your submission is to write a good pitch for your song.

Here are a few tips on how to get attention and make your mark:

1. Specify what you are looking for, don’t leave your contacts in the dark
What are you looking for right now? Visibility (articles, playlist inclusions…) ? A label, a manager, a booker? Need advice on your demo? All of that at once?

2. Adapt your pitch according to the chosen contacts
At the moment, are you looking for a label for the release of your next EP? After playing several concerts, do you now want to work with a tour manager? You want to publicize your recent release to the media?
Don’t hesitate to adapt your request and the information you provide according to the contacts you have chosen, informing them briefly about your current news.

3. Be concise and informative
No matter what happens, the professionals you contact at Groover will listen to your track. Rather than describing your song, try to give them the context. For example, you can give them 1-2 essential points about your project, keeping it concise. A few suggestions:

• The release date of your album/single, and the link to listen to it
• The context or story behind a music video
• Your next gig or the venues of your last important concert dates
• A recent opening act you did for a band you admire
• Support received for the release in question (crowdfunding, media coverage…)
• Your top musical influences

Make sure not to give too much information- try to concentrate on 1-2 essential elements of your project that are likely to interest professionals, 5 lines of text maximum. This is a first contact and their time is limited.

💡 Final Tip: Don’t forget to fill out your profile and keep it up to date. It is a sign of seriousness and an important source of information for professionals who discover your project. It’s also a way to detail your musical universe a little more than in the pitch field!

Magon’s artist profil on Groover

| Read also: How to Write a Good Biography to Promote Your Music?

6. What are Grooviz?

Grooviz are credits on Groover. To send your tracks to media, labels and musical influencers present on the Groover platform, you need to acquire Grooviz.

• 1 Grooviz costs 1€ TTC
• Sending a song to 1 influencer costs 2 Grooviz
• You can benefit from Grooviz packs:

Credit Packs available on Groover to contact the best media, radio, label and music professionals to promote your music

| Read also: How to manage your Budget when releasing your Music for the Best Promotion?

7. What budget should I invest on my Groover campaign?

After 2 years of Groover being alive, the platform’s data clearly show that the most successful campaigns on Groover were all sent to more than 30 contacts (60 Grooviz), and most of them more than 50 contacts (100 Grooviz).

The # of curators / pros chosen will of course depend on your music style and your targets, but with more than 3,000 curators / pros currently active, you risk to be spoiled for choice (though filters can help!)

If you’re looking for visibility: more than 70% of the contacts available on Groover can offer you direct opportunities to get coverage if they have a crush on your music. If it is your main target, your budget can rise over 100-150 Grooviz (50-75 contacts) depending on the music genres to which you identify your music. The more you select curators and pros, the more you increase your chances to get interesting results!

If you want to build your entourage: we recommend here to take your time to target relevant contacts for you and your musical univers. The campaigns can be small and precise.

More advice about which budget you should invest on Groover are available here

8. How does feedback work on Groover?

A feedback is a short text of a minimum of 15 words written by the musical influencer on the song sent by the artist or their representative. Today, the average feedback is close to 40 words. Feedback is private- only you and the musical influencer who wrote it have access to them.

What can an artist expect to read?
The feedback is more or less detailed according to the influencer- who is free to say what they please- with the intention of being constructive (for the artist), explanatory (on the reasons for sharing or not), sincere, and encouraging. Every musical influencer has read and adheres by the Groover Feedback Guide.

9. As an artist, am I guaranteed to get articles or shares?

No, this is not Groover‘s principle. The platform guarantees that your track will be listened to and that you will receive feedback from the chosen blogs, labels and pros. The response rate is indeed higher than 85%, and you get Grooviz – name of the credits on Groover – back if you don’t get an answer within 7 days.

However, we do all our best to guide you towards the right curators & pros for you so you maximize the opportunities you can get. Currently, the acceptation rate – i.e. when your track is shared or when the curator / pro wants to get in touch with you – is around 20%! Two things to remember, which can seem opposite but actually can help find the right balance:

• Good targeting is key and will increase your performance
• The more you contact curators & pros, the more concrete opportunities you’ll get!

Important: the music curators & pros on Groover remain entirely free to share your song and to contact you or not. If you want to know how campaigns have gone for other musicians, you can read Groover reviews from artists and music pros.

– Article written by Marguerite Beaussant in its original version, translated by Mackenzie Leighton –

And there you go! All you have to do is register here 👈

And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us 😊

L’article How to Use Groover to Promote Your Music with Success? est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

Don’t worry, here’s a complete guide on how to submit your music to record labels for consideration.

1. Double-check your demo to make sure it’s ready to send to industry professionals

After all, signing a contract with a record company has to do with having good music (but not only that!). If you feel ready to send your demo to a record label, chances are you’ve spent a lot of time perfecting it but just to be on the safe side, double-check that you have a track that’s ready to send to music industry professionals.

Emerging artists don’t usually have a lot of money to spend on recording their songs and recording costs tend to be high. But if you can, try to get your hands on some decent recording equipment or even hire a recording studio, as this will really improve the quality of your work.

And while recording the track, make sure you hire the right people who can help you take your song to the next level. For example, if you need some good guitar playing but you’re not very good at it, hire a guitarist whose skills can make your song sound more professional. 

You don’t need to waste time and money mastering the recordings you want to send. But it’s a good idea to mix them as well as possible before sending them off, because when it comes to getting the attention of a record label, sound quality matters.

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These record labels are looking for new emerging artists to sign 👇

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2. Do your research before approaching a record label to make sure you’re not wasting their time

The next step is to decide which labels to send your demo to, i.e. which labels you think would be interested in music like yours. Different record labels often have a genre they like to stick to, be it hip-hop, punk, rap, country, folk, or indie music… and they may not accept music that falls into another genre so if that’s the case, you don’t want to send them your new music and waste everyone’s time. When researching a label, you really want to be critical of your own music: is it suitable for that label?

One important thing to bear in mind if you’re just starting out is to reach out to the smaller or medium-sized labels that fall under the scope of the big three, the three major record labels that are Universal Music Group, Warner Music, and Sony Music. As influential as the major labels are, remember that your music career is a marathon, not a sprint. You want to start slowly and build it gradually and a great way to get going is with the smaller subsidiaries that will be more likely to check you and your music out. 

You can also look at independent record labels, also known as indie labels that aren’t owned by any of the big three and record independently and even deal with music distribution and licensing independently. These are more likely to sign new artists as they usually have a smaller roster of artists to begin with. 

If you don’t know how to research record labels, you can start by looking at an artist you like who makes music similar to yours, and then you can find out which record label they are signed to. You can usually find this information on their musician’s website or even in the bio section of their social media accounts, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. 

If you can’t find it there, you can look on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, or YouTube Music, as they often display label information on their artist’s profile page. You can also start from our list of record labels accepting submissions.

Once you have your list of dream labels, you need to consider how to submit to them, including any label policies on unsolicited demos, as well as the format required and the right person to contact. 

3. Find the contact details of the relevant person at the record label. 

This brings us to our next point, which is finding the right person to contact to send your demo. The last thing you want is to send your work to some random email address ensuring that it never gets found or listened to. To avoid this, you need to spend some time finding the most relevant contact details.

You’ll want to look for A&R (Artist and Repertoire) representatives, who are essentially responsible for finding new artists to sign and then act as intermediaries between the artist and the record label.

To find them, you can either look on the record company’s website and if they have an open demo submission system, they’ll have a noted email address for the best person to contact (bear in mind that if they don’t, they may not accept unsolicited demos). 

