Seldom does a week go by on Quora without someone wanting advice on how to get signed to a label, how to approach a label, what labels look for, or some variation of those questions. What’s interesting is how many people still see a label as 1) a necessity and 2) a symbol of having “made it” as an artist. If you’re one of the many working towards a label contract there are a few things to keep in mind, let’s go over them.

Be clear on your definition of “label”?

When you talk about wanting to sign with a label, what exactly does that mean to you? A label can be anything from a kid in his dorm room who has nothing other than a website with a “Dusty Possum Records” URL to a huge indie label like XL to a gigantic corporate entity such as UMG. It’s important…

Later this week we’ll be publish a new report in the MIDiA Research Music report and data service: ‘After The Album: How Playlists Are Re-Defining Listening’.  In it we explore the changing role of streaming playlists and in particular how they are impact albums both as a consumption format and as a revenue model. The full 18 page report includes half a dozen graphics and a couple of sheets of excel, including a detailed revenue model.  I want to share with you here one of the key themes we explore in the report…

Playlists Are The Lingua Franca Of Streaming

Streaming hit a host of milestones in 2015, reaching 67.5 million subscribers and driving $2.9 billion of trade revenue, up 31% on 2014. While the competitive marketplace upped the ante, music services wielded curation to drive differentiation. Playlists have always been the core currency of streaming, but now…