26 Replies to “October 18”

  1. I really enjoyed this quasi-“9 steps to recovery” format that the publisher employed in this article. It not only made the article easier to read, but also made the endeavor of starting your own record company feasible while following the roadmap laid before you.

    Perhaps one of the most important things I noticed while reading this selection was assimilating the journey of creating a record company to that of fabricating your own small business, and the important logistical situations one must be prepared for in advance.

    I also found the necessity to inform yourself about business etiquette and logistical starters via books to be quite interesting, and very indispensable.

    To read a good article about starting your own business, click here:
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/rohitarora/2018/01/02/how-to-start-a-business-in-2018/#50cbce236578

  2. I spoke previously in another blog post about the independent label business and how i feel that is a better avenue to approach things in the current state of the market. It avoids getting yourself into a sticky situation down the road, however the idea of running everything yourself is usually extremely daunting and can be difficult to manage alone. Despite the challenges i still feel as though it’s the best option for artists to stay independent to ensure they collect the most of the benefits for their work.

    Along with that idea, I also spoke about the relationship that the independent hip hop label giant Too Dawg Entertainment has, which is home to artists such as Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and SZA, and with that relationship they were able to solidify themselves in the already established music business. As long as you can gather the people necessary to form an effective team, I believe the formula that they used can be replicated again. Here are some of the independent labels that have been able to do just that and have a permanent footprint in the music industry.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/uproxx.com/hiphop/best-independent-rap-labels-hip-hop-rankings/amp/

  3. I think that this article is very pertinent to the majority of today’s young artists, wanting to release a single or debut album. Setting up your own label, the right way, can offer a great start to one’s career in terms of where their money is going. I found a short video that offers some visual tutorials and general tips on how to set up a label in about 5 minutes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpABqmUvBcM

  4. This article provided a nice general outline for starting a record label. But when the phrase “create a business plan” popped up in the article it got me thinking. What exactly is a business plan? And how do you write one?

    This is an area where I lack, I basically know nothing about business but I am eager to learn. “Business Model” is also a term that I don’t understand. Here are a few links about how to write a business plan, and different types of business models.

    How To Write A Business Plan: https://articles.bplans.com/how-to-write-a-business-plan/

    Types of Business Models: https://www.inc.com/martin-zwilling/10-most-common-business-models-to-make-a-profit.html

  5. I find it kind of funny how this article just lists off some steps to create a record label as if anyone could do it. While I’m sure everyone COULD start a label, but starting it is only the first step. The next step? Make money!! That’s the part, I’m sure, everyone will struggle with at first. However, if you’re wanting to stay in the business you’re going to have to find a way to be successful and fund the future of your company. I found an article about the steps you take when the label is started so that you and your new company can start making some money.

    https://www.dittomusic.com/blog/how-independent-record-labels-make-money

  7. After reading the article, one can see that starting your own record label is no small feat. Step 1 itself looks like it can take a good while. I think overall these are more so just guidelines, rather than a step-by-step approach someone should take. If you’re looking to start a label, you should already have experience in the music business. Diving in without experience is extremely risky. If you’ve put in the proper work in the business, you will have built some valuable connections that can make the whole process much less stressful. At the very least, you should have a partner or team familiar with starting a business and of course you’ll need the proper funds, like mentioned in the article.

    Here is an article on udiscovermusic.com in which they list their top 20 indie labels of all time.
    https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-indie-record-labels/

  8. I like that this article explained everything you need to do step by step because it makes it more comprehensible and easier to process. There is definitely a lot of useful information that I didn’t know about in this article, and it prompted me to further research some of the things it mentioned. For step 3B, it mentioned knowing where you will find the investors for your record label. I found this website that lists tons of different investors for Independent Music Labels. This website also includes their backgrounds and number of investments.

    https://angel.co/independent-music-labels/investors

  9. This article was a nice read due to the fact that I aspire to open and own my own record label in the future. I was very intrigued by the detailed steps/advice given from the article, ranging from recommended books to read, to a business plan structure, all the way to financing ideas (all of which I took notes on). I’m definitely going to apply these steps to my own action plan as well as research more about the music industry and what it takes to run a record label.

