With more and more new acts trooping with some barging their way into
the music industry on a daily basis and the established one
currently roped in legal battles with their erstwhile labels, it was
about time for this question to be asked.
There is no denying the fact that record labels provide artistes with
a security blanket that can not be belittled or pushed aside. They
ensure the distribution, promotion, studio session, shooting of videos
with sometimes the best of the best in that area and so on and so forth.
However, when you delve deeper into the belly of these deals, it only
becomes clearer that after scrimping and making sure you are heard in
what could only be termed as a whisper, finally giving rise to a forced
single (on the artiste’s part) and maybe 2 minutes video where you are
pushed around by the director who feels he is doing you a favor, you
realize, your bank account still has the same three zeros just perfect
to make a mickey mouse head. Truth be told, everyone is in it to gain
financial freedom and security.
Yes, the world has changed and is still changing and God bless the
day internet was born and social media followed. Social media has
provided thousands of struggling artistes the avenue to have their
songs out there. For one, am certain, top music websites celebrates
emerging artistes who trend on social media. Now tell me, if your song
is trending on social media and secures a spot on such list, isn’t that
just about the move in the right direction?
Of course, Labels can be cruel sometimes and I dare say its due to
their failure to look at the future of and for that one out of five
artistes they signed on. But can they be shoved aside in this day and
age? No, I feel Labels are still a huge necessity in today’s music
business.
Let’s face it, starting off as a newly signed artistes, a lot of
things need to be put in place for you to make it in the ever
competitive world of music. And these things can be placed in your laps
on a platter of gold, silver or whatever it is that catches your fancy.
Record labels, have years of industry relationship,you as a newbie do
not. They have the magic wand and of course a place called an office or
‘Empire’ where a team of hands on magicians reside paid just to ensure
that your name and song is on the lips of everyone in and around the
globe.
Some determined artistes, have circumvented the now usual route of
music distribution by making use of the social media platforms made
available to everyone around the world, this note worthy discovery and
their will to thrive and remain atop, earned some of them popularity on
these platforms. But,will social media book that tour for you? Will you
new title as the ‘Social media breakout star’ get you interviews in top
publications in town? Will it have your songs playing repeatedly on
radio stations that charge more than you have ever seen in your lifetime
as an artiste? Will social media get you the stellar team which
comprises of the best producer, PR, Video director and marketer in
town or will it produce your
EPK? (Electronic Press
Kit). This said, its safe to say new artistes need the backings of a
record label to push hem to the height they hope to attain.
Record labels, have very little patience in actually seeing the long
term potential in some of their artistes, due to the fact that so much
money is being pumped into creating a brand for them, they are after the
instant profit they can get from such artiste thereby shoving aside any
artiste who does not live up to that assumed promise, breaking the
heart and every other thing that can be broken in the soul of such an
act, who in so many cases turn out to be the ‘not so easily discarded
piece of trash” (as it is assumed) springing up legal battles and hot
words easily exchanged on the same social media meant to propel you to
further stardom.
Do I think new artistes needs a record label? Yes. Are they a
necessity? No. You finally get the lifetime chance of meeting the top
executive of a big label and he or she wants to sign you on,
congratulations kid. However, please make certain your deal does not
surpass a year, two at most.
Record label owners are business men and their ability and need to
see the long term benefit in most of them might just knock their socks
off in the long run.
What do you guys think, are record labels still a necessity in today’s music industry? Let discuss guys.
Following the ban placed on all his songs by theDeejays Association of Nigeria (DJAN) for slapping a DJ under the tutelage of DJ Jimmy Jatt at MC Bash’ comedy show some few weeks back, the said ban has finally been lifted.
Kim K might just be breaking the internet again soon. The
Reality TV Star shared this photo of her b0tt from behind the scenes of
her photo-shoot and wrote, ‘#secretproject 
