Be Your Own Record Label - (2024 Guide for Indie Musicians)

Gratitude my friend 🙏

I started my own record label a few weeks ago. Signed myself on my own label. Opened up a few more doors, too quick to notice any big differences in my streams. Haven't paid and made 38 albums and went ahead and retired after my 38th album. 11 listeners on spot. And 86 subs on yt. So I just retired from making music but I own my own record 🏷 now.

Step one towards starting your own record lable, accept your a pimp and your artists are your hoes. Rick James , Joy yo self!

Indiependant realises cut out the crap like paying radio stations to play you and all the other record scams going round we don't care if were played or not -we got the songs in the can and don't want fame hell no just the money but its impossible these days a couple of cents a stream is outrageous -love "Genetic throwbacks" the band to watch #4 other in the world on ReverbNation i know its rigged but were on a free account and don't buy plays or fans like the idiots holding us back -Davo of the throwbacks on all major platforms

this is another marketing video, come on

Thank you

Had to subscribe thank you ❤

You just like talking.

Preciate the class. I turned down a deal a few years back & went independent. It’s a lot of work but it’s YOURS

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. The music field is full of traps and dead ends that have us indie artists spending money, getting disappointed and demotivated. I'll follow your advice and see where it takes me.

My goal would not be album sales. As the artist, I won't make a dime off of the album, so why should I care if a label makes money off if it.
My question is, why should I even bother with a label, convince me why I should ever consider using a label? What the benefit for me if I sign, to hand all profits over to them? Labels are writing my songs. They aren't arranging my songs. They have nothing to do with my writing process, so why should I share anything with a label?

So glad this video showed up in my feed!!! I'm a singer-songwriter and I'm currently planning my comeback after 7 years without new releases and I'm extremely grateful that you made this video, thank you so much!!!

I release my music on band amp only

The only artists now a days that are making money thanks to music platforms like Spotify are the ones on the top Billboard charts. No profit in music these days

It's so weird that there are more "how-to-make-it indie" content creators than there are truly indie artists today. It's almost like artists are now just another demographic to sell content. 😊

Brilliant! A master class for all independent artists. I will be sharing.

Good info, I use the old school method when it comes to a new release.Once the song is released I concentrate on the first six weeks on heavy promotion (This after a two to three week pre promotion first) If you can't get the attention on this song in six weeks you don't have a good record. I've done it, tried it,and worked it. The people will let you know if you have a record or not. Try to promote your song to Charts not playlist. Charts tend to put your sons on the list base on sales not likes and followers. Playlist are stuck in the system where you only get paid 00.3 cents per (streaming hours not streams). Touring is good for the self contained artist how can entertain an audience with live music not all track dates. Just sharing some experiences.

This was sooooo helpful thanks

Great vid, thanks!

Great stuff here!

Thank you for everything!

So it takes me back to what I should have done before mastering 😊

Funding isn't as much of an issue as an older artist, but getting new fans and releasing music that is not as much on trend is the difficult part.

They signed for the money 💸😢😂 and controlled by Fame

touring is just selling drinks

Great info. Wish I had full time to focus on this.
Keep creating✌

My first EP took about 6 months to start getting regular streams. It's been slowly gaining momentum.

Prepping for my first Full Length release in December!

Not sure if there are better alternatives: But as a ”poor musician” I liked that Routenote had a ”free” option to release your music on streaming platforms 😘 Maybe a tip for others. But I don’t really know that much about them, so I hope I made the right decision to change to them :-) (From Distrokid)

With the free alternative they will take 15 % of the revenues though. But you could change your plan later and then earn 100 %.

Thanks a bunch Scott! This is exactly what I needed! 🙏🙌

4-5 singles BEFORE an album with 8-9 songs? 🤣

Beautiful video great stufff

Press? everything is digital why you keep saying tapes, records and CD when we are in 2023. Great advise regardless.

