Why RECORD Labels Are FINISHED

On today’s live stream I discuss why Record Labels are irrelevant in today's music scene. Let's discuss how to promote your music.

Love to Learn Sale:

[RickBeato]

For ongoing support consider becoming a member of the Beato Club. The Beato Club is exactly like Patreon.

[MarySpender]

What an honour. Thank you for everything Rick. Xx

[peternorton]

"Develope alliances with like minded people." Best advice for everyone, not just musicians. Music is a collaboration.

[Sean_Farmer]

I still both use and buy CDs. I love a physical copy and while I know I'm in the minority, I know of plenty of other people that feel the same way.

[ghostpeppered]

Rick does a good job of staying mentally forever young. Really impressive how well he's researched modern social media distribution, platform pros/cons/rules, and cutting-edge publishing strategies--while in all likelihood simultaneously hiding the disgust anyone his age should have for all of it. ha

[edzielinski]

Rick is that favorite uncle that not everyone has, but should have. I feel very fortunate to have Rick and people like him available to me on the internet that I didn't have in life, and that's allowed me to find a community of my own where I can share and appreciate music. This channel is always an inspiration.

[bradzillarocks]

Last band I was in our first 2 albums, in 2008 and 2011, were put out by a record label that fronted the cost of the layout, production and distribution of the CDs so we didn't have to worry about that which was nice, but they also kept most of the money from sales, such as it was. Our 3rd and final album in 2015 was put out independently, and we made up a record label name ourselves to make it look "professional", and we hired a publicist to send it all over the world to get reviews and exposure, but still didn't sell that many copies, but still made more than when the label was handling it.

[jerryguthrie]

I think the whole point is Labels nowadays aren't interested in you until you're already big and if you're already big then you don't really need them. Just keep doing what you did to get to that point and you'll have more success without them.

[steveseim]

I still primarily listen to music on CDs. And I still listen to the radio - although I have a great independent station in my area.

[wpl]

The really sad thing to me is that as the music gets incredibly worse, the money gets incredibly better. Whether it be downloading songs or selling outrageously priced tickets. Jimi Hendrix was paid $18, 000 for closing Woodstock. That comes out to $125, 000 in today's money. Before the pandemic hit, Ariana Grande closed out Coachella and was paid 4 million dollars. People still remember Hendrix's performance but do they still remember Grande's performance? Hers was only a few years ago and it's forgotten already. The only time I hear music today is when somebody drives near me and I hear their crap booming out of the vehicle. It all sounds the same. Yet that "artist" is making tons of money. All I can say is that you have to search really hard to find anything worthwhile to listen to. 40 years ago that wasn't the case.

[HaleysTusk]

I run a channel in support of Haley Reinhart, who after a disasterous relationship w/ Interscope, her first label, has sworn off Labels and is determined to make it as an independent artist.
So for years there've been a small part of the fandom who insist the ONLY way she can 'make it' is to get signed. Even after almost ten years, they hold onto this antiquated notion that labels are the 'endgame' for musicians
I guess it comes down to your definition of what 'success' is? IMO I think Haley's measure of success is to have a living making music as a career, which she has done for ten years. She is confident in herself and her talent and is willing to learn the industry. Also, she signed w/ a publishing company as one of her first moves, and that has paid dividends because of the income streams she's created through syncing and sales of her songs for advertising and movies. There are ways to "make it" as an independent artist, the technology of the 21st century gives you infinite access to your market, your ability to reach your audience, cutting out the music business middle man.
Sure, luck has a lot to do w/ it, but labels are not the be all end all. Alot of artists are discovering this. Labels might get you a hit, but it doesn't guarantee a career. Putting the work in, gaining experience, networking the industry, that is a way for longevity in music

[RadCenter]

As someone who works in the publishing industry, I look at this the same way I look at people who say publishing companies are obsolete, because now anyone can publish their innermost thoughts all over social media. But in the same way that a writer's work is improved by a thoughtful editor, an eagle-eyed copy editor, and a talented designer, a musician's work can be improved by a creative producer and arranger, an experienced engineer, and a visionary videographer. Record labels have all of this talent and more at their disposal to help artists. Is the average garage band really going to be able to afford to book time in a studio and also track down and pay for that kind of support network? Not without a major GoFundMe campaign.

[timharrington]

Now I know I'm a real caveman, because I still buy and listen to CDs.

[derosa]

I think the problem is the corporatization and commoditization of music, concentrated into a few mega companies, not that the idea of a record label has outgrown it's usefulness. Back in the day there was Blue Note, Island, Elektra and later Asylum, and lots of others that had a "sound" that fostered talent, and gave a band a home. Today business is just too massive and corporate.

[themagicianofsound]

The main problem without a record label is that most artists do not have this "business" attitude (and it's not a negative criticism, it's just how it is, they are musicians / singers / artists / composers / songwriters, they are not business managers and most of the time they have no interest in managing a business, for them it's the most boring thing ever on Earth) and they also lack time to promote themselves. I believe that it is not necessarily the best independent artists that get the most success. Many world-class talented artists stay undiscovered, and if they were coached properly they would be huge stars. Kindest Regards ! 😀🙏🎵🎶🌠

[freddiedenison]

i play drums and guitar regularly in detroit, personally i think people are sick of the digital platforms and want to go back to having hard copies of great music so they are going back to cds and records and tapes . nothing new seems to have any real substance and everyone seems to be a copy it all blends together .

[fortheloveofmusic]

It's the whole spectrum of modern technology to produce music and to spread it that puts record labels out of business. But I think, in the end, will put a lot of quality musicians out of business as well. A lot of them will not be able to keep the ship floating. As a musician you have to be musician, accountant, promoter and producer all wrapped in one.

[kevinharrison]

Rick, I worked in a the music retail environmental for almost 16 years right out of high school. I saw this coming many many years back. When the record industry ceased to manufacture which was at the time, cassette and CD singles, for me that was the beginning of the end. The record industry refused to embrace the internet and was forcing consumers to purchase entire CDs and cassettes. Consumers revolted and sites like Napster and Limewire were born. Consumers refused to purchase entire albums for 1 or 2 good songs.

[imalright]

Hey! I still rock cds! Everyone attention is on vinyl so they’re decently priced these days. Way more practical than flipping records too. With my 200 disk changer I can listen to music all day without even touching it. 💿

[simontunnicliffe]

Another thing record labels did in the past was not just promoting the record but would be making sure the artists material was recorded, mixed and mastered correctly. I've heard some songs that are actually on Spotify as well and I just thought, that isn't mixed and mastered right. This is a big problem now, artists are not only supposed to be musicians but also managers, promoters, producers and businessmen. It's ridiculous. Something needs to change.