The demo is in your hand, the band is on its way over, and you’ve started calling record labels. Your dream of singing before millions is about to come true. But before you pick up the phone to call every A&R person, there are some things to consider. Is your dream to sign with a Big Label or are you Indie Label material?
If you dream of fame and fortune, your best bet may be to go for a major label. One advantage to major labels is their size and large staff means more manpower, money and connections behind you to promote and distribute your album. These labels don’t just stick to the U.S., they often promote albums internationally and book foreign tours. Sound exciting? Before you set off for L.A., you may want to learn all the facts about major labels—the good, the bad and the complicated.
What is a major record label? For starters, there are the Big Four: Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, EMI Music Group, and Warner Music Group. These labels are the top of the umbrella group, and have several smaller labels below them. For instance, Warner Music Group manages Warner Bros Records.
At major labels, you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Perks can include large advances, possible fame, a larger advertising budget, and the ability to distribute and sell millions of records. Despite what movies or television may tell you, some A&R representatives work very hard for their artists. They pride themselves on doing everything they can to further the artist’s career, and they often have several other people working with them.
Craig Aaronson, an A&R Executive at Warner Records, believes that major labels offer artists a chance to reach bigger audiences through several different venues. He feels that despite cushy budgets, artists can feel more confident about their album with a whole staff of people behind them. “I think we have a lot of resources,” Aaronson says, “We have a large staff that can work in all the different areas of marketing. We’re [ultimately] there to try and enable artists to reach a bigger audience.” But going with a Biggie doesn’t mean you’ll be lacking in personal attention, “I’m very close with all my artists and there’s always a core group—between five and ten people—that work extremely closely with artists on a day-to-day level and become their family at the label,” says Aaronson.
Depending on the label, artists can also have majority or complete creative control. While the record label maintains rights on the final record, Aaronson says Warner Records takes pride in giving their artists an album they can be proud of. A&R people are often protective of their artists and go to great lengths to help them with their albums, and Aaronson maintains, he’s no exception, “I kill for my artists, I work really hard for them.” And over time, that hard work has paid off. “They know we get in the trenches and roll up our sleeves and do the work that any company would do for an artist they care about.” The Warner Executive adds, “I do it. I live it. And I work around the clock for my artists.”
If this kind of passion and publicity is what you want behind your work, there are a series of steps you’ll have to take to get signed to a major label. The first is to research and find an agent or manager. One thing to remember is most A&R reps at major labels do not take unsolicited material. An agent, manager, lawyer, or prestigious music industry individual will have to send it in for you.
Another way to be noticed by A&R reps, of course, is to have them find you themselves. After all, the job of A&R people is to find new talent. They’re constantly scouring clubs and music venues looking for the next big talent and the next great song. But short of trolling the streets of Hollywood with your guitar, how do you make yourself attractive to an A&R Executive?
Tim Carthart of Warner Records, says the trick is to be yourself. “[Musicians can be noticed] by writing original music and by showing that they’re willing to work really hard for their careers,” he says. “They can show [us] by touring, selling their own CDs and promoting their band online, and showing improvement in songwriting.”
And when you do get noticed, you’ll want to arm yourself with an entertainment attorney. These lawyers have specialized knowledge of the in-depth complexities of music contracts, which can be filled with loopholes and complex clauses. Music contracts can be as long as 50-60 pages. Glenn Litwak, an entertainment lawyer that represents B2K and Omarian, believes artists should look for lawyers that specialize in their particular genre of music, “If they do country music, get a music lawyer in country music. If they do R&B or Blues, they should [find] an R&B music lawyer.”
Now let’s talk money. if you get an advance, will it pay for a Kia or a Ferrari? The first thing to remember is that every contract is different. Music contracts usually reserve artists for a certain number of albums, anywhere from one to eight. Normally, the artist is signed for one to two records. The artist is given an advance that can range from $5,000 to several millions, depending on the clout of the artist. Don’t get too excited though, that money is all repaid to the record company through royalties. That means if you get an advance of $300,000 and your album sells ten copies, you have to pay the record label back that entire wad of cash.
Reality check! The Internet is full of tales of woe about major labels “stiffing” artists. True or not, record contracts are long and complex to protect both the label and the artist. Each contract is different, so have your lawyer look things over. If you’ve written your own songs, make sure you’re getting publishing royalties as well. This means more money in your pocket because you’ll get both mechanical and publishing royalties.
Of course, some divas may find major labels too limiting for their taste. Large labels have several artists, and some artists may not get the attention they might get with an independent. Again, this all depends on the label. But for those high-maintenance artists who want a label at their beck-and-call, this may be a deal-breaker.
Before signing a contract, make sure you know who owns what. Some contracts may stipulate that the large label owns the rights over the final product. Which means that after spending months on your album, the label can change it at the last second if they fear it won’t sell well. This is how the label prevents itself from losing money they spent for studio time and recording costs. If you’re a pop artist and you come out with a jazz record at the last second, the label has a right to fight you for the album they commissioned and paid for.
To clarify, the record label owns the actual physical recording on the CD. The artist owns the music in publishing, which means the song itself. And there are no limitations on performing or singing the song during a concert. So sing on!
After all this, what’s the first thing you should do as an aspiring artist? You guessed it—go out and sing! “The best advice I [can] have is go build something on your own,” says Warner Exec, Aaronson. “Go out there and tour. Don’t rely on anyone else to promote you. We’ll find you.”
After all, that’s his job.
