Dear Lads/Lasses,

I am desperately looking for a good label not only to release my music on, but have them help developing my skills as an artist; a label to appreciate artist creativity and help develop that talent. The genre is Dance Music and specifically progressive house; i.e. Swedish House Mafia, Steve Angello, Shapov.

I wrote to a label asking how do they work towards artist development or not, haven't heard back and it's been over a month.

I'd really appreciate if you guys could give me couple of suggestions, or if you have experience with this sorta thing.

Thanks.

 

It's been a few ages that a friend and I went to a label to have a Dance song published and we hadn't the impresion that they were interrested in developing an artist either. I don't think a label wil do that when it comes to commercial music.
My suggestion would be to look for a partner who is good at some things you are not and vice versa, so that you complement each other and make faster progression.

 

Thanks for the reply!

Were you a successful in releasing a track? Curious about the process.

PS I have seen your posts around; I just decided to create an account here today.

 

Last edited: Aug 6, 2018

I wasn't involved in the releasing process most of the time. I worked as a co-producer with the studio owners and this was their job, also we produced up to one track per week for months. So, yes, some of them were released on different labels, but that's long ago, so, please, don't ask me for names of projects or labels.
The common thing was that no label was interested in developing artists, just in finished products.

Don't blame me for your decisions. Welcome to THE forum.

 

very few labels will actually want to push your artistic skills. some only wanna release your music for their profit. dont get to hunbg up on a certain label. send your stuff out to a few labels , most wont answer or reply. keep your options open. dont send long emails, just "hey im so n so, ive got an EP i though would go well with your label. here are the private soundcloud links, if interested email me back and we'll go from there"

keep it simple. most label scouts or a&r's dont have time to read your life in an email. i'm in the house/tech/techno scene. on a few nice labels. soon ; hopefully on a big label. i'm interested in hearing your music, not sure if you want to post a link here publicly or send me a message . id like to listen to your work.

good vibes,

 

Most labels receive a new demo every minute. They only reply when it fits their sound and want to sign your track.
Always send a loud, mastered version.
But some labels do give feedback if there is potential. Maybe try Laidback Luke.
Heard him say tho, a while back, that progressive house doesn't sell anymore.
But audiosex to the rescue we can help out to improve your sound and mix.
Post a track if you want feedback. Or PM it.
Greetz

 

Cheers mate. hahaha I hope that you still got the mojo and produce; for me when I don't, I feel guilty.

 

Last edited: Aug 7, 2018

That's precisely what I hate tbh. one of those labels is Spinnin Records; worthless. I was hopping I could be able to get Mau5trap (deadmau5) label's A&R or demo email, but was unable to do so; have somethings in my vault fits their taste really well. But my main fear when submitting to a label is that they'd still the idea. I like to think I come up with undone stuff, and the big frustration occurs when I don't post them anywhere , a year or two later, another artist makes something similar. Like I have no way of saying "I was the first to do that". but maybe that's my wrong mentality; maybe being the first shouldn't be important to me.

Cheers for the offer bro! I'll definitely bear that in mind when I have something ready!

 

forum to the rescue is right! haha. Thanks for the suggestions mate, I really appreciate it. Laidback Luke is one of the few cool ones out there; especially with his vlogs.

TBH, the whole edm doesn't sell anymore, everything sounds the same and consumers don't understand this, which perhaps is what that keeps the industry running.

I really appreciate you offer bro! it's kind of you. I will definitely shoot you a pm when I have something ready. always appreciate good feedback!

 

you mean... people used to actually pay for that stuff ??

 

Big label look for things that are different, if you do something like Hardwell or Don Diablo (that's just exemple), they won't sign you because there is already someone sounding like that. Label will want to sign you if you can add value to them (the same way they can add value to you), so you can have a unique sound (don't talk about a song, but a sound, like a style), or you can have a followers base (a big one to be interesting for them, and a real one, they'll see if it's fake). They kind of work the same a talent agency, which are the one you should seek for to find booking and developp your brand. Being in a booking agency can help too.
Also big label don't sign new artist to develope them anymore, they just sign tracks. When they sign an artist, it's someone with a name already made with smaller labels. And to be in that kind of small label who are relevent, you have to give them something they don't have.

Also keep in mind that you're one in a million, and even if you are unique and have talent, there is also thousand like you, so add to that the million that are just average and the other millions that are bad but still send stuff to label, and imagine what's an A&R inbox in a big label look like.
I don't say that to discourage you, but just to be realist and know where you go. The better method to sign without having an underground name yet it's still to give an USB to some big DJ or manager you can cross at a party, and even there, it's a 1/1000 shot and still need uniqueness in your sounds.

 

Yep, thanks, I do and when I don't, I start hunting humans.

 

do you have at least 1000 followers on youtube, facebook, soundcloud or any other similar platform?
if not, then you're not looking profitable and so no label will bother to contact you back,

do you have your own team, so you'd be able to deliver show, album, music videos etc.?
if not, then don't expect someone to magically do all that for you,

are you original or copying others?
because people want hear the same shit over again, just don't notice it's the same thing,

you should have a notable portfolio already, if not then nobody knows what you do and so nobody cares, simple as that,
forget days when sending a mixtape was enough, not anymore nowadays

 

You're really going to have to get a good start on your craft before approaching the labels expecting them to help you improve your sound. Lables don't really need to spend the time and money to develope an artist when a 14year old kid's laptop track can blow everyone's mind

 

If your 1/1000, these days in the world there are about 7,600,000 of you. Either you must have some special mojo, or you really need to know somebody in your chosen industry. There are currently 7.6 billion people living in the world today, thank goodness not everybody is trying to make it in music! To have the best shot at success might involve creating a team of a few people who have special talents that compliment each other, in the creation of music as well as all phases of the marketing of that music.

 

Anyone has experience with :
http://symphonicdistribution.com/join/labeldistribution/
?

 

simple fact don't work with any label !
you can easy go to many parties start with a small clubs , then grow up
you even can do it by yourself just doing a forest party .

you don't need any Label simple fact ,
1. they are pigs
2. the are selective
3. nobody need them either

 

Last edited: Aug 8, 2018

Release your music yourself. Send a press release to the blogs and the mags. Get a mailinglist of dj's and promotors and send your promos out. Try to get on as many promo lists as you possibly can with every release you make. Send an available for license out to labels you like and think your stuff fits into.
Don't get your hopes up. Unless you're playing gigs every weekend in clubs across the globe and the festivals. (with which btw you will make a lot more than you will selling your music digitally...) Hope for the best because without a serious budget for promotion and marketing campaign your'e a grain of sand in the desert of electronic music waiting to be heard.
Good luck!

Luiz.
Audiomotion Recordings

 

You are absolutely right mate! That is what sucks the most with the current EDM scene, that not many people out there are seeking to invest in talent. I have been making music for past 6 years, I have come a long way, but I think, I should let my work speak for itself. When I have my stuff mastered, I will send you along with couple of other a link for feedback.

I am thinking of having a crazy impressive entrance at a big label and drop a USB with my work in it. what do you think?

My stuff sounds like Axtone or Size records.

 

W

What do you think with making a big entrance at a big label to get their attention and drop of a usb?