Now there are more avenues than ever to sell your music the Independent route and the digital world, but if you have a solid band put together with a major following and your goal is to be signed by the likes of Elektra, Geffen, or Columbia you have a tremendous corporate structure and a lot of intermediaries to wade through to even get listened to. Getting signed by one of the big fish is a little like winning the lottery. There has been so much conglomeration amongst record labels with the big fish eating the little fish that the number of avenues that a band can take to make it to the top are incredibly scarce in the “establishment.” Everything is strictly corporate and bands are merely a commodity and many bands are fake and artificially produced by Svengalis the same way the next popular clothing line is manufactured and sold. Also, there are very few talent scouts. A&R; representatives are so busy with their established artists they barely have any time at all to deal with unknowns.
You almost have to become famous first, at least in your local area, before they will consider you as a commodity. In other words, create a big enough buzz to where it’s impossible for them to ignore you. Even if you do scratch and crawl your way to a record deal with a major label, how you get paid is a major issue as well. As Courtney Love once described in a letter, only 5% of all bands signed by major record labels become successful, but the record labels are enormously successful because they keep all the money. The band, its entourage and management pay for all the equipment and everything involved in touring. This is why a lot of bands are happier and more success with an independent label.
If you are still determined to break into the establishment and get signed with Virgin Records or Elektra and you aren’t satisfied with trying to achieve success through selling your music online or by creating your own record label and staying small, it’s still possible, however improbable, to realize your dream of breaking into the major establishment if you’re something special and you have diligence.
To be recognized by an A&R;, you will need to create an electronic press-kit (or EP). This will include a recording of your songs and evidence that you have a fan following. Since major labels are interested in bands as an investment and are looking for talent that can attract fans like ants to honey, you will need to achieve some local success and create a buzz in your local community. The quality of your songs alone will not be enough.
This will require creating a record, or LP, which will require a studio and engineer which can cost as low as $25 an hour or you can use your own digital equipment which you can buy online. You’ll want to produce your CD, maybe market it on Amazon through CreateSpace.com who will distribute it for free for a share of the royalties, or possibly get a small independent label to make it available to your fans. You will also have to create a stage show that can attract people to local nightclubs in your area. You’ll want to have CD’s, shirts, and other merchandise to give away or sell during your concerts.
Don’t be discouraged if things start off slowly, or even embarrassingly. Some of the world’s biggest bands, including Nirvana and Guns N’ Roses, literally performed in front of no one or furniture at first and were not paid or paid in free drinks when playing at clubs. Keep posting the fliers wherever you can, play as much as you can in the local club scene, and use the internet, word of mouth, free promotion, mail order and everything you can to get your EP out as much as possible. Everyone has to start out bad, but if you keep doing something long enough you will eventually become good.
And don’t forget your Myspace, Facebook, and YouTube accounts for free advertising. Also, if you’re strapped for cash, InstantBuzz.com is a good place to start a stir on cyberspace. Stars can easily be made and a buzz can happen overnight in cyberspace that can rock the world. One of my Myspace friend members was playing a lot and had a following in the Tacoma music scene where Steve Miller got his start and her exposure online ended up garnering her corporate sponsorship from the University of Phoenix for a Back to School show that will likely catch the attention of some people in the record business.
Official Radio play is also a very big deal to establish legitimacy amongst A&R;’s at major record labels. So if you’re traveling with your band, always do as much as you can to get your song or songs played on radio stations. Send them your EP’s and offer any merchandise or promotions you can afford. College radio stations are very numerous, easy to contact, and very willing to play your music. If you’re music is good or catchy, the fan buzz should take care of the rest. When it comes to music fans, if they like a band pretty soon all their friends will know about it and they’ll become fiercely loyal and want you to be famous. If you can achieve these things at a large local level, you will have proven that you’re a sound investment to a major record label because you can attract fans at both ends through shows and your LP.
The following sources include some websites where bands can get help meeting an A&R; and getting noticed by major record labels.
Sources –
www.Taxi.com
www.BanditNewsletter.com/goog8.htm
www.bandzoogle.com