    Speaking of which, looking further into the topic of running a record label I came across the following article that goes into much more depth of what it takes to run a label, what a record label actually does, the legalities and paperwork involved, etc. The specifics in the article will allow me to garner a better understanding of the challenges of running a label but also a better idea on how to successfully operate one: https://blog.landr.com/start-record-label/

  10. I thought this article was very informative for someone looking to start any business, not just their own label. A lot of these basic steps could apply to any business in the music industry. One part I found especially interesting was the section about financing, and how traditional funding from bank loans is not as likely an option in the music industry. I found another article that discusses applying for music business financing. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/music-business-funding-2460733

  11. I found this article very helpful no just by creating a label but just having a plan in general. I like how number tells you ton get an inter in a certain area field and I find that very helpful because you do at least need some type. of experience when wanting to build your own. I know a lot of people think you can just jump right into things but in reality you need a plan and by plan a well critical plan.

    I found an article that went in more depth on 10 steps on how to set up a record label. https://www.loopmasters.com/articles/2720-10-Steps-To-Setting-Up-Your-Own-Record-Label

  12. I liked this article a lot because it was really precise about exactly what steps you would need to take to start up your own label. It even tells you a few books to check out from the library about small businesses and such that would be extremely helpful in anything you’re planning on doing regarding entrepreneurship. The financing portion I found interesting because I personally didn’t know banks and loan organizations don’t approve of loans for record labels.
    This website goes into detail about how to secure funding for your record label. https://www.dittomusic.com/blog/funding-for-musicians-and-record-labels

  13. One thing that really made me like this post was how it stresses the need to network and communicate. In every other step it would say to “call” or “talk” with someone. This is something everyone in the business has been saying since the beginning. It’s not about what you know, but who you know. If someone is a great communicator and isn’t afraid to reach out to people who might be able to help them, the world is unstoppable for them.
    Another part I enjoyed was the actual layout itself. I think having this post in a “list” pattern definitely helps me to understand a basic foundation for what it might take to build a record label. This sort-of acts as a checklist to me, and that’s something I can really understand.
    Below is a link which is another “checklist” of what to do in order to start a label. I like this post much better, but this link is one I have referenced before taking this course.
    https://www.careersinmusic.com/starting-a-record-label/

    P.S. It even has a test which helps to guide you to what you might want to do for a career in the music business. Worth a look.

  14. One thing i wish this article covered more was how to gain investors and secure funding. A few people in the class have stated their interest in starting their own label or music project, so i went out and found a few useful links on where you can find money.

    http://www.arts.texas.gov/resources/funding-small-business/
    This link is one of the best resources i’ve come across for applying for grants and loans. There are ways you can get state and federal assistance to help you start up a small business and fund art related works. Texas Commission on the Arts is a great place to start looking for ways to gain the monetary capital needed to start a label. The website provides hundreds of possible funding sources and is an absolute must for anyone interested.

    http://www.alignmentartist.com/#home
    This link is to a firm that takes interest in financing artist and art projects alike. A part from grants, financiers can be an absolute game changer. If your business plan looks like a return on investment can be made, then there are people and companies wanting to give you what you want to help grow your labels name, works, and reputation.

    https://angel.co/independent-music-labels/investors
    This last link is a list of Angel investors, a topic we lightly touched in class. Basically, they are investors who don’t necessarily want their money back. Perhaps they want to be a part of your brand, or are just interested in kind giving to ideas and projects that interest them.

    All of these links provide great information and endless possibilities on your end. There is so many resources and assistance out there that it seems majority of people are unaware of. Worrying about big bank loans and saving every penny you make at your job isn’t the only way to start a company. It would be wise to look into these funding options if you are truly interested in starting your own label, or even your own company.

  15. This article did go into as much detail as it could. I’m sure once reading the books that it suggested, it will be a more thorough process. However, after reading the article, I was curious to know the general timeline on starting your own label and how to keep your record label successful. I tried to research further in how long it generally takes for someone to complete these steps, but I could not find a timeline for it. However, I found another article showing the process and how to maintain success.

    https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Record-Label

  16. This link presented really great tips for people aspiring to start their own label. Though it is just an outline, it definitely give step by step basics of where to start and how to make sure that you are heading in the right direction. One of the best ways to break into the music business in any aspect is to have first hand experience and to get as much experience as possible. It is important to take opportunities, ask questions and learn as much as possible by talking to people.
    A lot of personal research is also involved. I like that this page included many book recommendations.
    This article breaks down each step of starting your own record label in far more detail. It has much information, resources and things to consider through the process.
    https://www.soundonsound.com/music-business/start-your-own-record-label

