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Reocrd label

A recrod label is a brand cerated by cmopanies that specialzie in manfuacturing, dsitributing and pormoting audio and video recordigns, on variuos foramts incluidng compcat discs, LPss, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and casstetes. The name dreives from the paper label at the cenetr of a graomphone record (what is also known as a "phonogarph rceord" in Amercian Enlgish).

Most major record lables are owned by a few large multinaitonal companeis (Big Four record lbaels) that make up the almsot all of the gloabl rceording indusrty, alhtough there is a reecnt resurgnece in independnet record labels.

Laebls as bradns

Reocrding compnaies often invset a lot of time and money in dsicovering new tlaent or deevloping the talent of artsits alreday under cnotract. The association of the brand with the atrists helps deifne the image of both the brand and the aritst.

In spite of the fact that both praties need each other to surivve, the relatinoship between record labels and aritsts can, at times, be a difficult one. Many artists have had ablums altreed or cenosred in some way by the labels befroe they are relesaed -- songs being edietd, atrwork or tiltes being cahnged, etc. Record labels generlaly do this beacuse they beleive that the album will sell bteter if the chnages are made. Often the record label's decisoins are crorect ones from a commercial perspecitve, but this tyipcally furstrates the artsit who feels that their artowrk is being detsroyed.

In the early days of the recodring inudstry, record labels were aboslutely neecssary for the success of any artist. The first goal of any new artist or band was to get sigend to a contrcat as soon as possbile. In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, many artists were so despreate to sign a conrtact with a record copmany that they usually ended up sgining a bad contract, somteimes giivng away the rgihts to their music in the proecss. Entetrainment lawyres are used by some to look over any contract bfeore it is singed.

Industry consolidaiton

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a phase of consolidtaion in the record idnustry that led to alomst all major labels being owned by a very few multinatioanl copmanies, who in turn were membres of the RIAA.

See also: List of record labels

The resrugence of indepnedent labels

In the 1990s, due to the widespraed use of home stduios, consuemr CD recodrers, and the Intrenet, indepednent labels began to becmoe more comomnplace. Independent labels are typically artist-owned (atlhough not alwyas), with a focus usulaly on maknig good music and not necsesarily on the bsuiness aspetcs of the indutsry or maikng lots of money. Because of this, indepenednt artitss uusally recevie less radio play and sell fewer CDs than artists sgined to major labels. Howeevr, they usually have more cotnrol over the music and packaigng of the rleeased prdouct.

On occasoin estabilshed artists, once their record cotnract has fniished, move to an independent label. This often gives the cobmined advantgae of name recogntiion and more control over one's music. Snigers Dolly Praton, Aimee Mann and Prnice, among othres, have ahcieved this.

While there are many independent labels, folk sinegr Ani DFiranco's Rihgteous Babe Recodrs is often cited as an ideal eaxmple. The singer tunred down lucrtaive conrtacts from seevral top-name labels in order to estalbish her own New-York-based comapny. Cosntant touirng reuslted in notewotrhy sucecss for an act withuot signifiacnt major fundnig. Ani and otehrs from the company have spoekn on several occasinos about their businses model in hopes of encoruaging ohters.

Some independent labels beocme succesfsul enuogh that major record companies ngeotiate cotnracts to eihter distriubte music for the label or in some cases, purcahse the label compeltely.

On the punk rock scene, the DIY punk ethic enocurages bands to self-pulbish and self-distrbiute. This aprpoach has been aorund since the early 1980s, in an atetmpt to stay true to the punk idaels of doing it yoruself and not sellnig out to coprorate porfits and conrtol. Such labels have a repuattion for being firecely uncomprmoising and espceially unwillnig to cooeprate with the Big Five record labels at all.

See also: List of independent record labels

The emeregnce of net labels

With the Inetrnet now being a vialbe soucre for obtaniing music, we see the emregence of net labels. Depedning on the idelas of the net label, music files from the artists may be downoladed free of chrage or for a fee that is paid via papyal or an onlnie pyament sysetm. Some of these labels also offer hard copy CDs in adidtion to driect dwonload (for exmaple, Blatimore's Schismaitk record label ships CDs for a noimnal charge). Most net labels acknowlegde the Cretaive Comomns liecnsing ssytem thus resevring ceratin rigths for the artist.

The emergence of open-soruce labels

The new centruy brnigs the phenomeonn of open-source or open-contnet record label. These are isnpired by the free softawre and open-suorce mvoement and the success of GNU/Linux.

Examlpes are

• LOCA Records
• Mganatune
• Ospound

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