05-03-2018 / BY MUSICDIGI / TIPS

How to Get Signed to a Record Label

Wondering how to get seen by record execs and A&Rs to sign the record deal you've always dreamed of? If you want to get signed to a record deal, you have to be visible.

Getting discovered means you have to have your music out there, your name out there, and your image out there. Don't lurk in the shadows. There are a lot of talented people to compete with, and you have to find ways to stand out from the crowd. If you're ready to take your career to the next level, but aren't sure how to make it happen, follow these tips:


The Music

This is where it all begins and is the essential part of the puzzle. You have to make sure that your music is absolutely mind-blowingly awesome. 

Whenever you reach that point on a track where you think that it’s ready to send it to a record label, you need to pause and ask for feedback. Send it over to people whose opinion you value, but not your friends or relatives. They will likely be yeah-sayers. You don’t need that. You need hard criticism.

Take it all in and work with it. Not everything that others consider wrong with it has to be corrected, but if you get multiple people pointing out the same things, it should start ringing some bells.

Thinking Like A Label

To increase your odds of getting signed, you have to understand what labels do, want and experience. Because when you do, you can cater their needs way better.

First and foremost, a record label is a business. Signing you is an investment that they are betting will bring them great returns. This means seeing an investment that shows potential.   

Whether focused on mainstream or underground, record labels have to make ends meet. With this in mind, think about the type of artists they want to sign – artists that help them make money. The factors that contribute to that are great music, a (big) fanbase, good marketing, and dedication.  

Know what a record label wants

Essentially, all labels are looking for a hit. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a ‘mainstream’ hit, but something that’s good enough and unique to catch a lot of attention. Music that has the power to make them and their artists stand out.

The Presentation

You know the saying ‘First impressions last’? It’s true… and highly relevant when you’re trying to get signed.

When you manage to get a label to listen to your music, chances are that they are going to catch a glimpse of your online appearance. And if they don’t, they will definitely look you up if your music has intrigued them. You want to make sure that the impression you leave is as good as can be.

Set up accounts under your artist alias on at least Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and SoundCloud. Make your specific URLs the same for each platform… so if you’re www.facebook.com/thebestbandever, you want to try and have www.soundcloud.com/thebestbandever too.

Then, interlink everything. All your profiles should have links to your profiles on other platforms, your website, and contact email. If you have a manager you can replace your email with theirs, and if you also have agents you’ll want to include their information as well.

Branding

You also have to have an established brand that’s visually pleasing as well. You should have a logo, some decent photographs and possibly artwork for all your releases. Make sure these are all set up correctly on your social media sites and website. 

If you have mediocre designs or did a half-assed attempt at crafting something yourself, ditch it. You’re better off with no design than ugly design – it looks cheap. Ideally, you want to find a designer who can specifically cater to your needs and with whom you can develop a long-term working relationship.

Setting yourself apart

Here comes the hard part. This is the most time consuming step of this whole process and needs to be executed with a lot of persistence and attention to detail.

To gain the attention of record execs, you have to be bringing something people want. labels are increasingly looking for artists that would be able to make it ‘big’ by themselves; with big and dedicated fan bases, unique marketing styles and great ways of branding themselves. This is becoming a hugely important part of the equation. They want to pick up the acts that could go ‘viral’ without them. 

As an artist looking for a deal, you should be aware of these cornerstones. Great music is rarely all it takes when you’re looking to get signed. That’s just the reality.

Make friends with the right people. 

Don’t feel afraid to connect with people, regardless of their status, or if they are strangers to you. Good things come from those little risks. 

If you’ve managed to strike up dialogue, be sure to show genuine interest. Focus on the other person. Avoid talking about yourself. Ask relevant questions. Research what they’ve been up to – social media is great for that. Act on that. People tend to do more for people they like. 

Getting signed

Getting signed really isn’t that hard. It just requires a combination of things: great music and presentation, a lot of communication and persistence. If you can figure those things out, it will happen for you. 
 
Increase your chances of getting a record deal by releasing your music with MusicDigi. Our ground breaking discovery tool makes it easy for upcoming artist to get discovered.


 

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