Four Ways to Get Noticed By Record Labels

The internet age has certainly ushered in some great opportunities for musicians and artists all over the world, but it definitely hasn’t made landing a record deal any easier. If anything, getting signed by a record label today might just be twice as hard as it was before. Why? First off, the number of artists clamoring for a record deal today has become so overwhelming that record companies no-longer know where to start looking. So unless you already have a beefed-up background in music or you’re extremely well-connected, then you’re probably going to have a hard time gaining an audience with the big players. Since the industry has seen a massive degree of change in the past few years, record companies have been extra careful in choosing the artists that they’ll sign. However, don’t get discouraged. If you are an aspiring artist, you definitely have the same opportunity as everybody else. You just need to wise up about your next few steps. Here are some tips you can follow if you’re serious about landing that record deal.

1.LEAVE A GREAT IMPRESSION

If you want that record deal so bad, then you’ll need to leave a great first impression. Not just good, but GREAT! If you’re a singer and a songwriter, start by creating the very best demo you can possibly come up with. Sit down and draw inspiration from as many things, people, and experiences as you can think of. Remember, you create your best works when you are raging with emotions and inspirations, so really take your time in producing quality pieces. Don’t rush it, or else it’ll turn out very generic and uninteresting, and no record label wants that. If you have enough investment money for your music, then experts suggest you have your songs professionally mixed and mastered for added leverage.

2.ESTABLISH A FANBASE

This might be a little tough to hear, but before you can book an audience with any record label companies, you must build an impressive fanbase first. Since money is of the essence, most of the big players in the industry want someone who has already accomplished a certain degree of success all on their own. This gives them some type of assurance that you, as an artist, can appeal to a good number of audiences in the future. Thankfully for present-day artists, they have Youtube, Instagram, and various other platforms to help you accomplish just that. So take advantage of the social media era, really get to work on building your fanbase online. If you can, book small shows as well. By doing so, you are positioning yourself as a serious artist, and that is what record labels want to see.

3.PITCH YOUR LYRICS

We’ve already established that there are no easy routes towards landing a record deal, but if you’re confident with songwriting skills, you try and cut down the time needed to get noticed as an artist by earning songwriting credits first. In fact, several of Hollywood’s biggest acts started their careers as songwriters for other artists. Lady Gaga, for example, spent a considerable amount of time behind the spotlight and working as a songwriter for Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, and Fergie. Jessie J and Kacey Musgraves have shared the same experience as well. Just try to write some lyrics and record a demo, then try to get a publishing deal so that you can have your ideas pitched to major labels. It’s a great technique and one that’s highly recommended.

4.BUILD YOUR NETWORK

In the music industry, connections are everything. We know this can be challenging, but if you want to start building your own network of people, then try to attend as many industry events as you possibly can, or go to the same places all the business people go. We understand if this sounds obnoxious or tough to do, but getting to know the right people will surely increase your chances of getting noticed by a large degree. However, it’s also important to note that knowing the right people does not guarantee you a record deal. It only helps you get your foot at the door, but the real work starts when you’ve crossed that coveted line. Just stay passionate and committed through it all, and we guarantee you, you will do great. So go get that record deal!

Based on materials from Recording Connection and Outerloop.