For Those of You With Label Releases

[bigfootspartan]

From reading around, I don't think I'm the first person with this question, but I don't think there's really a topic dedicated to it. Basically I'm wondering, for those of you who have gotten releases on labels, did you find that the release through a label helped get your stuff to more people?

I imagine that if one were to get a release on a big label, like Ad Noiseam or Planet Mu they would gan some exposure that way, but I think it'd be pretty tough to get on the bigger labels. If getting paid isnt really a big priority, is there an advantage to getting released on a label? Or would you guys think you can get similar exposure just from sending out tunes to DJs who play a similar style/self promotion?

I'm just asking, because I know there's a ton of talent here, and I've always figured that getting a release would help push my tunes around to places I couldn't get them with self promotion, but I don't know, what do you guys think?

[darkartois]

Getting your tunes signed is going to be a help, but it'll most likely be lost of a sea of releases unless it's a bigger label like you mentioned. I'd recommend building up an email list of every blog you can find and start sending tunes, but me humble in your wording in the body of the email, to get you more listens, and hopefully more write ups. I'd also suggest trying to build another email list by putting a contact form on your myspace etc. I built up quite a large list this way, albeit when myspace when was more widely used. Just tag it with something like "submit your email to receive free tunes and other goodies." there's tons of email clients out there that provide with a free HTML contact form to embed on your myspace/website etc.

Also, the soundcloud etiquette approach can be quite effective in getting more plays. Spend an hour a day, or whatever your lifestyle permits, going through soundcloud and comment on as many tracks as you can. In turn, a lot should then listen to your tracks too. Create a YouTube account and upload every track you write. Get on AIM, get chatting to people all around the world, other producers, dj's or people that just love your genre. Share WIP's, and all you do. Just keep repeating everything, take every opportunity in getting your music heard, and if it's something special the time will come where you're getting picked up by a major label, that has the dope distributer and gets your tunes into the hands of the right people with promotional blurbs included.

I really wish I had kore time in my life :-/

[lyons238]

id def think that getting signed to a label would cause more exposure. a dj playing your tunes doesn't really get your name out there because most people wont have the track list for the dj's set anyway. so even if a lot of people do hear your song...they won't know who it's by...

[bigfootspartan]

Getting your tunes signed is going to be a help, but it'll most likely be lost of a sea of releases unless it's a bigger label like you mentioned. I'd recommend building up an email list of every blog you can find and start sending tunes, but me humble in your wording in the body of the email, to get you more listens, and hopefully more write ups. I'd also suggest trying to build another email list by putting a contact form on your myspace etc. I built up quite a large list this way, albeit when myspace when was more widely used. Just tag it with something like "submit your email to receive free tunes and other goodies." there's tons of email clients out there that provide with a free HTML contact form to embed on your myspace/website etc.

Also, the soundcloud etiquette approach can be quite effective in getting more plays. Spend an hour a day, or whatever your lifestyle permits, going through soundcloud and comment on as many tracks as you can. In turn, a lot should then listen to your tracks too. Create a YouTube account and upload every track you write. Get on AIM, get chatting to people all around the world, other producers, dj's or people that just love your genre. Share WIP's, and all you do. Just keep repeating everything, take every opportunity in getting your music heard, and if it's something special the time will come where you're getting picked up by a major label, that has the dope distributer and gets your tunes into the hands of the right people with promotional blurbs included.

I really wish I had kore time in my life :-/

Wow that's solid advice. That's generally what I figured, I always figured labels had the advertising power to get tunes out there, but I realized most label owners are the same as us, people with side jobs and other things to do than just promote tunes. If I can't be arsed to promote my stuff, why should I expect someone else to...

But then again, I'm sure some labels do have a pretty decent way to promote stuff, after all, the more tunes they sell the more they make... Just all depends on the one...

[amidoinitrite]

don't spam people.
you should ask people if they like your stuff and if you should update them with new tracks.
I know a lot of local DJs asked to be spammed so they can get a decent new setlist and not play the same songs every week.. but thats usually brostep DJs asking for stereotypical Brostep

if people aren't asking for tunes don't repeatedly send them stuff.

Wow that's solid advice. That's generally what I figured, I always figured labels had the advertising power to get tunes out there, but I realized most label owners are the same as us, people with side jobs and other things to do than just promote tunes. If I can't be arsed to promote my stuff, why should I expect someone else to...

But then again, I'm sure some labels do have a pretty decent way to promote stuff, after all, the more tunes they sell the more they make... Just all depends on the one...

the only benefit you get from half ass labels is other artists fan base will be more likely to hear your tunes.
There are small/new labels that are amazing.. thats why you actually have to know something about the label before you agree to anything.. you don't just sign to anyone.

[darkartois]

Most labels make peanuts. It's all mainly love for the music tbph man. I'd suggest sending out tunes to labels that fit your sound. If nobody bites, send them to blogs. In terms of sales probably around 500 downloads would be considered a success. Some blogs get a very high number of hits. Tens of 1000's each week.