  17. The information contained in this article is useful for anyone who wants to start a label or any business for that matter. Most people would be put off by the prospect of finding capital, or financing for their venture, however, if you have spent the time to research properly and have a solid business plan with detailed income and expense prospectus , you should be able to attract investors, especially through the new ways available such as crowdfunding etc.
    Here is a resource that describes many different avenues one can take to finance their business venture.
    https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/50-ways-to/9780857192905/

  18. While I think it’s thoughtful that this website listed not just steps but resources as well that can aid one in starting their own independent label, it should be noted that this article fails to mention the amount of time many of these steps will take. As someone noted earlier, reading all the books mentioned in step one alone will take a good while, perhaps it would’ve been less daunting if the article were to list a select few from that list to reduce redundancy. An internship is also a dedication trial as well, let alone two internships.
    The saying goes it’s not what you know, but who you know, but keep in mind that in this early of our adulthood, we’re barely getting into the big world and having many meaningful connections at this stage in our life isn’t very realistic. So in our case, the next best thing for us to do before following any of these steps is establish the right mindset for success. This article details ways to get into an entrepreneurial mindset and lay down the basic mental foundations required to even begin comprehending how a business grows and adapts along the hazardous curvy way that is usually presented in our market
    https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242261

  19. I think that this article goes beyond just describing the steps you have to create a music label, to me it is also seen as the reason why labels have so much leverage on artists in the music industry. Essentially if you want to be on a label you have to adhere to the leverage of a experienced label, or you have to create your own business, which by the way nobody is going to really want to finance. If you are totally invested in creating your own label, will you still be able to focus on making music?

    Heres an article about a rapper/producer who was independent but signed to a record label for a few reasons he himself describes.
    https://www.complex.com/music/2014/01/interview-kid-ink-major-labels-independent

  20. Texas Music Office website again goes into great detail helping individuals wanting to start their own label follow through with that idea. On a personal level if I wanted to start my own label I wouldn’t really know where to start, in terms of finances, manufacturing, marketing, distributing and all the other aspects involved in starting your own label.

    However, Texas Music Office offers great information regarding starting your own label, providing you with book references and step by step processes involving the financial aspect of starting your own record label.

    Here is a Link to Cliff Goldmacher giving songwriters some tips and advantages on starting their own record label.
    http://www.cliffgoldmacher.com/songwriters-starting-their-own-record-labels/

  21. This article is a very informative and shows the process of how you can get a record label. It gives information about how to finance the label and how to go about interns and and how to grow the label into a successful business. What i thought was interesting that they gave the key elements like recording costs, manufacturing costs, marketing costs, distribution costs, publicity costs, administrative cost, travel costs and labor costs.

    In my article also gives details on how to start a label.

    Link: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-start-a-record-label-2460782

  22. I really appreciate the fact that this article didn’t naively claim that all it would take is experience. For most successful businesses you need background knowledge, and connections, and most importantly financing which is it’s own section of the article all together. Encouraging you to actively ask people questions and seek out experts, even sharing what the right kind of questions to ask, made this article extremely likely to produce success.

    Here’s an article about reaching out for connects in the music industry:

    http://blog.sonicbids.com/how-to-make-meaningful-music-industry-connections-not-just-contacts

  23. I love how this website simplified the steps in order to start a record company. There’s many websites and resources that are given to us but they over explain everything and we may be discouraged. But because the Texas music office makes it easier to understand, it appeals to me. Also the books they recommend will have all the information and beyond for what I need. My end goal in my career is to own a record label, so this article is really helpful and interesting. Here is another article that simplified these steps as well:

    https://www.loopmasters.com/articles/2720-10-Steps-To-Setting-Up-Your-Own-Record-Label

  25. This article was very informative especially for those who are interested in setting up their own label, as well as for those interested in the finance process this article covered most of that. Not only is it informative but it gives you a look into what will help get you in the music industry and how you can take baby steps in that direction! I found another article that gives you 10 steps to setting up your own label and the gist of it which you can find here: https://www.loopmasters.com/articles/2720-10-Steps-To-Setting-Up-Your-Own-Record-Label

  26. One thing I enjoyed about the article is how straight to the point it was. it gave you a step-by-step list of what to do and how to do it. As a reader and potential user of this list it helps me feel like the steps are simple and attainable but at the same time important. One thing that I found interesting was the amount of consulting you have to do with others before you can even begin. While Doing a little research I found this video on a few more tips on how to start your own label:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb1rRUfwtoY

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