8) The Goal Is Not To Get Signed The Goal Is To Make a Living Doing What You Love

“How do you get a record deal? Don’t try to get signed. Try to become popular first.” – Avery Lipman, President of Universal Republic Records

You know how cool it is to say you just signed a record deal with Warner records is? Kinda cool. But that coolness wears off very quickly. You know what is less cool? Three years down the line still signed to Warner with only one song released to your name and no tours, no growth and no money to speak of. But hey, you’re signed to Warner! Sometimes record deals can help tremendously. Sometimes they can hurt. Sometimes they’re right for an artist. Sometimes they’re not.

If your goal is to get signed, then you’re going to miss. If after building your career on your own to a level where labels are begging to work with you, then, and only then, should you decide if it’s the best move for you.

The red part is from an article in Digital music news, here is a link to the whole article.

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/07/27/millennial-musicians/

This I think is the biggest mistake that artist is doing. I meet so many that only work only to get signed. The rest of audience songs and other shit should just come automatically after you signed that paper. The worst cases also only go for the majors, a major deal is an ultimate goal.

Today that is no option. In the 80:s and 90:s sometimes it was, but now that window is totally gone. Today the device is we find you you don’t find us. You have to build up a presence so the companies start to look at you.

I have worked on that theme for the past 15 years. I develop my artists so there is a platform where the labels are interested to step in and work WITH us. Yes, the labels are more like an extra engine for all the things we do. A label is a really hard time to just take an artist and build it up to be a star. It takes to a long time and is too risky so these projects are so rare.

The things people believe is that the labels are doing the job Musichelp is doing. You can’t be more wrong. The labels have not a chance to be close to all the things that an artist development company can throw in. That is why they have started to rely on us as new artist providers. Also, the artist developers work in all fields the record labels only try to present the music to listeners.

Yes, you have to be built on all levels not just on a level. We are back to the team, you need the right team.

Another problem we have is that the artist that hunt record labels doesn’t get what they are doing and why they are doing it. A good example was a guy that I had on the development side. Every time it became slow the solution was to get a record label. If a single wasn’t played on the radio the fault was that it was not a record label behind it. Sure we were looking for a label that could join our team. The problem was that the band wasn’t doing shows enough and was horrible to pick up fans and social media was an unknown word for them. In the end, the lines were right and I found a bigger indie that could do some really good things.

Here started the downfall. The band really thought that the label would do the work so they literally put their fat asses on the sofa doing nothing. The label became frustrated before at least some things happened now nothing happens. Also, the label wanted them to produce tracks that fitted the PR. The band had their deal so they thought they could do a strange album that was totally insane. We left the ship, and later I heard the label left them and the band split up.

I have hundreds of stories where bands writers on facebook in the big capital letters that they are signed. And I just think to my self
– Poor bastards, what should they do with a label in that stage.

and in 99% of the cases, nothing happens with the band. Then years later when you meet them you think they have learned their lesson. No hell no then they think it was something wrong on that label and are hunting another label that will do the same to them.

And in the most cases is that the band is doing noth9ing waiting for the label, and the label is waiting for the artist.

I usually say the hard work starts when you sign with a label. In the end, you don’t need a label you need a team and do the things that are needed to be done.