There are more resources available than ever before to aspiring artists, and musicians, to make it on the scene without the support of a label. Through mediums such as the internet, independent nights, and the use of CD decks to play underground tunes, unsigned artists are forging their own way. Some artists are taking this approach to become discovered, others have been in the scene for years, and are turning their backs on convention.
Of those who do get a record deal, roughly only 3% will make it past their first record without being dropped. Record companies usually want roughly a ten percent cut of the profits, and some now are requiring money from the sales of other revenue, such as merchandising, to cover their own costs. All this comes on the back of some high profile cases of artists suing their record companies over unpaid royalties. There is a lot to be said for artistic independence in the industry. Some mainstream record companies use the monopoly they have of the market, to mould it for their own purposes, to maximise the profit they make. To appeal to as many people as possible, mainstream labels promote middle of the road monotony, to maximise profit. From the late 80’s onwards many of them started to take more control of artists, managing their image, budget and their creative input, creating a stagnant and homogenized mainstream market. Therefore a certain amount of independence is vital, to balance the health of the music scene.
However powerful they seem, record labels are only marketing men. They do not make music, they only sell the artist as a brand. So a small amount of promotional knowledge, (and of course talent) can be all that’s needed. Currently major labels are tightening their belts with who they sign, due to economic recession, free downloads from the internet, and because of free music sites like Virb and Last fm. As a result, this has impacted record company profits, and the former control they had over the industry is declining. Self promotion can mean that often the manufacturer, distributer and retailer element can be cut out altogether, thereby making it a more cost effective option for unsigned artists to follow.
In 2005, Sway was one of the first artists to win a MOBO unsigned. It was one of the industries first nods to the uprising of the underground, and the power of artists who are increasingly making music unsigned. He distributed his music through independent shops and gained a strong following from there onwards. This showed that musicians can take on record labels, and achieve their success independently. Disillusioned established artists, are also breaking free of the bonds of conventional labels, to do their own thing, empowering themselves to maximise their artistic control, and profits. TY, who was with Big Dada is one such artist. Now he is managing himself independently from home to give himself this freedom.
Staying away from set labels has created an explosion in the variety and styles of music available to listen to all over the world. Previously, a small number of big selling artists would be promoted by major labels to make money, but with the internet as the ultimate tool of promotion, this has now enabled not just UK hip hop artists, but people all over the world to become successful.
New York producer, and rapper Aesop Rock, is unique because he has embraced this approach. Making music for ten years he produced five albums, all without the support of a major label, getting props from the underground and the respect of people in the industry. Visionary producers such as this are the proof that with persistence, anything can be achieved. In response to the new wave of producers who are doing their own thing, the internet has responded with sites that are dedicated to looking after people who are not signed to a label. Sites like AWOL (Artists without a label) help musicians to manage themselves. Their ethos is to treat artists fairly and help them to retain full artistic control.
Now seems a better time than ever for people to release material and promote themselves, this is not to say that the role of labels has become obsolete. For some, this traditional approach will be the key, as self reliance, and promotion does have its drawbacks- limited funding being one of them. But the rules of the game are changing, and now it is down to the labels themselves to reinvent their outdated approach when dealing with new artists.
