Sending Demos to Record Labels

Trying to Get Signed by a Label?

The goal is to narrow down the amount of packages that you send to record labels to those people who might be interested and have a fighting chance of doing something about it.

First, before you start poring through huge lists of record labels, try and sit down and write out what your ultimate aim is in sending your CD to the labels. Are you looking to get signed by the label? Not to discourage you but this is the main reason that people send stuff to labels, and sadly this is the goal that has the lowest probability of being met. You may prove us wrong, and more power to you if you do. But the simple fact is that all of the bigger labels will either trash unsolicited packages or relegate them to interns, who even if they are interested in your music rarely have a say in signing you. There are a few larger indies who may at least give you the time of day. For instance, I know Merge Records will at least send you a postcard saying that they received your stuff and thank you for it. That’s more than most will do.

Smaller indie labels often won’t sign you even if they like your music, because they simply don’t have the funds. They have their hands full with their own small stable of bands and friends’ bands. This is especially true if you are an unknown still and have not sold CDs before. They need some sort of “pudding ” proof in order to justify the risk that they’ll take by putting your CD out.

So why would you send a package to any label other than to get signed? Well, marketing and word of mouth comes to mind. A lot of people actually send CDs into smaller labels just so people will have a chance of playing it. If it’s good, they won’t neccessarily give you a call and try and sign you, but they might give it to someone up the chain who knows someone else, etc. And if a lot of employees are playing your CD, no matter how lowly they are on the record label food chain there is a good chance that someone will take notice. This is probably the best reason to send a CD to a label, just to get noticed. This is sort of akin to the idea of “getting your foot in the door” by starting at the bottom. Yep, you gotta start somewhere.

If your goal is just getting noticed however, there are quite a few ways to do this via the internet nowadays. Music Communities (Myspace, Friendspace), Web Journals (LiveJournal), Mailing Lists (Yahoo! Groups) are just a few of the ways that you can let people hear your music digitally . Avoid sending mass emails though, this is not received very well by most people. But there have to be a considerable amount of people playing your music for a record label to take notice, which is why most people still follow the old fashioned route of actually sending a physical CD to a lable.

Another reason you might want to send your music to a label is to get on a CD Compilation. Nearly, every label will release compilations or samplers as either promotional tools or just to showcase a certain theme among their artists. Sometimes, smaller indie labels will “open up” their compilations for outside submissions. These are the ones you want to target. Getting on even a tiny label’s compilation can get you more indie ears and listeners.

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