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Recording Companies Want to Record You
Why is that band that plays rubbish is famous and I who's battling to make it
every day get nowhere?
Many artists
and bands think like that, they believe that
the music industry is exclusively just for
them. It's natural, after all it's evident
to them that they have both great music and
talent, that the recording companies will
automatically want to sign them up for a
multi-million pound recording deal, invest
in their genial work and fling open all the
doors to success.
What a sweet
dream.
Real life is
different. The music industry is exactly
that, an industry, which needs to make a
profit and have guaranteed returns on its'
investments.
Everybody
knows that the music industry is passing
through a difficult time, in financial terms.
With this tightening of the financial reigns,
comes change in the moment of signing up new
talent.
Recording
companies want and indeed need to record
(it's the way they make their money to
survive!), but they will only sign up
artists that they believe will give them a
good and fast ROI (Return Of Investment).
To be brutally
honest, what is more important to a
recording company is the sale of the music
and not necessarily the music in itself.
This evaluation is made with criterion
becoming more and more rigid every day.
Recording
companies take into consideration:
Bands' History
- if the band has a solid background.
Bands' Fan
Base - if the band has a consolidated and
expressive number of followers that fill out
the venue each time the band performs.
Band Concept -
if the band fits into the concept of the
recording company. eg. A recording company
that specialises in Rap wouldn't consider
recording a folk artist!
Bands' Image -
if the band members are attractive and cute
(in the case of Boy Bands, or Girl Bands!)
or with a hardened look (in the case of
Heavy Rock). The age of the band members in
relation to the style of music (Younger
people for Pop, mature for Romantic Ballads).
If the band is easy to sell to a broader
audience.
Professionalism - if the band is made up of
responsible, discerning people (that's why
the music needs to be well recorded at demo
level!), that they are punctual, clean and
good professionals in general. Also if the
people can travel and pass prolonged period
of time away from home.
Bands'
Personality - if the band members are
friendly, if they are easy to work and are
prepared to do what the recording company
needs and wants.
Musical Talent
- if the band members really know how to
play their instruments live, and will
continue to create new quality material day
after day for a prolonged period of time
under pressure.
These examples
are a few of the criterion that a recording
company would take into consideration before
signing up a new band or artist.
The good thing
is that each one of us musicians can learn
and supply what the recording companies are
looking for. It's just a case of looking at
the business with a wider perspective. Ask
yourself, "Why would a recording company
want to sign a recording contract with
someone?" and "What more do I need to do to
satisfy everything that the recording
company is looking for?"
Success.
Steve Allen
Steve Allen is consultant and music
producer. Author of "Marketing Your Music –
Success Strategies", "Personal Management in
the Music Industry" and "Street Teams –
Expand your Fan Base"
http://www.marketingyourmusic.net
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