Record label

What is a record label?

Record labels have been around as long as recorded sounds. For years, being signed to a label was thought to be synonymous with “making it” in the music industry.

.for example Joji is affiliated with Warner Records who record and sell his music. Record labels not only sell the music but the artist themselves aswell. A famous example of this is with the pop boy band One Direction, whose record label, Columbia Records, not only sold their music but also sold the band themselves through merchandise and appearances in films, television shows etc. to increase profits

Types of record labels:

Major: On a broad level, a major music company is a large, conglomerate corporation, or a part of one. Most often, the term “major” refers to a record label. The companies that are considered major are always subject to change, due to the mergers and acquisitions that constantly shift the music industry landscape.

Today, the three major music companies are Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music.

Indie: An indie music company or an indie artist/writer is simply one that is not affiliated with one of the majors. There are indie publishers, distributors, radio stations and record labels. “Indie” has also become a genre. This is primarily due to music curators on online platforms creating separate spaces for music that didn’t come from the majors. Over time, this distinction has blurred, and the music one may find on an Indie playlist could actually be a song from an artist signed to a major label. It's important to note that the term "indie" hasn't always referred to a specific kind of music or brand. In opposition to main stream music standards and other cultural facets of a culture, indie music has come to symbolise a counter-cultural mindset or way of life. However, the term's meaning as a lifestyle indicator has become hazy due to its usage and spread in the last few decades. In the corporate world, identifying oneself as independent—regardless of any affiliations—has evolved into a marketing gimmick meant to appeal to specific target markets.