How do you make it into the music industry?

[Mandiblard]

Hey guys, I've got a band, we've recorded lots of awesome songs, and now we want to sell them... but we have no idea how to go about contacting a record company nor are we aware of the process or anything involved, we just make music. Does anyone have any tips? We're in Australia if that makes any difference.

I'm not suggesting it's as easy as going to a record company, them accepting our music, and then getting our CD's onto retail stores and advertised (or is it?), i'm just wondering if there's anyone here with experience in the music industry who could give me a bit of insight on how things work...

 

[tristan22]

1. send your music to various record labels. If they like what they hear, they will contact you!

2. Try and give your cd to an individual in a signed band. Ex. Go to the venue where a popular US band is playing. Either go to their bus or give your cd to their body guard/or roadie to give to them.

 

[K Street]

-Abandon writing and playing music.
-Dress like a pretty boy with no ****.
-Date a pseudo-celebrity.
-Make an overpriced and awful music video.

The above tips should make you marketable to the ever-so-important teenage crowd as well as MTV.

If you don't heed my advice, you will end up like some friends of mine who got lured into the trap of major labels.

 

[MetalFortress]

To add to all this, get your band on Myspace and get your music out there.

 

[McKindley]

Usually record labels won't even open any unsolicited submissions. You need some sort of in. You need to find a way to get them interested in you.

He's right about putting together a press kit. Include the best recording you guys have made of your most current songs, a picture, a bio, and any reviews you have had in any local press.

I studied the music business at a music business college in Nashville for a few years. Here's the thing: the labels want you to already have a fan base. If you can get fans and sell CDs on your own, they reason, then they could do it but on a larger scale. If you don't really play many shows, nobody shows up, and you can't sell your CD, why would they want to invest money on you?

I don't know your band, but there are a few things you need to have going for you:
-Everyone needs to have some sort of "look" in the group
-everyone needs to be proficient on their instrument
-the stage show needs to be really good

What you have going for you that IS really good is you live in Australia. I used to know a singer from Australia that was signed to Sony in Australia and when he moved to Nashville could not get a record deal so save his life. Things are easier down there. Getting a record deal isn't half as hard as it is here.

 

[Desdinova]

This is the route I'm going to use for my first recording:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/

What these guys will do is professionally package your album for you, make the CDs, and charge a base price. You add your profit on top of the base price. That way, it doesn't cost you any money for any bulk pressings. They do it as copies are sold.

You can also sell merchandise through them.

 

[WhitePimp]

I know there's a lot of grand ideas about getting a killer record deal and getting huge but record companies are seriously good for nothing but ****ing you over. Unless you're a one hit wonder pop star who's not about the music anyway, a record deal in today's world means less than nothing...you actually wind up in debt a lot.

I think the easiest way to do it in today's world is to just do it yourself. Get as strong a live following as you possibly can. I would also try to,like Stormbringer said, get as many shows opening up for BIG bands as you can. I think a lot of bands make the mistake of playing in bars and basements nonstop and expect to get noticed. If you really want to make an impact it will be through your live performance and crowd reaction, and opening up for bigger bands gets you the bigger audiences obviously. It's not as hard as people think to get opening slots for large signed bands...just call up venues and send a press kit and get up their ass.

Dave Matthews Band sold 100,000 copies of their first album while unsigned, just sellling them from show to show while touring in a van. The record companies would then be in the weaker position and have no other choice but to give the artist a killer deal that benefits the artist as much.


So yeah, get a kick ass sounding demo, play support for larger bands, and just be smart about any business decisions you make. Record companies are dying and it's up to the musicians to get their **** going nowadays...just kick ass!

 

[Julian]

Listen if your music is dope then it will find its way to peoples ears no matter what.

 

[A7Xx]

Dont foget to sign up on purevolume.com

 

[Page]

Originally posted by WhitePimp
I know there's a lot of grand ideas about getting a killer record deal and getting huge but record companies are seriously good for nothing but ****ing you over. Unless you're a one hit wonder pop star who's not about the music anyway, a record deal in today's world means less than nothing...you actually wind up in debt a lot.

I think the easiest way to do it in today's world is to just do it yourself. Get as strong a live following as you possibly can. I would also try to,like Stormbringer said, get as many shows opening up for BIG bands as you can. I think a lot of bands make the mistake of playing in bars and basements nonstop and expect to get noticed. If you really want to make an impact it will be through your live performance and crowd reaction, and opening up for bigger bands gets you the bigger audiences obviously. It's not as hard as people think to get opening slots for large signed bands...just call up venues and send a press kit and get up their ass.

Dave Matthews Band sold 100,000 copies of their first album while unsigned, just sellling them from show to show while touring in a van. The record companies would then be in the weaker position and have no other choice but to give the artist a killer deal that benefits the artist as much.


So yeah, get a kick ass sounding demo, play support for larger bands, and just be smart about any business decisions you make. Record companies are dying and it's up to the musicians to get their **** going nowadays...just kick ass!

The man speaks the truth.

I still have no love for greedy record labels, though.

 

[ShizamDaMan]

When you figure it out, be sure to tell me. I'm working on a band, we're going to try and debut at next year's Battle of the Bands on campus.

Good luck man.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by WhitePimp
I know there's a lot of grand ideas about getting a killer record deal and getting huge but record companies are seriously good for nothing but ****ing you over. Unless you're a one hit wonder pop star who's not about the music anyway, a record deal in today's world means less than nothing...you actually wind up in debt a lot.

Agreed. They will often use cheap tricks, like writing a contract which says that you must produce 10 albums for them, but that they must approve of the albums, and if they don't, you'll have to make more. Or, you won't get ANYTHING for your first few albums... etc

If you don't make it huge, you will never get wealthy in the music industry unless you produce it yourself.

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Firstly, what gerne is your music?


2nd of all, play lots and lots of shows and pass out demos til you get to venues. Once your at that venue lots of people will be there and pass out demos, it'll be greater if you have a myspace so than they can go to your myspace and befriend you and show other people your music.

From there on keep playing and you'll get more fans.. Eventually some guy from a record label will be at one of the shows to check out the bands and if your lucky they might like you and ask you to sign with them. ^_^ Goodluck bro

 

[Kidd]

Play live, make sure to make it a kickass show. Yyes,pass out your demos to people and to record companies.

If your stuff is good, you WILL get noticed.

Stuff like myspace helps.

Good luck with your band bro.