Label Services vs Doing It Yourself: A Comparison for Small Labels
Small independent labels often run on a handful of people doing everything: A&R, release planning, marketing, accounting. At some point the question comes up: should we keep doing it all in-house, or bring in outside label services for part of the work?
Side by side
| Area | Doing it yourself | Using outside label services |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lower cash cost, high time cost | Fees or a share, less of your time |
| Control | Full control of every decision | Shared decisions; depends on the agreement |
| Speed | Limited by your team's hours | More people working in parallel |
| Relationships | Only your own contacts | Access to the partner's contacts too |
| Learning | You learn everything first-hand | You learn by watching, if you stay involved |
| Risk | Mistakes are yours to fix | Quality depends on the partner you choose |
When DIY makes sense
When the roster is small, releases are infrequent, and the team has the skills and the time. It also makes sense while you are still learning what works for your artists.
When outside help makes sense
When releases are stacking up, when you are entering a new market or genre, or when a specific skill such as digital advertising, radio or sync is missing from the team.
Questions to ask any partner
- Which tasks exactly are included, and which are not?
- Who owns the masters, data and ad accounts?
- How long is the commitment, and how does it end?
- How will results be reported?
A hybrid is common
Many labels keep A&R and artist relationships in-house and bring in help for campaigns. The key is a clear split of responsibilities.
MusicPromoToday outlines its label management and marketing service, and its broader view of music marketing for artists and labels.