Record LabelsBy Lucy Billington-Groom

What are record labels and what do they do?A record label is the institution to which an artist is signed. The record label is responsible for marketing the product and creating hype and recognition within the public eye. Their aim is to reap the greatest amount of profit from the product. They do this by integrating the artist in to social media and using this to interact with the fan base and the wider society.

Major label or Independant label?My artist will be signed to an independent record label because independant labels focus more on the music and the development of the artist whereas major labels are very focused on profit. There is also more of a chance of the artist succeeding in the music industry if they are signed to an independant label as its a slow introduction into the industry.

What existing record label would your artist be most suited to?I believe my artist would best be suited to an independant label such as Hi or Hey Records or Cleopatra records as these both have a target audience in the rock genre which my artist is. I also feel independant labels are more committed to the music and the evolution of the artist which means my artist will be more nurtured in the beginning of their career which will help them be more successful in the future.

A brief history of the record labelCleopatra Records was founded in 1992 by Brian Perera. The label is notorious for introducing gothic and industrial music back into the industry but has also played an imperative part in promoting underground british punk rock music which I imagine my artist to be linked with. When partnering up with more european companies their target audience expanded therefore the artists became better known.

What is copyright and how are the record labels responsible for this?Copyright is the legislation which protects an artist’s material from being used by other people for financial gain. The record labels are responsible for imposing the legislation and regulating the material’s use.

What do you need to consider as you are using copyrighted music?As I am using copyrighted music I will make no claim that I own the song in anyway and I will make it clear that my music video is for educational purposes my titling it so on the social media sight. I will not make any money from the video or impose any charges to the audience.

How are you going to use what you have learned about record labels and copyright in your productions?I will make sure I take the correct precautions when using the music of another artist. I will take no credit for the music, lyrics or production of the song. I will make sure I explicitly reference the song. I will not charge any money and therefore will not make a profit from my use of the song. I will make sure that I abide by any laws that may restrict my use of the song.