As a budding artist, you may be wondering whether or not to pursue a deal with a record label.
While there are some benefits to remaining independent, there are also benefits to signing a record label contract.
Before making your decision, ask yourself honestly what your goals are for the future of your music career.
While independent artists can maintain more control over their artistic creations, signing with a record label will also provide you some of the benefits outlined below.
So, keep reading for a list of five things that signing a record label deal will get you.
1. More Exposure
Partnering with a record label provides you access to a pre-existing network of advertisers and promoters.
Once you sign with a record label, their assets are put to work for you.
They invest in you so that your success becomes their success.
With a label’s greater network of media reach, they can put you in front of a larger audience in a shorter amount of time than you could achieve on your own.
A label will take care of distributing your music on Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Play Music, and other popular digital download and streaming platforms.
Depending on the size of the record label, it may also grant you the ability to sell your hard copy CDs in a physical brick-and-mortar store.
Having a label name behind your music will also get you taken more seriously when people are shopping online for music on places such as Amazon.com.
2. Better Gigs
Having the backing of a record label can help you approach larger venues that might otherwise not take you seriously.
Because the label has pre-existing media reach, a venue may feel more confident in your ability to generate turnout.
Remember, a venue’s only concern is filling the room with paying audience members.
They’re more likely to take a risk on a relatively unknown element if a record label has put their confidence in you.
For more on booking gigs and how venues operate, see this article on blog.Gigfaster.com.
3. Credibility
There are so many musicians and start-up bands running around out there that it can be hard to convince people you have what it takes.
Not everyone who claims to be a musician has enough talent to attract a decent-sized audience.
This is where having a record label associated with your music can be immensely helpful.
When a record label has enough confidence to invest money in your success, it signals to the rest of the industry that you’re worth noticing.
Money talks, and record labels don’t spend money on untalented musicians, or they’d pretty quickly go out of business.
When you tell someone that you’ve signed with a label, it means that you’re serious about breaking into the industry.
Having a contract is no small thing, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
4. Up-Front Capital
Not having the money to invest in better sound equipment may present a roadblock to your career path.
A record deal can break through this barrier by offering professional-grade recording studios, music video production teams, and better editing equipment.
Record contracts often offer cash advances, which can be just the jumpstart you need to get your career going.
If you’re worried that you don’t have the money to produce your next album or buy the sound equipment you need to take your production up a notch, a record label can provide all of that.
Just keep in mind that any advance you receive now will be taken out of your future royalty earnings before you see any additional income.
This is how a record label is truly taking the risk on you, by paying you money that they have no guarantee you’ll make back for them.
This investment is the biggest proof that they believe in your ability to succeed in the market.
5. Professional Production
If you don’t have the money to invest in high-end production equipment, a record label can give you access to a professional sound recording studio as soon as you sign with them.
If you don’t have sound engineering expertise, or perhaps time to make your sounds the best they can be, signing with a record label can really boost the quality of your recordings.
Because a record label deals with so many artists and has greater resources to purchase equipment, their studios can do great things for your recordings.
This also frees you from worrying about what equipment you can afford, and how to use it to the best possible effect.
With this burden taken from you, you’ll have more time to focus on writing and performing your best.
How GigFaster Can Help
You can learn more about how to book gigs with email in our free 3-video course at GigFaster University.
Click here to enroll for free and take the course now.
Remember, if you want to succeed, never quit!
