Label Services
A la carte record label functions offered to independent artists who retain ownership of their music.
Definition
Label services companies provide individual functions traditionally bundled by record labels—such as distribution, marketing, radio promotion, and sync licensing—without requiring artists to sign away their master recordings.
This model allows independent artists to access major label resources while maintaining ownership and control of their careers.
Why It Matters
Label services have democratized access to professional music marketing, allowing independent artists to compete with major label acts while keeping their masters and a larger share of revenue.
Understanding which services to invest in at different career stages helps artists allocate resources effectively.
Examples in Practice
An independent artist hires a label services company for radio promotion and playlist pitching while handling their own social media marketing.
A self-released artist uses label services for physical distribution to retail stores, something difficult to achieve independently.
A successful indie band engages label services for international marketing in territories where they lack existing relationships.