D Leigh Biz

In today’s world of digital music, mixtapes, viral videos and Kickstarter, many wonder whether it’s worthwhile to be signed by a record label.  As long as you have loyal fans, gigs on the calendar and the freedom to make the music you like, why bother?  Well, it really depends on how large you envision your audience to be.  If you want to be well known in your city, then what you’re doing is probably enough.  But, if you want your music to be on a national or international level, you will need some marketing support and financial backing.  Therefore, this blog posting is for artists and managers interested in the “big leagues”.  For those of you still in denial about wanting to be signed to a record deal, this chart is for you…

Recently, I read a report entitled Investing in Music: How music companies discover, nurture and promote talent.  I highly encourage all artists and managers to read this document; I was truly enlightened.  This report was published by the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) and WIN (Worldwide Independent Music Industry Network).  IFPI is a not for profit professional association that represents the international recording industry and is affiliated with the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).  Their stated mission is to:

Plácido Domingo, world famous tenor and conductor, is the current chairman of IFPI.  He notes that to have a successful career in music, besides talent, you must have “ambition, passion, boundless energy and a relentless commitment to hard work.”  The report is comprised of sections related to record label investment, discovering and signing talent, nurturing talent and promoting talent.  The report provides great insight in terms of how record companies perform these functions.  And for those who are nurturing and promoting talent, it clarifies the label’s role via their A&R functions. 

So, how does a record company help?  Mainly, their investment includes payment of advances, tour support, marketing and promotion costs, financing recording costs, and even music videos.  They typically have a team of people who assist in all aspects of your career.  They can also assist in brokering collaborations with top people in the industry including producers, videographers and other artists.  A record label is also adept at developing synch deals with various brands to help promote your music.  This doesn’t negate the role of your manager, who will provide guidance in negotiating a deal with a record label along with your attorney.  You can also clarify if you want your manager to continue performing their current function. 

So don’t automatically decide you don’t want to work with a record label, there can be great benefits in creating this type of partnership. 

Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on the report. 

D Leigh

As I sit tonight watching the American Music Awards, I am inspired by how the music industry recognizes talent.  They recognize the hard work and effort that it takes to deliver the songs, create music videos, and execute national tours.  And the recognition is plentiful.  Here’s a small list of award shows:

BET Awards (Black Entertainment Television)

CMA (Country Music Awards)

MTV Music Awards

Soul Train Music Awards

Billboard Music Awards

GMA (Gospel Music Award)

But ask any musician, and they’ll tell you that the highest recognition is the Grammy Award.  It’s like getting an Oscar as an actor.  So, new musicians watch the Grammy Awards year after year and they see this as the Mount Everest of recognition. But did you know how much they do for both current and aspiring artists?  Well, I’m going to show you how you can start interacting with the Grammys today! 

The GRAMMY organization has various divisions that impact the industry and the community.  First, The Recording Academy provides resources for music industry professionals.  You can vote and participate in the GRAMMY Awards process, address your rights as a musician, attend events, network, and have access to GRAMMY365.  They also advocate for the rights of music people, and provide outreach programs and student initiatives such as the GRAMMY U program.  Membership includes singers, songwriters, producers, managers and other professionals in the music industry.  But one of the best benefits is the ability to share your work and solicit advice from other music professionals.  Here is their mission statement:

As the preeminent membership organization for musicians, producers, engineers and other music professionals, our mission is to advance artistic and technical excellence, work to ensure a vital and free creative environment, and act as an advocate on behalf of music and its makers.

Another division is GRAMMY U.  This service helps college students intent on pursuing a music career.  They provide networking, educational programs and opportunities to perform.  It also provides access to industry professionals.  For high school students, there is the GRAMMY Foundation, which sponsors various GRAMMY Camp programs.  They also advocate for music education in school systems by providing awards and grants to public schools.    

And if that wasn’t enough, they have a philanthropic division called MusiCares, which provides assistance to music people who are in need.  This support includes medical, financial, and personal issues for those who are in or nearing a crisis situation.   

Having said all of this, I have an enormous amount of respect for this organization.  So, I just submitted my application for membership.  You should too!