So You Want to Start a Record Label

Chris Jones
Mr. Jenkins
Honors Eng 11
3 April 2009
So You Want to Start a Record Label?
Ezinearticles.com has a great article on how to go about beginning a record label. This article discusses a wide range of topics including: finding investors, legitimizing your label, and finding new hot talent. Though other topics are discussed, these three are most important to starting a successful record label.
Many of the big record labels of today have many more projects than just promoting there client’s music and this nets them millions of dollars in profit that they can throw around to anyone of interest, so it seems they can sign new artists effortlessly. However there is still room for the small, upstart labels to gain popularity and expand, turning a massive profit and turning the owner of the label into a world renowned music mogul.
Many beginning labels are started with humble sums of money and if you’re lucky enough to get investors it helps. The key to attracting them is you must have a solid business plan and strong proposal from which you can project future income. You also need to open a bank account for the label that you can pool all your investors money and have something to pay off people with. Also having a lawyer draw up legal contracts for your people is important to avoid turmoil. As for signing new talent you need to go to any place that there will be a live music scene for your label’s genre. From the band looking for their big break, to the one already signed with competition, the article says have the motto of "everyone gets a card". (Article,1) Play your cards right and pretty soon you’ll be rolling in the benjamins.
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Start-an-Independent-Record-Label-and-Get-Artists-to-Sign-With-Your-Label&id=1348456 3 April 2009.