If you can’t find it there, you can also look for an email on LinkedIn, Twitter, or even on Facebook or Instagram (you might be able to send them a DM asking for an email if it’s a fairly small label).

OK, so once you’ve got the right email address, what should you send? 

4. Keep your email short and to the point

Bear in mind that record labels receive a ton of demos from unsigned artists and won’t take the time to read your whole life story if you send it in your email. You have to respect their time and keep your message short but complete.

It’s also a good idea to personalize your email a little and as well as a very short bio, you can include your social accounts to show that you’re actively building a fanbase around your music (but don’t send private accounts as that would defeat the purpose).

To submit your demo, choose two or three of your favorite songs and send a link to a streaming service such as Soundcloud or Spotify. Bear in mind that most record companies don’t accept physical submissions or file attachments (as this means they have to download them and worry about any potential viruses).

Another option is to send all this in the way of an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) so that the reader only has to look at one document to find out all the information there is to know about you.

5. Contact as many record labels as necessary and follow up after an appropriate amount of time

After all, it’s a numbers game and you want to make sure you give yourself the best possible chance at success. However, as we said in one of the previous sections, you don’t want to waste someone’s time by sending them something they won’t be interested in. 

Just take the list you’ve compiled, contact the record labels on there and if, after a month or so, you still haven’t received a reply, you can politely follow up to make sure they’ve received it and ask for their feedback.

6. Do the behind-the-scenes work to show that you’re actually ready to work with a record label

If you send your demo to a record label and you’ve followed these steps, chances are they’ll at least take a look at you to see what you’re all about. And the last thing you want is for them to see you doing nothing and having nothing going on.

You need to be actively building your own career and investing time and energy in yourself. 

A very important thing to do and something that A&R representatives notice is having a strong online presence as an artist. So with this in mind, you need to regularly post engaging content on your various social media platforms and build a community of fans around your music by constantly attracting new subscribers.

Another thing you want to do to show that you are still active on the music scene is to release new music consistently. Record labels don’t like one-hit wonders that don’t have a catalogue of songs as these artists don’t tend to bring in a lot of money. So you should aim to bring out a new single every month or at least every couple of months. You also need to be promoting your new record with tools such as a great music video.

Live music is also huge and you need to show the record labels you’ve submitted your demo to, that you are busy touring and playing your new music to your fanbase. You can even use live shows and gigs to sell promotional merchandise like CDs, cassettes, T-shirts… and music sales such as these are a great way to make money as an indie artist.

And since streaming music is the most popular way of consuming music nowadays, you also want to make sure your new music is available on streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Tidal or other music services such as iTunes. 

You essentially need to show them that you’re at that stage in your career and that you are ready to be signed to a record label.

Conclusion

There you have it, a complete guide to submitting your music to a record label in the hopes of getting a record deal. By following these steps, you’ll be able to get your songs into the hands and ears of the right people who can help you.

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Send your music to record labels and be guaranteed that your music will be listened to 👇

L’article Record label music submissions: a complete guide est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

Look no further, here’s a list of 15 independent labels in New York City looking for talent where you can send your demo. You can find even more of them and pitch them your music through Groover.

1. A Diamond Heart Production

Founded in 2014 by singer-songwriter and record producer Vanessa Silberman, A Diamond Heart Production is a jack-of-all-trades company that handles not only music recording but also music editing and artist development. 

So if you are looking for guidance in areas such as mixing, mastering, or even tour planning, this could be the record label for you, as there’s someone to help you every step of the way, such as a graphic designer, photographer, and even a social media marketing expert. To top it all off, the company has recently launched four sub-labels that operate under its umbrella, namely Success Records, Poppy Records, Amethyst Trax, and Cocoon Songs.

The label’s main focus is on artists who specialize in musical genres such as indie rock, alternative rock, and pop rock, and its current roster includes talents such as Tea Eater, The Resonators, Jasno Swarez, Homemade, and many more.

If you think this label might be right for you, you can get in touch with them via Groover. 

2. Sungate Records

Sungate Records is located in the heart of New York City and like A Diamond Heart Production, Sungate Records takes artist development a step further by offering services such as digital marketing strategy, content creation, branding, and design. 

The music genres they’re most interested in are hip-hop, trap, R&B, and Lo-Fi, so if you specialize in heavy metal, this might not be for you. 

You can submit your music for consideration quickly and effortlessly through Groover. 

3. Ba Da Bing Records

Founded in 1994 by Ben Goldberg and based in Brooklyn, Ba Da Bing Records is an independent label specializing in alternative and experimental music. It is best known for its eclectic roster of artists, including Sharon Van Etten, Cassandra Jenkins, and Beirut. 

It is also very keen on merchandising and puts a lot of effort into vinyl records and CDs. 

They don’t say anything about being open for music submissions, but if you head over to their website, you can find an email as well as a postal address in Brooklyn (although some record labels no longer accept physical submissions for environmental reasons). If you’d rather focus on labels that openly welcome demos, check out our list of record labels accepting submissions.

Founder Ben Goldberg also launched Grapefruit Records in 2011 (but this one is based in Omaha, Nebraska) with Simon Joyner, known for reissuing classic albums as well as releasing new music from contemporary artists (you guessed it, on vinyl). 

4. Babygrande Records

Babygrande Records is an independent label based in New York, founded in 2001 by Chuck Wilson, which focuses on releasing music from a variety of genres, including hip-hop, but also EDM (Electronic Dance Music), and indie, from both established and emerging artists. It represents artists such as Lil Scrappy and Chelly Flame. 

To get in touch with them, send your submission via email at inquiries@babygrande.com (and make sure you put all the relevant information and send streaming links only!). 

5. Return Records

Return Records is an independent label based in New York that mainly releases music in genres such as house, pop, and hip-hop, so if you think you might be the next Dua Lipa, you might want to get in touch with them.

Similarly to the first two, they are very involved in the development of the artists they represent as a whole and will work with you on your branding as an artist as well as your marketing strategy, whether that’s on social media platforms or streaming platforms.

To get in touch with them, you can submit your music directly through Groover. 

6. Glassnote Records

Glassnote Entertainment Group, commonly known as Glassnote Records, is an independent record label founded in 2007 by Daniel Glass and based in New York City.

The label has become known for its eclectic roster of artists, including Aurora, The Teskey Brothers, CHVRCHES, and Phoenix, as well as its ability to sign emerging talent and help them develop their careers in a variety of musical genres, including indie and hip-hop while supporting creativity and artistic vision.

If you need proof, the label signed and promoted indie folk band Mumford & Sons, whose debut album ‘Sigh No More’ enjoyed international success and critical acclaim.

To send your demo over, you can email demos@glassnotemusic.com (but do not put an mp3 as this will not be considered a valid A&R submission). You can also send them a press kit via postal mail to: Glassnote Records (Attn: Demo Submissions), 770 Lexington Ave (16th Floor), New York, NY 10065. 

7. French Kiss Records

Founded by Syd Butler in 1999, Frenchkiss Records is an independent label based in New York. It has made a name for itself by releasing critically acclaimed albums such as Passion Pit‘s ‘Manners’ in 2009, and by helping to raise the profile of its artists, including Somebody’s Child. 

To send your demo over, you can contact Syd Butler at syd@frenchkissrecords.com. 

8. Mexican Summer

Based in Brooklyn, Mexican Summer is an independent label and multimedia platform founded by Keith Abrahamsson and Andrés Santo Domingo in 2008. 

It is known for its eclectic roster, which encompasses a wide range of musical genres, including indie rock, experimental, psychedelic, electronic, and more.

The label is also known for everything it does outside of releasing music, such as special vinyl editions, art books, and collaborative projects, and even hosts events such as music festivals, showcases, and cultural exhibitions.

