Why have a record deal?
Lesson time: (0min 56sec)
Judge Jules makes the case for a record deal - the promotion and market know-how that gets your music heard, rather than sitting unnoticed on Spotify.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Legals & Deals: The Basics of The Music Industry
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
The Importance of Record Labels in Music Promotion
With every passing week, more artists are releasing tracks. Frequently, they do this through a distributor model, where you simply upload your music to platforms like Spotify.
The Challenge:
- It's there, but nobody knows it's there because there's been no promotion.
What Record Companies Offer:
- Record companies possess the expertise to promote music effectively.
- Whether it's the major labels operating on a mainstream level with access to all media, or specialist labels that understand their specific market, a record label can help elevate your presence as an artist.
Key Points:
- A record label can get you to market quickly.
- They can help your name stand out above the metaphorical parapet.
- There is no debate about the efficiency of their promotional capabilities.
Ultimately, while you may leverage this exposure for greater public awareness and opportunities down the line, record companies provide an infrastructure and unmatched ability to get your name out there.
About the instructor
Jules O'Riordan has over 30 years of experience across the entire spectrum of the music industry. This includes nearly a decade as an A&R for the Universal umbrella of labels, 15 years as a presenter on BBC Radio 1, over 150 record releases and remixes in his own capacity as a recording artist, plus a 30-year career as one of Britain's best-known, globally-travelled DJs (Judge Jules), with over 5000 gigs under his belt, plus extensive experience as an event promoter and artist manager at the highest level. Suffice to say, Jules knows the music industry inside-out, and his clients regard him as a trusted advisor for whom no legal or business affairs challenge or problem is too large or small. Jules has been a lawyer for 10 years. His practice takes in the entire breadth of the music-focused entertainment industry. His legal and deal expertise includes management, recording, publishing, distribution and label services, music-based apps, games and tech projects, production deals, producers, featured artists, endorsements, merchandising, neighbouring rights, TV/film scores, live performance, events and venue agreements, plus copyright and rights infringement and many other disputes. Jules's clients include artists, management companies, record labels, songwriters, event promoters, producers, music tech businesses, production companies, live agents, music publishers and DJs. He has spoken on many panels and seminars including ADE, Brighton Music Conference and AIM events, and has been a guest speaker on legal issues across a number of on and off-line media outlets, including BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Introducing, Financial Times, The Sun, The Times and Mixmag. Jules speaks fluent Spanish. Who better to demystify the contracts and deals every musician eventually faces? In his course, Jules turns three decades of hard-won industry knowledge into plain-English guidance, so you can understand the business side of music and protect your work long before you sign on the dotted line. read more