Are you looking to get signed by an independent or major record label? So are thousands of other artists who are looking for their opportunity to shine.
How will you reach potential labels? How will you stand out among the many other submissions they get? I have a few suggestions for artists and bands that are looking to shop their demos around.
Labels nowadays want potential signees to have a lot going for them and their music brand. The first thing you want to do is make sure you have a good overall brand to gain their interest. Without that, no method will really work well for you!
You'll need talent, good songs, good audio quality, visual elements, and performance skills to have a great brand. If you aren't confident that you have all of these elements, hold off on your submissions until you do.
Related Post: How To Get Noticed By A Record Label
Everyone is spoiling themselves with how easy the internet makes it to communicate. This can mostly work well for all of us in general, but it doesn't have the perks that most musicians hope for when it comes to online submissions.
Many labels have the intention to check their inboxes, but so many emails get unopened. Some contact forms aren't even sending info to the correct box. Some labels give up on online submissions and just don't want to tell people.
This is where in-person marketing will come in handy. Take a risk and shop for labels that are within a few hours of where you live.
Don't do anything rash, but try to set up a meeting with them in person, or walk right in their front door if they allow it.
Make sure they can put a real face to a connection they make; it goes way further than connections made on the internet. This way, you can get contact numbers face-to-face!
Similar to in-person marketing, not enough people take the time to send their demos physically anymore.
Most people love to do things the easy way, sending an email or filling out a contact form in under a few minutes. Imagine how many submissions come to labels via email in comparison to snail mail.
With the right snail mail package, you can immediately stand out among the competition as an artist or band that is willing to go the extra mile.
Then, you may be able to get the emails and numbers that they don't give out to everyone if they like what they hear.
Are you open to the idea of building your own label contact list?
I have a hack that you may be interested in!
If you want to find label contacts, there's a shortcut that I have used that has shown me tons of labels that like my type of music and that I would have never known of if I didn't do the deep dive.
And the good thing is, most other people aren't doing that deep of a dive, either!
I use this google search hack to hone in on labels that are taking submissions. The phrase in quotes can be changed to several different types of variations, but make sure to mention a variation of "label" or "record" in the search query to keep your results relevant.
Be prepared to sift through a lot of crap to find gold. Also, ensure you submit to labels that are interested in your particular genre!
It's overwhelming to think of how many potential small or large labels would be willing to sign you for a song release or much more.
A lot of the information you may find with an online search could be outdated. You may not have the time to dig deep and find a list of hundreds of potential labels yourself.
This is where some marketing companies can help. While there are several that offer a great list of labels and other music professionals that can help your career, I've found IndieBible to be great for getting tons of different contacts.
As a session singer, writer, and producer that has worked with over 200 clients to provide high-quality jingles, singles, and features, Yona spends her time creating and marketing new music and helpful resources for creators. Her recent collaborations include work with PBS Sound Field, Tribe of Noise, and the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Check out Yona’s latest releases on her Spotify, her Youtube and share if you like it!
If you are in need of singer, songwriter or song producer services, see what Yona Marie can offer you on her services page. As an Amazon Associate, Yona Marie earns from qualifying purchases. Amazon and other affiliate products are recommended to genuinely help readers and keep this site up and running as well.