They prefer not to receive any physical demos so instead, send links to your songs over to demos@mexicansummer.com.

9. Putumayo World Music

Putumayo World Music is a record label founded in 1993 by Dan Storper. He set it up after completing his studies of Latin America and a trip to the Putumayo River valley in Colombia. His overall aim was to introduce people to world music, and to do this he organized compilations of music from specific regions or countries.

The company has gained widespread recognition for its high-quality recordings and its role in promoting intercultural understanding through music.

In addition to its role as a music company, Putumayo also offers various cultural products, such as books and clothing, to celebrate and promote global diversity. 

If you think you might be a good fit for Putumayo World Music, get in touch via Groover. 

10. Cult Records

Chances are you’ve heard of the Strokes or, if not, their lead singer, the infamous Julian Casablancas. But did you know that he set up a record label in 2009? He did and called it Cult Records, which focuses on releasing music from emerging alternative and indie rock artists. The label has quickly become known for the importance it places on the artistic integrity and creative freedom of its artists, and its roster includes the likes of The Voidz (Julian Casablancas’ side project), Har Mar Superstar, and Rey Pila, among others.

You can submit your music directly through the Demos / Music Submission form on their website.

11. Fool’s Gold Records

Fool’s Gold Records is an independent label founded by DJ A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs in 2007. It is known for its diverse roster of artists spanning genres such as hip-hop, electronic, and indie. Fool’s Gold Records is also renowned for its innovative approach to music marketing and its commitment to supporting emerging talent. Fool’s Gold has earned a reputation for being a launching pad for some of today’s most inventive artists thanks to its ability to find promising talent and turn them into real stars.

Send over your demo through the submission form linked on their contact page (info@foolsgoldrecs.com is for general inquiries).  

12. Coalmine Records

We all love a good pun and we certainly love Coalmine Records, a Brooklyn-based independent hip-hop label founded in 2005 by Matt Diamond. 

Ironically, the label focuses on releasing underground and independent hip-hop music, and throughout its existence, Coalmine Records has earned the respect of the hip-hop community for its consistent production of high-quality music and for its role in supporting independent artists.

If you think you’d fit the bill, you can reach the label at info@coalminerecords.com (they don’t publish a demo policy) and check out their curated playlists on Spotify.

13. I Surrender Records

I Surrender Records is a New York-based independent label specializing in pop punk and alternative rock. The label was founded in 2003 by Rob Hitt and Chris Hansen and has served as a platform for emerging bands and released music from artists such as Four Year Strong, The Starting Line, Valencia, and Hit the Lights.

The label has a reputation for supporting artists with energetic, catchy sounds, so if that’s you, send in your two best songs through the contact form on their website (streaming links, no mp3!). 

14. Daptone Records

Specializing in soul, funk, and afrobeat music, Daptone Records was founded in 2001 by Gabriel Roth and Neal Sugarman, both musicians and producers. The label is based in New York and its artists often record at the Daptone House of Soul studio in Brooklyn. It is known for its retro sound and has released music from acts such as Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, and Antibalas. The label is known for its commitment to capturing the vintage sound and aesthetic of classic soul and funk recordings.

Daptone doesn’t publish a demo address on its website, so follow their socials for any call for music. If you do write to them, mention that it is for the attention of the A&R department. 

Under the Daptone Records umbrella are smaller labels such as Wick Records, which focuses on the rock scene, and Penrose Records. 

15. Sacred Bones Records

Founded by Caleb Braaten in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, Sacred Bones Records is known for its avant-garde music, with a particular focus on underground and experimental music, covering a wide range of genres including post-punk, noise rock, and electronica. The label is committed to releasing music that pushes boundaries and challenges convention, often featuring artists with unique and innovative sounds, such as Zola Jesus, John Carpenter, Pharmakon, and Moon Duo.

They don’t publish a demo policy, but you can try their general address, info@sacredbonesrecords.com, with streaming links.

So there you have it, fifteen labels that you can find in one of the world’s most creative places, New York City.

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Want to send your music to record labels, with guaranteed listening and response? 👇

L’article Independent record labels in New York City est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

Indeed, they have always played a crucial role in the music scene, but while this role was once purely that of recording and selling music, recent changes in the music industry following the rise of digital distribution and social media platforms have forced record labels to evolve and work to sell an artist’s brand as well as their music. 

So let’s take a look at what exactly a record label does for an artist in 2024.

1. The different music labels and their involvement with artists

Before diving into the different roles that a typical record label plays, it’s important to note that there are two types of labels and that they operate slightly differently.

On the one hand, there are major record companies such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group, which are known as the ‘Big Three‘ and which dominate the market. 

These major labels are made up of subsidiaries. For example, Sony Music owns Columbia Records and RCA Records, Universal Music owns Capitol Music Group and Island Records, and Warner Music owns Atlantic Records.

Then there are the independent labels, which are generally much smaller, and also have a more restricted roster of artists, as they often concentrate on niche genres and target a specific audience. The main difference between them and the major labels is that they operate with their own independent funding and generally have a more personalized approach to managing their artists, for example by giving them more creative freedom and control over their music.

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Send your music directly to record labels 👇

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2. A record label invests in your career by offering you financial support at the start

As the saying goes, it takes money to make money and that’s especially true in the music industry.

You may have gone so far on your own, but maybe now you’re plateauing and need money to take your career to the next level. The truth is, even if you’re doing really well as an independent artist and you’ve managed to raise money on your own, chances are it’s still nowhere near what a record company could invest in your career. 

So let’s say that, as an artist you’ve been scouted by the A&R (Artist and Repertoire) department of your favorite record label and offered a recording contract. When you sign this contract, the record company invests a sum of money in the development of your career. This financial support is supposed to help you get ahead and you can use it at every stage of your career, from recording to marketing to touring. 

But this money is an advance, so it’s you, the artist, who has to pay it back with the first earnings from your music. Once you have paid it back in full, you start to receive royalties on your music, which you share with the record company according to the percentage agreed in the recording contract (it may be advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in entertainment law when you sign your very first recording contract, so that you fully understand what you are signing). 

So the first thing a record company can do for you as an artist is to inject money into your career so that you can take it to the next level. And that initial funding, as we’ll see, will affect every aspect of your musical career as an artist. 

3. A record label produces master recordings of your songs

Unless you had access to a recording studio or professional recording equipment, chances are your first demos were recorded in your bedroom or garage. 

If they sign you, the first thing the record company will do is produce master recordings of your songs to create the final versions that will be released to the public. 

This process involves recording, mixing, and mastering the songs in your repertoire. Chances are that a major record company will have in-house producers and engineers to help you with this task, whereas independent record companies may work with external professionals and pay for studio time, any producer they hire, and any songwriters or musicians who have been brought in to help with the project. 

4. A record label distributes your songs

Music distribution has changed a lot in recent years and today, it mostly revolves around streaming. Therefore, distribution is largely handled digitally, through digital distributors such as Tunecore, DistroKid, and CD Baby. These will distribute your music on various digital service providers (DSPs), such as Amazon Music, and iTunes, and streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Deezer, and Tidal. 

Now, although digital distribution dominates the market, it’s still worth talking about physical distribution, as labels may want to distribute physical copies of music, including CDs, vinyl records, and cassettes. This is especially true as there seems to be a growing demand for this type of merchandise (more on this later). Consequently, the label will work with music retailers and online shops to stock and sell physical products. 

One last thing to talk about when discussing distribution is licensing agreements. If you’ve never heard of these agreements, they allow TV shows, films, commercials, video games… to use the exact recording of a song. They don’t have the right to do that unless they’ve signed a license agreement, and it’s the job of a record company to negotiate such agreements on behalf of the artists. 