In terms of getting tunes into dj's hands it's something that's huge. You created the product and they are your sales people. Most dj's make mixes, upload them, and it increases the footprint of your name, and tunes around teh interwebz. It can do no harm.

[darkartois]

This is well worth a read....

http://www.littlewhiteearbuds.com/featu ... atization/

[bigfootspartan]

Yeah I always figured that it was a fine line between spamming and sending tunes to people who might be interested. When I try to get local support I just email a couple of people in town here who play darker dubstep/drum and bass. For me spamming is sending it to random people just to get yourself out, whereas legitimate promoting would be sending tunes to people who play/blog about similar styles. But I'd love to hear opinions on this too.

As far as sending tunes to blogs, this is kinda the situation I'm confused by. Of course if you send tunes to blogs, they'll be on the Internet, and chances are labels wouldn't be interested. So then the question is, is it worth it to send promo tunes to blogs, with talking or w/e over them, and then ask for a link to the labels store, or would it be better just sending a full 320 and getting more downloads that way, and completely skip using a label/distributor?

[zerbaman]

With one release to date (tune in my sig). 2 more signed and coming soon.

I feel that releasing it is a personal thing. I guess it gives me that sense of achievement I've not had much of over the past few years.
I found that in terms of putting your music out there, it depends on the label. Some labels promote the shit out of it, or are big enough to have promo done for them by addicted listeners (These labels aren't likely to take you up on a debut release though tbh). That wasn't exactly the case with mine. Well, the label did put it out, just didn't seem to get a great response, in terms of actual feedback, was a recent release, so no real word on sales. Then again, it's possible, maybe probable, that people just didn't like the tune

I feel though that the best way to get around, unless you're burial or someone of the like, is by being active in terms of DJing, nights, radio, maybe podcasts. As well as sending tunes to people who can move them around.

[FuzionDubstep]

depends on the label, pretty much anyone can get 'signed' nowadays so just having a release doesn't mean anything,
id say the best way of getting exposure is to ask promotional channels on Youtube to promote your tracks start small and work your way up,
I've been on channels like DubMayhemUK & DubstepUploadz which have around 12k subscribers and it helped me more than a release probably would!
if you have contacts you'll get more known!

[fhsueh]

one way to look at it:

if u wanna be on a label, aim as high as possible:

comes with-
- bigger, more diverse, fan base
- more well-known dj's receiving its promos
- less self-promotion required
- instant credibility (to certain folks who wouldn't otherwise listen)

obviously, as you inch down the spectrum of labels, these traits adjust inversely

for me, the point of a label release is to help me get my music out there in ways i couldn't by myself. but if you're genuinely interested in the promotional aspect, by all means, try it out.

[hifi]

it could possibly attract more exposure i don't think it would automatically get yourself promoted that is your job to be promoting the release. but of course the label does some small promotion and if the track is good maybe some promoters would ask you for a clip or something to have that promoted like YouTube which is where i see everything going now. and of course exposure especially good exposure is very helpful for selling your release and also getting more well known

[deadly_habit]

yea it's good for exposure and showing that you have people behind your sound, helps open new contacts as well, plus label names look good on a flyer

[Basic A]

From reading around, I don't think I'm the first person with this question, but I don't think there's really a topic dedicated to it. Basically I'm wondering, for those of you who have gotten releases on labels, did you find that the release through a label helped get your stuff to more people?

I imagine that if one were to get a release on a big label, like Ad Noiseam or Planet Mu they would gan some exposure that way, but I think it'd be pretty tough to get on the bigger labels. If getting paid isnt really a big priority, is there an advantage to getting released on a label? Or would you guys think you can get similar exposure just from sending out tunes to DJs who play a similar style/self promotion?

I'm just asking, because I know there's a ton of talent here, and I've always figured that getting a release would help push my tunes around to places I couldn't get them with self promotion, but I don't know, what do you guys think?

Half the DJ's who support my stuff on the regular were originally affiliated with labels ive put stuff out with... They got promo copies of my stuff, supported it, google alerts told me, I befriended them, now they support my music generally vs. just the releases.

So yeah that was a major upside.

N on occasion Ill get people say 'yeah i know of you from ____ release'...

Really, the promo is about the ONLY advantage to labels anymore.

it could possibly attract more exposure i don't think it would automatically get yourself promoted that is your job to be promoting the release. but of course the label does some small promotion and if the track is good maybe some promoters would ask you for a clip or something to have that promoted like YouTube which is where i see everything going now. and of course exposure especially good exposure is very helpful for selling your release and also getting more well known

And this is a crock. im sorry, but it is. If the label is only doing a 'small' amount of promo and banking on you to sell the release, what on earth are they doing you couldnt do for yourself, aside from deducting 50%?

If the label isnt promoting, hard, there went ALL advantages.

