How to get signed to a record label
Build proof first. Labels mostly sign artists who are already growing without them, because that lowers their risk. Release consistently, build real numbers and a live following, make a press kit that shows it, and get introduced through someone the label already trusts. Then read the deal closely, because by that point you may not need one.
What a label is really deciding
A label is making an investment. An A&R rep has to walk into a meeting and defend spending money on you, so they want something to point at.
That's why cold demos so rarely work. Nobody needs another demo. They need a reason to believe yours will return the money.
Great songs get you listened to. Evidence that strangers care gets you signed.
What they look at
- Is growth steady and real, or one lucky spike?
- Do listeners come back, follow and save?
- Can you fill a room in more than one city?
- Is there a clear identity that a stranger could describe?
- Do you release on schedule without someone chasing you?
- Is anyone already working with you who can vouch for you?
How to get in front of them
Release for a year first
A catalog with a consistent schedule tells them you'll still be here next year.
Target a label that fits
Find who releases artists like you. Sending a metal band to a pop imprint wastes everyone's time.
Find the right human
Look up the A&R rep or label manager, and check who they've signed lately.
Get introduced
A manager, lawyer, agent or labelmate moves your email to the top of the pile.
Send one link and four sentences
Who you are, your best number, why this label, and your press kit.
Follow up once with news
A new result is a reason to write again. "Just checking in" isn't.
Labels will ask for your press kit
Make it free on Artistboard: one link with your music, photos, videos and numbers that sync automatically. The full suite runs the releases that build the proof.
artistboard.comPress kit free for life, no card. Full management suite from $29 a month, billed yearly.
Read these parts of the deal twice
- Advance
- Is it recouped from my royalties before I see more money?
- Masters
- Who owns the recordings, and do they ever come back to me?
- Term and options
- How many albums can they require, and who decides?
- Royalty rate
- What am I paid after recoupment, and on what exactly?
- Marketing commitment
- Is any spend on my release written into the contract?
- Other income
- Do they share in touring, merch or publishing?
Pay a music attorney to read it before you sign. An eager label is the wrong party to explain the risks to you.
Whether you should want this at all
A label can bring money, relationships and a team. In exchange it usually takes a share of your income and sometimes your masters. If you've built the audience yourself, you'll be negotiating from strength, or you might decide you're better off staying independent.
Either way, the work is the same: release well, track what's working and keep your contacts organized.
With Artistboard: a dated plan for every release, every contact and pitch in one list, and what each release cost and earned. That's the proof, whichever way you go.
Questions people ask
How do you get noticed by a record label?
Build evidence of a growing audience, then reach a specific person through a warm introduction. Cold demos sent to general inboxes rarely go anywhere.
How many streams do you need to get signed?
There's no fixed number. Labels care about the direction of your growth and how engaged listeners are, and the bar differs by label and genre.
Should I send my demo to labels?
Only after checking their submission policy, and only with proof attached. Many labels don't accept unsolicited demos.
Do I need a manager to get signed?
No, but someone with existing relationships helps. A manager, agent or music attorney can often make the introduction you can't.
Build the proof labels sign
A year of releases that land on schedule, every contact kept track of, and a press kit that shows it all. Artistboard runs the whole thing from one place.
artistboard.comPress kit free for life, no card. Full management suite from $29 a month, billed yearly.