5. A record label sells your songs

The overall aim of a record company is always to sell the music and, in a way, the artist. 

But nothing happens without proper marketing and while this can be difficult for an independent artist, a record label can invest significant amounts of money and develop a marketing strategy to get your music and content seen by more people. 

A well-thought-out marketing strategy encompasses several things and the first thing any marketing team will probably tackle is developing publicity campaigns to promote your new record. Essentially, this is about securing media coverage for the artist, whether it’s press releases, interviews, a massive billboard in Times Square… anything that can help you reach a wider audience and increase your fan base.

Another facet that will be taken care of by the record company’s marketing team is promoting the artist’s music on the various streaming platforms. We saw them in the previous section on distribution, but now we need to talk about playlist placement. If you’re an independent artist, it’s up to you to promote your music for playlist curation, as you’ll be responsible for promoting the release of your music. The truth is that this can be really difficult because it involves a lot of networking and a lot of pitching (one thing that can make the process easier is to get in touch with playlist curators directly through Groover). 

But if you’re signed to a record label, the marketing team will use their connections to make sure your songs are heard by the right people and featured on influential playlists, or even on the radio. 

Another thing the marketing team will probably look after is your social media presence. This depends on the size of the label, as well as your own ability to promote your music on social networks. If it’s something you struggle with, record labels usually have someone on their team who specializes in social media marketing and manages the social media of the label’s artist roster. Because the truth is that most of your fanbase is, as an artist, on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

As well as managing your social media, your label can also help you create content, whether that’s a great music video for you to upload to YouTube or Vevo, or getting high-quality professional photographs to promote your new release.  If your label has a partnership with Vevo, it will also be easier to set up your own Vevo artist channel.

6. A record label helps you with your other sources of income

Whereas it used to be mostly about selling music, record companies are now heavily involved in the whole brand that the artist represents. That whole brand is made up of many revenue streams, music being one of them, but others being touring, endorsements, and merchandise.
Let’s look at the first point. A large part of a musical artist’s career is linked to tours and gigs. Not only can record companies finance concerts and tours, but they also help you organize them by booking the right venues and taking care of travel and accommodation arrangements, and the marketing team can promote the tour and generate buzz around it.

Another thing a record company can help you with is creating merchandise to be sold during the tour. Merchandising is very important for an artist and is a key source of income. Whether it’s t-shirts, caps, CDs, or vinyl records, the record company can finance the merchandising and get involved in the creative process. For example, it can help artists create the cover art for their first album by hiring a graphic designer or photographer. 

Finally, a record company can help you secure brand partnerships and sponsorship. Again, this is because they have established relationships with brands, companies, and industry influencers and they can introduce you as an artist to potentially endorse products and then negotiate deals on your behalf. 

In conclusion, record companies, whether majors or independent labels, can be very helpful for artists in 2024, offering them a platform for exposure and a structure for growth, as well as the resources they need to develop their music careers and succeed in the competitive music industry. If you feel ready to work with one, our guide to record label music submissions walks you through preparing your demo, finding the right contact and following up.

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But as a major music company, it doesn’t just sign new artists and promote existing ones, it is also heavily involved in the business side of the music industry and takes care of things such as handling artist development as well as negotiating licensing deals with online music streaming services and social media platforms… Because of these many roles, Universal Music has a considerable impact on the way music in general is consumed and promoted around the world. 

But recently, the record company announced several changes and, as is the case when such a major player makes a series of unexpected moves, the whole game seems to change as a result.

Let’s take a look at the various decisions Universal Music has made recently and the impact they could have on the music industry as a whole. 

1. The 10-year agreement with HYBE and utilizing the Weverse platform

Earlier this year, Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, announced that the group had signed a long-term agreement with HYBE. 

If you’ve never heard of HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), it’s an entertainment company founded in 2005 and based in South Korea, specializing in the management and promotion of musical artists, particularly in the K-pop industry. In fact, it was the worldwide success of the K-pop group BTS (Bangtan Boys) that really put HYBE on the map. 

The agreement signed in March this year provides Universal Music with exclusive distribution rights over HYBE’s music for the next ten years. In return, HYBE’s artists will benefit from UMG’s expertise in international music distribution and marketing, which should help them greatly in their musical careers.

To fully understand the impact this deal could have on the music industry, we also need to mention Weverse, the social media platform created and run by HYBE to help artists foster a more direct connection with their fanbase.

The beauty of this platform is that it allows artists to share exclusive content such as behind-the-scenes footage, communicate directly with fans and listeners via the platform, promote music releases, whether it’s a new single or a brand new album, as well as promote tours and sell merchandise (CDs, cassettes, T-shirts, etc.). The platform also offers a range of monetization opportunities, such as paid events like live streams or virtual meetings.

And now, thanks to this new 10-year agreement, artists signed by UMG will also be able to use this platform and its various promotional tools. On top of this, it will also allow them to tap into a large and active international audience, and give them the opportunity to collaborate with other artists on the platform, including those signed to HYBE (and thus reach listeners who may not already know them). 

Now, what does this mean for the music industry as a whole?  Well, if it turns out that this system works well for UMG artists, it could inspire other record companies, whether majors like Sony Music and Warner Music Group or independent labels, to seek similar partnerships or even create their own platforms for their artists to connect with their fans.  

2. The licensing dispute between Universal Music and TikTok

Another major event recently hit the headlines: the licensing dispute between Universal Music Group and the social media platform TikTok, which led the record company to withdraw its entire music catalog from the video-sharing platform. 

Why this decision? Well, it boils down to two major issues on which the two parties have been unable to find common ground, and therefore agree on a new licensing deal. 

The first issue is money. UMG believes that TikTok does not fairly compensate artists or songwriters when they use their songs and that it does not pay enough royalties to rights holders.

The second issue relates to concerns about artificial intelligence. Indeed, UMG believes that TikTok has somehow allowed AI music to flood the platform and thus drown out all the man-made music.

But what will become of this tug-of-war between the world’s most popular video-sharing application (it has a billion monthly users!) and the world’s biggest record company? And what does it mean for the music industry? 

The truth is that, for now, the two need each other, as TikTok is the most popular social media app in terms of exposure, but in return, it needs access to a large music library to keep its users happy. While Weverse is a great tool for UMG artists to use to promote their music, it can’t completely replace TikTok, as it remains an essential channel through which a song can reach new listeners and even go viral.

What do UMG artists have to say about all this? Despite UMG’s open letter to the artist and the songwriting community explaining the reasons for its action, the artists themselves are not very happy. This is particularly worrying for new and small artists who may not be signed directly by UMG but by one of its smaller music labels, and whose songs have been removed from the social media app due to the lack of a licensing deal. 

Only time will tell what happens next, but it seems that this showdown between the two giants will result in a lot of people losing and nobody winning.  

3. The new agreement between UMG and Spotify

While UMG and TikTok don’t seem to be getting on, the record company is getting much closer to Spotify, the online music streaming service. The two already had an agreement that allowed UMG’s music catalog to be streamed on the platform. But UMG recently announced a new deal with the music streaming service that will expand the features available to its artists and allow them to engage more with fans and better promote their music directly on the platform.

Spotify itself announced some time ago that some new features would be included on the platform and that these new social and promotional tools would be made available to artists over time. It now looks like UMG artists will be the first to benefit (which, after the TikTok fallout, is good news for them).

Little has been revealed about these new features as yet, but we do know that one of the additions will be the ability for music artists to tease new songs on the Spotify platform by uploading a short clip and allowing people to pre-save songs directly from the short clip. 