[fhsueh]

as Basic alludes to, this nexus betw djs and labels and promo shouldn't be overlooked.
The OP makes it sound like it's a choice betw one or the other. Labels and DJ's watch each other, and what the other is watching. A realistic goal might be to become the third corner of that triangle. If anything, it's probably easier to send a tune to a DJ and get a response. So why NOT do it? It's almost an immediate gauge of your track's appeal and could be the start of a feedback loop that pushes you within the sight & sound of the label you so badly want to be on.

Hell, just over a yr ago Basic put one of my first tunes into a mix which gave me enough of an ego boost to start trying to get tunes into other djs hands which in turn encouraged me to make better tracks and things started progressing from there.

Thanks again, Basic

[hifi]

From reading around, I don't think I'm the first person with this question, but I don't think there's really a topic dedicated to it. Basically I'm wondering, for those of you who have gotten releases on labels, did you find that the release through a label helped get your stuff to more people?

I imagine that if one were to get a release on a big label, like Ad Noiseam or Planet Mu they would gan some exposure that way, but I think it'd be pretty tough to get on the bigger labels. If getting paid isnt really a big priority, is there an advantage to getting released on a label? Or would you guys think you can get similar exposure just from sending out tunes to DJs who play a similar style/self promotion?

I'm just asking, because I know there's a ton of talent here, and I've always figured that getting a release would help push my tunes around to places I couldn't get them with self promotion, but I don't know, what do you guys think?

Half the DJ's who support my stuff on the regular were originally affiliated with labels ive put stuff out with... They got promo copies of my stuff, supported it, google alerts told me, I befriended them, now they support my music generally vs. just the releases.

So yeah that was a major upside.

N on occasion Ill get people say 'yeah i know of you from ____ release'...

Really, the promo is about the ONLY advantage to labels anymore.

it could possibly attract more exposure i don't think it would automatically get yourself promoted that is your job to be promoting the release. but of course the label does some small promotion and if the track is good maybe some promoters would ask you for a clip or something to have that promoted like YouTube which is where i see everything going now. and of course exposure especially good exposure is very helpful for selling your release and also getting more well known

And this is a crock. im sorry, but it is. If the label is only doing a 'small' amount of promo and banking on you to sell the release, what on earth are they doing you couldnt do for yourself, aside from deducting 50%?

If the label isnt promoting, hard, there went ALL advantages.

i guess. the label im getting a release for isn't technically promoting it "a Lot" just very minimal promotion as in just posting the ep on facebook and soundcloud. as I see most labels do that, while others will go all out and contact a lot of youtube promoters and you can't disagree with that also people who mix on radio stations. surely you just didn't agree about the label doing little to no promotion as I have stated in my first post but i am sure everything else was pretty valid i mean I don't think what I have written was a complete waste was it? i can edit it for you if you would like? also a label can just put up your track or EP on there site if they even have one.

[tavravlavish]

So how do you guys know what blogs to send to? Do you just cruise around blogspot for hours or something?

[Filthzilla]

Is it wrong for me to decline a stack of mini labels and think that one day a decent label will discover me?

I get a load of messages on Soundcloud from labels I've never heard of with artists I've never heard of.
I don't want to accept them because it just doesn't seem worth it. I'm not trying to big-headed but I just don't see it going anywhere.

[fhsueh]

Most blogs are irrelevant because very few people read them. But you also need to treat them respect, like the press. Don't send stuff to blogs if you aren't braced for a negative review. Bloggers want to discover stuff and bring them to the public. Better ones also want to convey objectivity.

If you don't already know of some blogs, just pay attention more to your favorite artists and where they appear.

But it's also a bit of 'cart before the horse'... make good enough tracks, and bloggers will find you. It can be more fun and satisfying that way.

I'd also be curious as to who reads what blogs, but that's another topic.

@Filthzilla: yes, decline until the label you actually want, wants you.

[Mad_EP]

Signing to a bigger label definitely helps in some ways, but it by no means solves anything long term. Signing to the RIGHT label is much more important.


I've released quite a bit on Ad Noiseam - and all of the releases got rave reviews - but when I first started releasing with them, they were still mainly a noise/post-industrial/dnb label. I was the first one who brought hiphop, jazz, and some other sounds to the label. Mothboy also released some amazing bassy releases that stood out... but in hindsight, we might not have been the right artists at the right time for that label. We may have made it easier for new artists to release a wider range of styles, but at the time, the label's core audience wasn't ready for it. I think if I released on Ad Noiseam now, the crowd would have much more open ears... and the door is still open... but I think I would want to try something different if I released with them again.

Same happened when I released with Hymen - that album is one of my favorite records, but it is largely a hiphop record... which didn't go over well with the label's core audience. That said - I did have the experience of being reviewed by Kerrrang! - which had weird sentimental value as I listened to a lot of metal growing up. Not surprising, Kerrang! hated it too! lol.


I think it is much more important to get released by a label whose core audience is going to feel your stuff and be receptive to the promo that is done on your behalf. Getting your name to 10,000 of the wrong people isn't as effective as getting it to 1000 of the right people.