This episode is gold for past and present, great experience being shared 🖤😎🍭 rave on 😂

I may be a bit mental - but I don't understand why the big name artists haven't moved away from contracts that clearly don't pay - this has been going on for years now. Why hasn't a name artist created an independent platform to access / stream / download their new album ? Contracts end so no excuses ....If you are famous already then your new release just needs a little 'promo clip' (not endless free play!) - You would think that a new 'United artists' label would have emerged by now - with fingers up to spotify & the likes. The ship has not already sailed on this - because any NEW album / new music is potentially a COMPLETELY NEW START as its absolutely 'a NEW PRODUCT' to sell - Its clear that, how music is passed on to the customer is the real problem. You just need a 'Big name' to pull the crowds to you site - away from streaming providers - so don't do digi distribution on your next big release and you'll pull back your sales to your own site (sort one out ffs !) . Indie labels offering downloads only - with short promo clips of video & audio is really what's needed. Everyone is constantly talking about 'Format' - we don't need a new format to save the industry - Just stop giving it away for .004p a play! Every play is clearly a potential sale / download - if the artists had control over it. Get out of contracts - create a new Artists led download / fair price to stream site. A massive indie hit could start a revolution - but its really in the hands of 'Big names' to pull the crowds away from streaming for nothing bullshit. There' more money being made by the 'How to market your music' guru's than the music sales - what a mess.

Hi, I just stumbled upon your video and find it very interesting, especially because I just have some recordings nearly ready mixed and don't know what to do. My question is, if your advice fits for all countries (I am from Berlin, Germany), would be cool to hear from you ! Best !

Great insights. 25 years in, a great 1st step is getting your head around your definition of “success” in creating vs. business. Set and pursue goals with that in mind and you will be gold.

What happened to the whole thing of musicians being cool and not being analysts or businessmen/women/undecideds/whatever the thing is they are, just being cool.. No offence but i think we're forgetting what makes us cool in the first place and that counts for more than anything, for people who are looking to escape into some songs, in this too often cr@ppy world.. i think I'm going to stop trying to promote myself and just start trying to enjoy what i loved about being a musician back when i started and i was sure i would be playing in stadiums with my friends in a few years if we just kept at it

Best wishes to you if you are reading this
and lots of love to you if you need to feel any love and it's been a cr@ppy day or tough times.. Keep on being you, no matter how hard they try to grind it out of us..
from Rolland
at Castle Hassall

The problem is we dont have a platform to promote Independent Artists. We all use “their” aka the big corporations platforms instead of creating our own. Granted it takes work but there is no community without you or me.

Very very few people actually purchase music anymore. Most people rent their music these days. Music has become utterly worthless.
And because it has, it is dead.
Streaming services are the only ones making money these days. Until artist keep their own work and start charging what they want for it, there is no future for future musicians and song writers.
People get what they barely pay for these days.

Thanks man 🙏 this is GOLD 🙏

Great video. Thank you. I am working on developing my mindset beyond "just making music". This was very helpful for me. 👍🏾

Excellent! But I’m a bit confused about your references to records, vinyls and CDs. Who buys these things nowadays? And what do you mean by manufacturing and distribution?

I’d prefer you to advise on how to monetize one’s songs, performances, audio recordings, videos entirely online. And/or talk about how getting one’s music heard as widely as possible (for free?) can lead to paid gigs, tours, or other forms on income.

Awesome. Thanks!

And don't forget the industry pay-for-play to

I have always been confused about publishing, like, do I have to officially start a business and create some kind of paperwork that I have to use for each of my songs? I’m sure there is paperwork. So, what is it? What does it look like? What are all of the legalities and requirements needed to be on there? If I release and upload music online do I need to create paperwork for each track? Who does it get sent to? How can such documentation protect me? Do I send it somewhere so that it’s date-stamped and kept on file at a third party location / company? I can’t just release music and be protected if I don’t register my music at another official company or if someone wishes to challenge me, then I can’t be expected to protect myself if I "started my own publishing business and I have a few pieces of paperwork in a drawer in my kitchen". To me, paperwork and protection are what confuses me and puts me off releasing music because I don’t know what publishing actually is. Do I start a business and go through the legalities with my government just so that I can protect myself even though I probably won’t be trading and making money for a long time? If I start a publishing "business", I will have to complete annual tax returns and everything else involved in running a business. So, what is the simplified way to publish and protect my work? Thank you