So it seems that Spotify is moving away from its identity as an exclusively online streaming service and will soon include features that will make it more like a social media platform.

Conclusion

It’s easy to see how all of these decisions are connected but it’s too soon to tell what the results will be for Universal Music itself. However, it’s safe to say that the changes that it is making to the way it operates will most likely have a big impact on the music industry as a whole as these various precedents could lead to a change in the way other major labels approach digital distribution in the future.

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Ready to amplify your music’s reach? 👇

L’article Universal Music and its impact on the music industry in 2024 est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

In this day and age, independent artists have more opportunities than ever to distribute their music to a global audience without the need to go through a traditional major label, thanks in large part to the rise of social media as well as digital music platforms like Spotify, Itunes, and Apple Music.

So if you’ve got your passion project and you want to release your independent album but you’re wondering how to make your dream a reality, setting up your own independent label could be a strategic decision to take control of your music career and get your music out into the world on your own terms.

There are many advantages to setting up your own label as an independent artist, and it could help you get your career off to the right start, with full control and greater flexibility.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at all these benefits and why it could well be the right move for you.

1. It gives you more artistic freedom

The main advantage of setting up your indie label to release your own music is that, as the owner of your label, you have total creative control over your music and can decide on the style, content, and general direction of your work without any outside interference.

For the sake of argument, let’s say you’ve signed a record deal with a big label to release your new single. In that case, you would have to take other people’s opinions into account. After all, let’s not forget that record companies have commercial considerations in mind and often put pressure on artists to create music that is commercially viable and likely to appeal to a wide audience.

So, for example, if you’ve released a debut album that did very well, the chances are that your record company will want you to repeat the same pattern and the same success, over and over again, staying in the same niche that worked before and without much regard for your development as an artist.

This can be very frustrating for many artists who find themselves having to leave their record company in order to be able to create the music they really want to create.

Let’s say you’re known as a folk singer-songwriter but you want to try out different genres like rap, punk, electronic, and hip-hop… by being an unsigned artist, you have the choice and the opportunity to explore different genres and change your mind.

So, by setting up your own label, you give yourself the opportunity to grow as an artist and evolve, by retaining complete creative control over your work.

In addition to calling the shots in the recording studio, you can also decide on your music videos, any promotional merchandising, and any artwork such as the cover of your new album…

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2. You can follow your own timeline

As well as having greater artistic freedom, being an unsigned artist means you can follow your own schedule. This means you don’t have to answer to a record company that might want you to write a whole album in six months and you can concentrate on releasing your music at your own pace.

Let’s say you’re signed to a major label or even one of the ‘big three’ record companies, Universal Music Group, Sony Music, or Warner Music Group. If they tell you they need your songs ready by a certain date to start the recording process, you’ll have to be ready.

But songwriting and composing can sometimes be a lengthy process and we all know that rushed creative work is rarely good. By setting up your own record label, you can remain in control of your schedule, which can allow you to experiment with different creative approaches and release work that you’ve really taken the time to perfect to your heart’s content. 

That said, it’s important not to use this flexibility and lack of accountability as a reason to procrastinate. When you don’t have anyone chasing you to do your work, you need to be disciplined enough to get the job done.

3. You have greater financial independence

We all know that the goal is to make a living as an artist, and going through a record label can actually get in the way of that. Traditional recording contracts often involve a significant division of earnings, which means that when you sign with a record label you give away a large part of your income, which can end up being a lot of money and can lead to you not being able to make a living from your music.

On the other hand, when you run your own label, you can keep a large part of your musical income.

We’ll look at the question of royalties in the next section, but you should be aware that traditional recording contracts often involve a significant sharing of royalties, with the label taking a substantial share. As the owner of an independent label, you can keep your royalties and you can even negotiate royalty rates that are more favorable to you.

You can go even further by diversifying your sources of income and exploring multiple sources of revenue beyond music sales, such as merchandising (CDs, cassettes, limited-edition items…), live shows, sponsorships, and partnerships. For a full overview of these income streams, from crowdfunding to sync licensing, see our guide on making a living as a musician.

Ultimately, just as you have complete creative control over your career, you also have complete financial control over it, which can greatly contribute to your success as an artist.

4. You retain full ownership of your musical productions

Now here’s the biggest advantage of setting up your own limited company as an independent artist: you own the rights to your original recordings, so anything you create in your musical repertoire or catalogue is 100% yours.

Artists who agree to work with record companies sign an artist’s contract that binds them to the record company and delegates ownership of their productions to it. This may seem trivial, but it’s actually very damaging for you because ownership of your work can really play an important role in building a long and sustainable career.

Remember when we talked briefly about royalties? In the music industry, royalties are distributed to different parties depending on the rights involved and contractual agreements.

Authors and composers receive royalties for the use of their musical compositions. And record companies, since they invest in the production, marketing, and distribution of recorded music, generally receive a share of the revenue generated by the sale and use of recordings. If you cut out the middleman, you can keep more of the revenue generated by your music.

What’s more, you’re in control and can negotiate licensing deals for advertising, films, TV shows, and other media, and earn royalties on these placements.

And by owning your master recordings, you have the ability to license your music for a variety of purposes, which leads to additional royalty streams, and you can continue to earn royalties on your music for years to come, and this long-term earning potential can provide you with financial stability and support your career throughout your artistic journey.

5. You can build a better relationship with fans and listeners

Another thing to bear in mind is that by having your own record label, you can establish a better relationship with your fanbase. Again, it’s about cutting out the middleman and having a direct connection with your audience rather than going through an intermediary. 

You’re in control and you can interact with your fans through social media, newsletters, and live events, building a loyal fan base that can support your career in the long term.

And if we think back to the first section where we saw that creating your own label gives you total creative control over your music, this means you’ll most likely create more authentic work that will resonate more strongly with the people who resonate with you.

6. You can network more effectively within the music industry

Let’s face it: setting up your own label gives you credibility in the music industry, as most people pay attention to a new label. It can give you the confidence to actively seek out and build relationships with other artists, producers, and industry professionals who are also active in the music scene. These relationships can lead to collaboration and co-signing opportunities, which in turn will help you expand your network.

If we look at collaborations first, working with influential artists from different genres or backgrounds can bring fresh perspectives to your music and can attract a more diverse audience to your work, increasing your visibility within the industry. One great thing would be to get your songs on playlists and get more streams and more downloads, and collaborations can open doors for that sort of thing. Another thing they might even do for you is get your music played on the radio. 

Co-signing opportunities involve partnering with or supporting emerging artists, producers, or other music industry professionals and when you run your own label, co-signing opportunities with well-known artists can be a powerful form of validation of your work and signal to the industry and fans that your music is recognized and respected by established figures in the field. What’s more, working with experienced and successful artists allows you to learn and grow; you can better understand the industry, learn from their experiences, and apply valuable lessons to your own career.

But to get these opportunities, it’s crucial to build genuine relationships within the industry and to be proactive in seeking collaborations. A good way to do this is to attend gigs or even music events where you can network with other independent artists.

7. It can be more advantageous from a financial point of view. 

Not surprisingly, setting up a record label costs money, and not just when it comes to recording costs and studio time, but also music distribution, music licensing, music marketing, and general publicity for your brand image. To see how many streams you’d need to earn those costs back, try our free music streaming break-even calculator.

But one of the advantages of setting up your own record label is that it can also save you money. 

First of all, companies can be more advantageous from a tax point of view and you can deduct your expenses, charges, and costs (purchase of equipment, studio hire, etc.). 

However setting up your own label as an independent artist can also open up opportunities for you to apply for grants and funding, and having a label gives you more credibility with funding bodies. They see you as a serious and committed artist with a structured approach to your career, which can increase your chances of getting funding.

