How to get signed by a record label

We call it “catching your big break” for a reason. Breaking into tough industries like the music business can be next to impossible. And for musicians, landing that record deal is one of the biggest breaks.

Record deals are about more than just prestige. They also work hard for musicians. Labels promote music, collect royalties and handle the legal aspects of a musician's career. Unless you moonlight as a lawyer or music marketing pro, you’re probably breathing a sigh of relief right now – signing with a label will give you the freedom to focus on what matters most: your music.

We’d love to be able to tell you there’s a foolproof “how to get a record deal” playbook. There’s not. What we can do is recommend that you take steps to invite the opportunity. Keep reading to learn what a record label can do for you and how you can prepare yourself for your very own big break.

What is a record label, and what does it do?

At the most basic level, record labels handle commercial music releases. And if all you care about is getting your music out on Spotify or Apple Music, you could technically do it yourself with a distribution platform.

But record labels provide a lot more than distribution. Signing with a record label gets you access to comprehensive services and a whole lot of know-how. Your label will market your music and strategize how to position your band. And, though this is less common in the digital age, record labels can distribute your music physically instead of just on digital platforms.

Record labels are also there to make sure you get paid. As the managers of your music career and experts on royalties and copyrights, record companies collect any money you’re owed. They’re not doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, of course – they’re in it to make a buck (or millions of them). So before signing, you’ll want to understand how different contracts work and how both musicians and labels benefit from them.

The different types of labels

Record labels like Sony and EMI are household names, but they’re hardly the only players in the game. This should be music to your ears if you want to sign with a label – it’s hard to score a spot with the big names, and what if your style of music leans more to the indie side? Here’s a breakdown of the different kinds of labels:

• Major labels: Sony and EMI fall into this category, along with Warner Music and the Universal Music Group. Major labels are big players in pop and mainstream EDM, so edgier artists are sometimes wary about the control these companies might try to take over their careers.
• Major label subsidiary: These labels branch off from the big four, but they keep a more “indie” vibe, and they’ll usually offer artists more control over their careers than the major ones do.
• Large independent labels: These labels give personalized attention to the independent artists they sign but still have a lot of marketing power to help alternative bands and musicians go far.
• Small independent labels: Independent record labels are small but mighty. They help up-and-coming musicians make a name for themselves, even when their budgets are limited. Plus, indie labels provide new artists powerful insights into the industry, and they’re good stepping stones to bigger labels.

The different types of record deals

Let’s talk record label contracts – what’s in it for you and for them? Here are a few of the most common types of deals:

• 360 deals: Under these contacts, record labels manage an artist’s entire career – from marketing to gigs to image management.
• Standard royalty deal: In these deals, labels take over the administrative aspects of your career without cramping your style. The artist remains in control of their image, merch and outings.
• License: Under this agreement, musicians license their music to a record label for a certain length of time but hold onto master rights.
• Profit share: In this model, artists and labels split costs and earnings right down the middle.
• P&D deal: In a P&D (pressing and distribution agreement), the label only acts as a distributor, leaving artists responsible for administrative tasks and marketing.

How to get signed to a record label

You can’t snap your fingers and get a record deal, even if you make the kind of catchy music people want to snap along to. But you can work to consciously perfect your image and pitch it to the right type of labels. We’ll cross our fingers for your success, but here are a few tips if you don’t want to rely on luck:

• Grow your fan base: You might be able to slowly accumulate fans through live performances and grassroots local efforts, but the world’s biggest concert hall is the internet. Publish your tracks to platforms like Soundcloud and all your social media accounts. Create a YouTube channel. And leverage your entire internet presence by cross-referencing – using your social media bios to link out to your other social accounts, website, press releases and streaming content. Dropping a Linktree URL in your bio makes this easy. Your Linktree can redirect followers to up to five different social accounts or websites. You can even use it to showcase your music video or a sample of your streaming content.
• Network: Wondering how to get your music heard by record labels? Get out there and meet other musicians and industry professionals. Start conversations, take business cards and connect with your new colleagues on social media. Breaking into the music industry usually takes a lot of hard work, but new artists still get discovered every day. So open as many doors for yourself as possible.
• Make an awesome demo: When a label does ask to hear your music, you have to be ready – 21st-century ready – with an impressive demo submission. You’ve got a lot of powerful sound and editing tools to choose from, so use them to give your demo a polished edge. Aim for the best production and audio quality possible so you’ll sound like the pro you are.