IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) chief executive John Kennedy states bands without record labels are: ‘Screaming into space”
In a report, it said virtually no new artist had broken through without the backing of a record label. “Even artists who are typically described as having broken from the Internet like Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen or Sandi Thom all ended up combining with a conventional record label.”
Reason? Cash.
RECORD LABEL BUDGET FOR A NEW POP STAR
Artist’s advance – $200,000
Recording – $200,000
Making three videos – $200,000
Touring – $100,000
Promotion and marketing – $300,000
The Internet and ‘street teams’ can get an artist exposure but theoretically they get nowhere without the big label deal.
Yet at that same report quotes Jeremy Silver, chief executive of the Featured Artists’ Coalition lobby group, said “labels are signing fewer artists than ever because budgets have gone down, and artists are beginning to be able to make a living without them.”
This complete contradiction in information makes me think there was alot of alcohol being during the research phase.
Bands like Never Shout Never and even Justin Beiber became Internet sensations with huge followings without contracts. I believe this is a simple case of ‘what came first the chicken or the egg’