You should also bear in mind that the various funding bodies often deal with various aspects of the music industry, including recording, production, marketing, and touring. With your own label, you can offer a range of projects, demonstrating your versatility and commitment to the different aspects of your music career. Many funding bodies offer grant programs to artists who support innovative and experimental musical projects. 

Before applying for a grant, it is essential to carefully study the eligibility criteria, application guidelines, and deadlines. In addition, local and regional arts councils may offer specific programs to support musicians and record companies in your area.

While there are advantages to setting up your own record label, it’s important to recognize the additional responsibilities and challenges that come with it. Managing distribution, marketing and other commercial aspects takes time and effort. 

However the benefits in terms of artistic freedom and financial independence can be considerable, and running your own label can be a valuable learning experience, giving you an insight into the music industry. If you’re ready to take the plunge, this step-by-step guide shows how to start an independent record label, from the business plan to distribution.

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Connecting with fellow musicians and industry professionals such as producers, agents, managers or promoters can open many doors for you and is an important factor in generating opportunities such as collaborations, gigs and even recording deals. These relationships can also provide you with valuable insight into industry trends and upcoming opportunities. 

That being said, a strong network isn’t just about knowing a lot of people and, although it can take time, it’s important to make genuine connections and nurture meaningful relationships by engaging with people in an authentic way.

Here are a few tips on how to network effectively in the music industry:

1. The importance of both depth and reach in your network

Reach and depth are two important factors to consider when building a network and finding the right balance between the two is crucial. 

While a broad network can give you access to a variety of opportunities and resources, a deep network provides you with support and guidance. 

The best way to get a broad network is by not limiting yourself to just one sector of the music industry, and even by not limiting yourself to the music industry at all.You should mix with people from all walks of life and who work in different fields. A wide and diverse network can open up more opportunities, and you never know when one might be right for you.

It’s fine to target a particular person if you know they can help you achieve your goals. But you also need to be open to whatever, or whoever, life throws at you. Don’t be too quick to pass over someone who might not fit your criteria. If that person can’t help you today, they might be able to help you later on, or introduce you to someone who could help you! One of the best things about having a broad network is knowing people who have the skills and expertise you lack. Not only does this provide an excellent learning opportunity, but it can also seriously help you when you’re faced with a challenge.

Now, the only way to achieve a deep network is over time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are authentic relationships. They require mutual trust, understanding and support – things that can only be proven over years, not days. So be patient and nurture your relationships.

Now let’s get down to the practical stuff. You know why it’s essential to have a deep and diverse network, let’s look at how to create an effective one.

2. Network in the music industry by taking part in industry events

The most important thing is to be proactive and always be open to meeting new people. 

Concerts and music jams are a great way to meet other musicians you might want to collaborate with, as are music festivals.

Industry events, such as panels and workshops, are great for meeting people who work in the industry. It may be worth working on a good elevator pitch so that you’re ready to present yourself effectively, as people may not have time to have a long chat. First impressions are important, so make yours positive and memorable and follow up consistently, always showing a genuine interest in the other person. The music industry relies heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations, so always be professional and polite.

Now let’s talk about networking locally, because it’s perhaps the most important thing you can do. There are many opportunities within your local community alone and by taking advantage of them, you’ll be building a strong support system of fellow musicians and venue owners, and maybe even industry professionals. 

3. How to network online

Every opportunity and every space is good for networking. And in the digital age, online networking is perhaps the biggest advantage you have. After all, it’s never been easier to connect with someone on the other side of the world who’s the perfect person to help you achieve your next goal.

But to network effectively online, you first need to build a solid online presence that showcases your work. To do this, you need to make sure your professional social media platforms are up to date and you should aim to add new material often so that people know you’re still active. The music scene is very crowded and you need to take every opportunity to show what you can do and put yourself forward. 

Don’t hesitate to take things a step further and use platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook  and LinkedIn, as well as online platforms such Soundcloud or music blogs, to get in touch with other artists and professionals in the industry.

It may be worth taking the time to create a professional website to showcase your work and achievements. These are things that take time to set up but can really pay off. After all, networking works both ways and it’s just as important to make it easy for people to find you and get in touch with you.

But don’t forget that it’s important to engage with other people. After all, that’s what networking is all about. It’s not just about knowing names that you can then slip into conversations, it’s about creating a good network of supportive people who want to help you achieve your goals, and whom you can help in return.

4. There’s no better way to network in the music industry than to collaborate

Few things forge deeper bonds than working with someone else, because it requires mutual trust and respect.

Don’t limit yourself to other musicians, collaborate with people in different fields to expand your network. You could even look to collaborate outside the traditional music space and develop relationships with artists or designers in other fields, such as film or fashion. These relationships can lead to a variety of opportunities. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to volunteer, especially if you’re new on the music scene. This could allow you to get some hands-on experience and forge relationships with professionals who have been working in the industry for a while. 

5. What are music industry directories?

It’s a good idea to research and target people in the music industry who you think could help you achieve your goal, such as fellow artists, producers, managers, promoters and journalists. This can seem like a lot of work but all the information is out there and thankfully, there are places where you can find all of this. These are music industry directories and are databases that contain the contact information for key players in the music industry, including record labels, managers, publishers, venues, agents, promoters, studios, publicists, music lawyers and associations.

Have a look at the music industry professionals you can contact directly on Groover 👇

6. Authenticity is key when networking in the music industry

The problem with networking is that it can come across as fake and opportunistic. That’s why it’s so important that you remain authentic and don’t compromise on your values and beliefs. 

Building a strong and supportive network is an ongoing process that takes time, and being genuine in your interactions will help you build lasting relationships and seize more opportunities.

When you reach out, make it personal and specific to the person you want to make contact with and build a relationship with. Remember that networking is a two-way street. It’s not just about what you can gain, it’s also about what you can contribute, so look for ways to bring value to others in your network. Always be ready to help others so that they are more likely to do the same for you.

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Get your music heard ⬇️

L’article How to network in the music industry? est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

On one hand, the internet has made sending a demo to a record label easier than ever. On the other hand, it has led to an oversaturation of the market, making it more difficult to get your demos heard now than ever before. Many labels do not accept unsolicited submissions from artists because they are so overwhelmed with requests, so independent artists must go about it strategically. Here’s everything you need to know about how to send a demo to record labels, get your music heard, and potentially sign a contract.

If you want a direct channel to the inboxes of those working at a label, you can contact them through Groover. Their partnerships mean that no message gets lost in an inbox. Pitch your song to any curator of your choice and get a response in 7 days. If you don’t receive feedback, your credits will be returned to you to use on someone else. Browse Groover’s list of labels here!

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1. Prepare Your Demo Correctly

Quality

Any and all songs you’re looking to send to a record label must have gone through the mixing and mastering process in order to be of high quality. Your music should sound polished and professional – don’t consider sending anything until this is the case so as not to waste anyone’s time. You can always go into a recording studio and work with professionals if you need help and have the budget! If the budget isn’t there, you can also master your track online with Groover.

File Type

Be sure to use the correct file formats when exporting and sending your music. MP3 and WAV files are perfectly acceptable and often the preferred format for labels. Tag your files so that they can be found with a quick search in one’s computer, and include both your artist name and song title.

