"Indie Music Guru" TEAM-Independent Music Consulting

Hello Indie Music Friends:

"Indie Music Guru" is a Blog that represents and educates the Independent Music World in the areas of A&R, Radio, Retail, Production, Touring, Artist Management, Label Development!

The "Indie Music Guru" Team is comprised of the Following Individuals:

Scotti C. Campana-A&R, Artist Management, Label Development

Mark Ballard-A&R, Production, Artist Management, Touring

Lynn Tolliver-A&R, Radio, Production

Thank You!

"INDIE MUSIC GURU"

RECORD COMPANIES The Difference Between Major, Major Minor, Imprint and Independent Labels

Hello Indie Music Friends:

 I wanted to share with all my "INDIE MUSIC FRIENDS" The different variations of "RECORD COMPANIES" and how they function:

A.) MAJOR RECORD COMPANY OR MAJOR MUSIC GROUP (Conglomerate)-SONY, WARNER ELECTRIC ATLANTIC-WEA, UNIVERSAL. Theses Companies Have Full Service  IN-HOUSE Operations!

-A&R Artist

-Production

-Distribution

-Radio Promotion

-Retail Promotions

B.) MAJOR-MINOR RECORD COMPANY-(Jive, Arista, J-Records, DEF JAM, Virgin, Capitol)

(These Record Comapanies Have Full Service but only through the MAJOR RECORD COMPANY that they are affiliated with)

C.) IMPRINT LABELS-(Bad Boy, Cash Money, So So Def)

D.) INDEPENDENT LABELS-(Telarc, Road Runner, RYKO-DISC, Loud Records, Rival Records and Marxan records)

TYPES OF REORD LABELS:

Record labels come in different types, including the Following:

• Major Music Group: Record labels often operate under a corporate umbrella organization called a music group. Music groups are typically owned by conglomerate holding companies that often maintain non-music divisions as well. Music groups control and consist of Music Publishing companies, Record Distributors and Record Labels
  

• Imprint:An imprint is a label that is strictly a brand or trademark, not an actual trading company. Imprints are sometimes marketed as being a project, unit or division of a record label company, despite the lack of any legal business structure associated with the imprint.
  
  
• Independent:Record companies are not under the control of a major label and are generally considered to be independent, or indie, labels, even if they are large corporations with complex structures. Some prefer to use the term "indie label" to refer to only those independent labels that adhere to a random, ill-defined criteria of corporate structure and size. Others consider an indie label to be almost any label that releases non-mainstream music, regardless of corporate structure.

• Sub-Label: A sub-label is an imprint or subordinate company of a music group operating internationally. For example, one artist's record could be released on different sub-labels in different countries. This doesn't mean they were signed to two different labels, it just means that the music group operated two different national companies under the same international entity.
  
  
• Vanity Label:These are labels that bear an imprint that gives the impression it is under the artist's direct ownership/control, despite operating within a standard artist/label relationship. In these arrangements, artists control nothing more than the usage of the label name. Artists may still enjoy a greater say in the packaging of their work. 
  

Dream, Pray, Visualize, Believe, Receive, Achieve!

Scotti C. Campana/Ceo

Boom Music Group Div. of:

Campana Management Group

www.campanamanage.com

SIGNING NEW ARTIST, WHAT THE LABEL AND ARTIST SHOULD EXPECT

Hello Indie Music Friends!

Signing new Artist to your Indie Label can sometimes be complicated if the parties involved don't understand the game!

Before the contract is negotiated both parties should keep in-mind the following. The Indie Label is "The Company." The Artist is "The Product!” The Artist should not expect to be gaining new Family members! This is "Business!” The Artists in most cases have no idea what they are getting themselves into and have no idea how to conduct themselves or approach the deal! Most Artist are taken advantage of and must be on guard.

The contract may contain many elements that muddy up the water of the deal before it ever starts. Negotiating a Legal Contract in the MUSIC INDUSTRY is a very complicated procedure!

You have to be a lawyer, an architect and a surgeon when designing a contract. It must have the following elements:

-Copyrights & Publishing

-Catalog Ownership

-Production

-Record Royalties

-Record Sales

-Merchandise Sales

-Internet Sales

-Touring

Both parties should be able to achieve everything they want without the negotiations leaving either party with feelings of animosity or dismay. The Artist should expect more from an Indie Label than they should expect from a Major Deal! The Artists in today’s music industry have advantages that did not exist in the old music industry structure.  Today’s Artists can gain a huge advantage well before being signed to a label. If the Artists do their homework by successfully marketing and promoting their own product through the internet, gigging, radio, Indie retail, then they can have the upper-Hand in the negotiating a record, publishing and production contract.

WHAT THE ARTIST SHOULD EXPECT:

-15% Record Royalties

-50% of all Publishing that they Produce

-50% of all Concert (During Promotion)

-50% Merchandise

-30% Internet Sales

WHAT THE INDIE MUSIC LABEL SHOULD EXPECT:

-Catalog Ownership (Negotiable) (Most Likely the Label will Own The Catalog)

-85% Record Royalties

-50% of all Publishing that they Produce

-50% of all Concert (During Promotion)

-50% Merchandise

-70% Internet Sales

My advice to the "ARTIST" and The "LABEL" is thank GOD (JESUS CHRIST) that you are in the Music Industry and you have the privilege to do what you do. It is a small fraternity of people that have the opportunity to work in such an environment successfully. Secondly, have FUN in your approach and learn the game. This Industry can be FUN if you accept it for its greatness and faults. Expect the worst and Hope for the best from people and the vicious world of the "MUSIC INDUSTRY!” The Lions of the World are in this game and they take no prisoners. They devour you and SHIT you out! Be on Guard! I was a "SHEEP Among LIONS" and developed into a fine Businessman because of it! Have Fun and take it all in. Don't regret a thing and make the best of it! Make sure you dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" in negotiating your contract by getting everything you want and that is fair in-regards to the deal. Then both parties understand the elements of the deal and what to expect. It's like Monopoly.  When you pass go you get what's expected!

Dream, Pray, Visualize, Believe, Receive, Achieve!

Scotti C. Campana/Ceo

Boom Music Group Div. of:

Campana Management Group

www.campanamanage.com