2. Find Record Labels that Interest You

If you find record labels that correspond to your style and your expectations, you’re more likely to get a response. Focus on doing a little research to up your chances and only target labels you’d genuinely see yourself fitting into. Pay particular attention to:

• Musical Style
  • The music industry is a big machine that must use genres to properly pitch new artists to the music market in order to run their business, so find rosters that sound similar or adjacent to the music you make.
• Your Career Status
  • Some labels focus on emerging artists, while others will only sign a contract with artists that already have an established fanbase – which one are you?
• Offered Services
  • Do you want your label to take care of every aspect of your career, or are you just looking for help in the marketing and promotion of your work? Research what types of deals a label offers before reaching out.
• Other Indie Artists
  • Find artists who play in your city’s local scene or that you admire who have made it big independently. Check out who they’ve been signed with and if those labels interest you.

The Difference Between Major and Independent Labels

The three major labels, also known as the “Big Three”, are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. These labels own major subsidiaries that include big companies like Capitol, owned by Universal, and Columbia Records, owned by Sony. Major labels are known to have a lot of financial resources and influence, but they may not be adapted to the artist development of every musical project.

Independent labels run on independent funding and held 29.7% of global recorded music revenue in 2024 (MIDiA Research). These record labels range in size and notoriety and include the well known labels like Matador and XL Recordings. These labels could be better suited to growing your project than a big label, and have more time to invest in you. It’s also easier to get in touch with them! To start your research, browse our list of record labels accepting submissions.

3. How to Reach Out – Email, Submission Pages, and Private Links

Most labels have contact instructions on their website and social media pages – make sure to follow them! You do not want your demo to be discarded or ignored because you failed to follow their guidelines.

Contact by email or submission page is always preferred, and social media is often not. Though a DM may seem like the easiest way to reach out, almost all companies have a social media team running their pages that are not involved with the A&R/artist discovery process at all.

Links that could make listening to your music easier for a recipient are highly encouraged. Private links to SoundCloud, Untitled, YouTube, or Dropbox that have a download option are a great way to speed up the process for all parties. If someone from the label likes what they’re hearing, they can easily pass it along to a higher up in the company.

Sending a Demo to a Record Label through Groover

Often artists send demos to record labels and never get a response, but Groover has changed that. When you pitch a song through the platform, you can choose any of their 3000+ curators (including labels) to choose from and your message and song link will be sent straight to their inbox. If you don’t get a response within 7 days, you get your credits back. Choose a label and write a compelling pitch to build a connection in the industry and potentially sign a record deal! Discover the list of record labels available on Groover here 👀

4. How to Craft Your Message

• Make it Personal
  • Whether it’s a major or indie label, let them know why you’re contacting them specifically – show that you know who you are talking to and why they should be interested in signing you as a new artist.
• Be Straightforward
  • Professionals in the industry don’t have a lot of time, so be succinct and pitch your track in the fewest words possible while also selling yourself appropriately
• Title Things Correctly
  • Make sure to write “demo” in parentheses if your song is polished but not a finished product so it’s clear
• Explain Your Intentions
  • Are you looking for feedback? A recording contract? Help with promotion? Be clear about what you’re looking for so they know how best to help you.
• Share News
  • If you have an upcoming show that someone from the label could attend, invite them to come see you perform. It also helps to mention recent accolades (press, awards, streaming milestones) and upcoming releases.

5. Follow Up

It’s very normal not to receive a response for a couple weeks as labels are overrun with messages, so don’t be afraid to follow up in case your email got lost in the mix. Simply remind them that you reached out, and forward your original message along with the reminder. Following up with a label shows that you are actively interested and persistent. While you wait, keep releasing music and playing live: as our record label submission guide explains, labels check that you are already building your own career.

6. Answer No Matter What

If you get a response and the feedback is not what you expected, make sure to answer anyway. The person on the other end took the time to listen and give you a response, so it goes a long way to show your appreciation. You’ll be building rapport either way, and know that they’ll likely listen to your next pitch too!

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Send your music to record labels on Groover, listening & feedback guaranteed within 7 days ⬇️

L’article How to Send a Demo to a Record Label est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

What can music labels help you do? Everything beyond creation, actually—from finding a studio and the right people to help you produce, to distributing your recordings, to communicating around your musical project.

Some set up their own label, others try to join the majors players of the music world—everyone has a different approach. One common point is the need to make a place for oneself in the recording industry, in order to reach the top of the charts. 

1. What is a record label?

When it comes to producing records, musicians need resources to reach their target audience. For this, the best launchpad is a label. But what exactly is a label? There are different kinds, but their purpose is the same: to make you successful. 

It is a team dedicated to your success. On this team, there are different specialists. There’s a legal structure that will manage everything related to your rights (we’ll talk about that at the end of the article). There is also a communication team, which will, as the name suggests, take care of your business, online and off. There are also project managers, people who will help you manage the different aspects of your project. This is a fairly general position. In general, this will be your main contact. 

The professions in the music world are numerous. Within a label, there are also artistic directors. They are the ones who will guide you on the right musical or sound colors to develop. Your image is another matter: from your style to your music videos and social media, that is what a creative director does at a label. 

Singers, techno Djs, and rap artists may have different audiences and directions, they all have one thing in common: the desire to release a first album. This desire can materialize in different ways: 

• In self-production

One distributes by oneself, handles one’s own communication, manages one’s own press relations, etc. In short, this is homebrew, carried by the creator. 

• Supported by an independent label 

An indie label is a small structure not connected to large record companies, giving it more flexibility, but a shorter reach in terms of distribution. 

• With a record company

In general, it’s not easy to be spotted by a big record company when you start, but after all, everyone starts somewhere. Their reach is huge. You would be distributed at your favorite record store and all the others. Your project would be available on disc, vinyl, and streaming. Publishers would attempt to place your titles in ads, movies, and other cultural products. In short, you would be at the top of the charts. 

| See also: How to send a demo to record labels

2. What are record labels for?

2.1 Music distribution

Making recorded music is just the beginning. Your new album needs to be listened to. To make that happen, you have to distribute it. There are a lot of solutions. The best is when it’s an independent label or a record company that takes care of it for you, because it’s not the easiest thing in the world. 

Alternatively, you could decide to upload only to Soundcloud, but the reach won’t be as big. A label will take care of putting it on all streaming platforms like Apple music and others, as well as onthe shelves of the various record stores, if you want.

Even if you decide to stay indie, you can get a distribution-only deal with a label. Digital distributors have their limits, and record companies can help you reach a bigger target audience. 

2.2 Communication

Everyone knows that today, communication is key. You won’t break records without great communication. Obviously, you can do a lot on your own, following our advice for example. But a label will help you make music videos, find the best people to make your record covers, and in short, all the best possible providers so that you have the necessary material to communicate well. 

Whether you are at a new label, at any of the independent labels, or a major one, communication is a central point of the project, so usually they have the right communicators in-house. 

2.3 Music marketing and promotion

New talents need much more than a beautiful album cover. They need a great music marketing strategy. This is crucial for a launch (and even afterward). Marketing allows you to get to know the market, know your target audience, and develop the strategy that will allow you to reach as many people as possible. At a label, you always have a dedicated team! 

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Are you looking for a label but don’t have a contact? ⬇️

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2.4 Financing and equipment

Before communication, you need to produce music in the best possible conditions. So yes, you will miss your home studio, but when Sony Music or Warner sends you to the best studios in the country, all at their expense, you will quickly forget the time when you had to record, mix, and master your own music. 

2.5 Network and address book of the music label

If you make electronic music or any other type of music, and want it to reach as many people as possible, they will find you partners to talk about it. Who are they? Media, influencers, etc. For that, you have to have some reach, know the world. This is not always the case with musicians just starting out, but record companies and labels exist to know the game. 

Whether it’s to find you a place on a festival stage or in the appropriate media, they will be there to help. Before that, however, you can use Groover. 

Having a network means having access to the best producers, musical directors, and video directors. In short, it means the opportunity work with the best people possible to help you move forward in your project. 

2.6 Merchandising

Major record companies like Universal Music Group, for example, are able to find the best ways to generate revenue, which will then allow you to fuel your artistic project. Merchandising is a way to get there, capitalizing on your vibe, your image, to generate numbers.

2.7 Moral support

The music industry can be tough, and not everyone makes it out unscathed. Until a few years ago, the subject of mental health wasn’t on everyone’s mind at record companies, but now every record producer knows that an artist isn’t just there to generate music  and collect royalties. A good music label is a label that cares about the well-being of its artists, reducing their mental load as much as possible, so that they can focus on creation.

| See also: 10 tips to get the attention of labels

3. The music contract when you sign to a record label

Let’s talk legal now, the fun part of this article. There are three different types of contracts with a label, it’s good to know them so you know where you’re going. The best advice we can give you, whether you’re in blues, soul, punk, folk, electro, hip-hop, whatever the genre, is to get help from a lawyer or other legal expert. It’s important. 

Record companies‘ catalogs are full of music from artists who never researched all the different possibilities available to them, so be informed. 

Let’s start with the artist contract. This one can be scary, as many artists have complained about it. The label owns your music. Basically, it produces it, takes care of all the expenses, and takes a large percentage of the profits. In fact, at the time of signing, you are going to negotiate the percentage that you are going to get—we’re talking about 8% on average—these are the royalties. It’s scary, isn’t it? Perhaps, only there is more to it than just the negative. Think of it as the price to pay to be surrounded by a competent team. We don’t all have the resources necessary to make our recorded music the next hit of the year. In the previous point, we listed what a label can do. Well, you have access to all these services when you have an artist contract, so in short, it can be a huge boost. 

Then, there’s the distribution contract. We talked about it a little bit above. Staying indie means producing your own music and reaping the rewards. In a distribution contract, you benefit from the label’s distribution network at the cost of about 40% of your profit. After reading this, you may think that this contract is objectively the best option. But ask yourself, do you have the skills to reach the stage that a label and an artist’s contract could offer you? It is not impossible that 8% of royalties could be more profitable than 60% of a distribution deal. It’s up to you. 

The last point is the publishing contract. Here, there is no artistic support. The professionals with whom you will work have only one mission: to place your music in any cultural or media product possible, from big-budget films to fashion shows to ads—everywhere. Here, the deal is 50% of the copyright. Please note that copyright applies only to songwriters. If you’re an cover artist, we’re dealing with neighboring rights. Two very complicated concepts, which we took the time to explain in this article.

– Translated by Kole Wright –

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Do you need a response on your music? Get in touch with music pros on Groover today!

L’article What are Record Labels for? est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

One of the biggest problems in the music business nowadays is: very often you get NO answers. This is different at Groover. […] And the last thing: you only pay if you get an answer. No hidden costs.

-MPM-

1. Delia Nicole and Major Promo Music (MPM), how did you meet?

MPM: Delia sent her incredible track „No Feelings Tonight“ as a Groover submission. She was looking for a label and promotion.
The track did something I have not had for a very long time: it catched me from the first seconds on – and it still does.
I answered her that I like the track very much, and if she is interested in a digital release, she could contact me, even though my small digital label never had an international artist before.
Delia wanted me to release the song as soon as possible, but I wanted to set up everything properly. So we went through the whole release chain, creating the artwork, writing a biography, setting up the artists page at Spotify and creating a promo plan. Not everything is 100% now, but we are good to go.

Read also : Spotify for Artists – The ultimate guide to boost your streams in 2020

2. Delia Nicole, how was your musical project born? What are your inspirations?

DELIA NICOLE: Music has always been my biggest passion and being an artist was always my dream. So I would not call this a project, it is more than that, it is my dream becoming true step by step. I think it all started when I was little and I realised how much I like to sing and to show my soul through art. When I was 11, I decided that I want to take singing classes, so my parents took me to one of the best singing private schools in my country. Back then, I started to write songs too (even though I had written some too when I was really small, but not serious ones). But at the age of 11, I started to take songwriting more seriously and I wrote over 30 songs until now. I started to write songs as a form of self consolation and empowerment. My biggest inspirations are independent female artists in the music industry who fought to come in the position they are right now.

Delia Nicole

3. Delia Nicole you are only 16 years old! What’s it like having a day with you?

DELIA NICOLE: Well, it depends 🙂 I am not a fan of routine, so everyday is different for me, especially right now in summer break. I am also a moody person, so my mood usually dictates most of my activities of that day. But on a normal school day, I usually wake up at 06:30 and go to highschool. After that, I either come home or spend some time outside with my friends. Then I am usually working on my music or having singing classes. And after that I do my homework and then go to bed. But a lot of my time is spent thinking of music and my future wanted career.

| Follow her on Instagram

4. And a day at Major Promo Music?

MPM: I work in the music business now for more than 20 years, and one of the best things about it is: no day is like an other.
No project is like an other. You get up in the morning and you have NO idea what will happen today. Anything is possible. Or nothing.
But mainly: creating great ideas, talk a lot, write even more emails, collect informations, spred news and make plans which you can throw away one hour later.
Working with music and artists is different from any other job in the world.

5. Major Promo Music, what convinced you about Delia Nicole’s project?

MPM: Right at the beginning, the first words.
I was deeply impressed by her voice, the power of her singing, her lyrics and how she got my attention from the start. Please listen to „No Feelings Tonight“ and you will hear what I mean.
I could not believe that she had no record deal with Universal, Warner or Sony. The the unique style, the quality of the production and the mix/mastering are amazing.

Read also : 5 mixing tips and tricks 

6. And your meeting afterwards, what did you get out of it?

The first contact was within the Groover platform. Afterwards we wrote emails for a while. Now we had some video calls via WhatsApp and a very active chat.
You know, it is not just Corona pandemic which make it hard to meet. We live 1800 kilometers from each other.

7. Delia Nicole, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned since the creation of your project?

DELIA NICOLE: The most important thing I learned is to overcome fear and not let it control you or your future. Also, listen to advice, but never fully trust someone. And most important, stay true to yourself and maintain that inner spark that initially brought you here.

8. What are your common plans for the coming year?

MPM: We start building a fan base and we establish Delia Nicole in the media/radio/streaming playlists. We are using Groover of course, but as a radio plugger and Spotify playlist host I am pushing her music here as well. The best thing is, we have two great remixes which we will release later and more excellent tracks from Delia, which we can release whenever we feel like it is time.

9. What would be your advice to young developing artists?

MPM: Create great music, do your thing, wait for nobody and get your socials right.

Read also : How to gain new followers on Instagram in 2020

10. And finally, what do you think of Groover?

MPM: The platform is great. We are so happy with the first feedbacks. Delia Nicole’s song got included in excellent Spotify and Deezer playlists thanks to Groover and was broadcast in different countries, which we normally couldn’t reach. I use Groover as both: as a promotion tool for my releases, and I’m also listed as an influencer, so I know both sides of the story. One of the biggest problems in the music business nowadays is: very often you get NO answers. This is different at Groover. I also like the bandwidth of different influencers you can contact here. And the last thing: you only pay if you get an answer. No hidden costs.
On the influencer side: I LOVE the quality of submissions you get here. It is extremely high. A lot of professionals and professional music. I made my own personal playlist called „Best of Groover submission“ which I listen to from time to time. I think that shows it all 😉

Read also : Dolche expends her network and gains visibility thanks to Groover 

Try Groover now to find a professional environment for your music 

L’article Delia Nicole signs with the record label Major Promo Music thanks to Groover est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.