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Indie Rock Record Labels: Rock Bands, Artists, Independent Labels And Major Recording Labels
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Published: July 3, 2007
The term indie rock is sometimes used to specify a certain sound focusing on loud amplifiers, experimentation, and distortion. Alternative acts Sonic Youth, Big Black and My Bloody Valentine fit this description. Generally speaking, however, indie rock music refers to the alternative music scene that while massively popular, does not reach the celebrity status of Top 40 pop music. The rise of indie rock as an alternative to the mainstream facilitated the emergence of popular indie rock record labels.
Indie rock record labels cater to music fans whose tastes diverge from the mainstream. While major labels are able to offer groups greater promotion, indie rock artists or bands can increase their earnings from profit-sharing deals when they sign with indie rock record labels, taking in 45-70 percent of a label's revenue instead of the the standard 10-15 percent royalty paychecks. Many artists also choose to sign with indie rock record labels because they receive greater control over their music. After signing to a major label, the artist may find themselves subject to A&R representatives that tend to limit their creativity. In contrast, most indie rock record labels allow artists complete creative control.
Matador Records is one of the few indie rock record labels that continues to grow in size, but keeps their commitment to the artistic freedom. Matador Records' staff consists of only 24 members, even after moving out of the shoebox sized offices where they once handled business and branching out to other forms of music such as hip-hop and electronica. Still using direct store distribution and their own independent A&R, the 18-year old label now sees its artists receiving promotion oversees with the cooperation of UK's Beggars Group. Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, Mogwai, and The Ponys are a few of the indie rock artists actively recording for Matador Records. The independent record label also has the rights to the back catalogue of seminal indie rock band Pavement.
Merge Records is also included among successful indie rock record labels. Merge Records was started by rockers Mac McCaughan and Laura Balance, members of the indie rock band, Superchunk. Yet it was the success of Canadian band The Arcade Fire that propelled Merge Records into the public eye when the band's 2004 album Funeral made it into the Billboard Top 200; it was the first of the indie rock record label's albums to do so. Other prominent indie rock bands such as Spoon and Neutral Milk Hotel also reside on Merge Records.
Sire Records is perhaps the most well known of the indie rock record labels. In the 1980s, Sire Records was home to a host of influential indie rock bands such as the Talking Heads, The Smiths, and Depeche Mode. The indie rock record label had been struggling since its inception in 1966, but the emergence of punk proved to be a blessing – Sire founder Seymour Stein was the man who gave The Ramones their big break. Some may question its status among indie rock record labels; the label is owned by Warner Music Group, and thus artists can get better funding and promotion than those on a truly independent record label. The label doesn't solely focus on independent rock either; pop singers Madonna and Mandy Moore were signed to Sire at one time or another.
Merge, Matador and Sire are just three of hundreds upon hundreds of indie rock record labels out there. Of all the indie rock record labels that get their artists into major retail stores like Best Buy or Target, many more don't get distribution beyond independent record stores. For fans of alternative, indie rock or any other name for non-mainstream music, indie rock record labels can allow them to hear artists the major labels wouldn't touch. If a music lover is sick of hearing American Idol-esque Top 40, indie rock record labels may have the antidote.
Sources:
Howe, Jeff. "No Suit Required." Wired Magazine. Sept. 2007. CondeNet Inc. 22 May 2007.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/nettwer k_pr.html
Kampwirth, Kevin. “Arcade Fire's 'Neon Bible' Opens At No. 2.” CMJ. 14 Mar. 2007. CMJ Netword Inc. 23 May 2007. http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php? id=32547263
Kot, Greg. "Pitchfork E-Zine tells indie fans what's hot and what's not."Knight Ridder News Service. 8 May 2005. The Honolulu Advertiser. 22 May 2007.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/M ay/08/il/il22p.html
Sire Records. 30 May 2007. http://www.sirerecords.com
Frequently Asked Questions. Matador Records. 30 May 2007. http://www.matadorrecords.com/matadorinfo/faq.html
Merge Records. 2007. 29 June 2007. http://www.mergerecords.com/about.php.
Indie rock record labels cater to music fans whose tastes diverge from the mainstream. While major labels are able to offer groups greater promotion, indie rock artists or bands can increase their earnings from profit-sharing deals when they sign with indie rock record labels, taking in 45-70 percent of a label's revenue instead of the the standard 10-15 percent royalty paychecks. Many artists also choose to sign with indie rock record labels because they receive greater control over their music. After signing to a major label, the artist may find themselves subject to A&R representatives that tend to limit their creativity. In contrast, most indie rock record labels allow artists complete creative control.
Matador Records is one of the few indie rock record labels that continues to grow in size, but keeps their commitment to the artistic freedom. Matador Records' staff consists of only 24 members, even after moving out of the shoebox sized offices where they once handled business and branching out to other forms of music such as hip-hop and electronica. Still using direct store distribution and their own independent A&R, the 18-year old label now sees its artists receiving promotion oversees with the cooperation of UK's Beggars Group. Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, Mogwai, and The Ponys are a few of the indie rock artists actively recording for Matador Records. The independent record label also has the rights to the back catalogue of seminal indie rock band Pavement.
Merge Records is also included among successful indie rock record labels. Merge Records was started by rockers Mac McCaughan and Laura Balance, members of the indie rock band, Superchunk. Yet it was the success of Canadian band The Arcade Fire that propelled Merge Records into the public eye when the band's 2004 album Funeral made it into the Billboard Top 200; it was the first of the indie rock record label's albums to do so. Other prominent indie rock bands such as Spoon and Neutral Milk Hotel also reside on Merge Records.
Sire Records is perhaps the most well known of the indie rock record labels. In the 1980s, Sire Records was home to a host of influential indie rock bands such as the Talking Heads, The Smiths, and Depeche Mode. The indie rock record label had been struggling since its inception in 1966, but the emergence of punk proved to be a blessing – Sire founder Seymour Stein was the man who gave The Ramones their big break. Some may question its status among indie rock record labels; the label is owned by Warner Music Group, and thus artists can get better funding and promotion than those on a truly independent record label. The label doesn't solely focus on independent rock either; pop singers Madonna and Mandy Moore were signed to Sire at one time or another.
Merge, Matador and Sire are just three of hundreds upon hundreds of indie rock record labels out there. Of all the indie rock record labels that get their artists into major retail stores like Best Buy or Target, many more don't get distribution beyond independent record stores. For fans of alternative, indie rock or any other name for non-mainstream music, indie rock record labels can allow them to hear artists the major labels wouldn't touch. If a music lover is sick of hearing American Idol-esque Top 40, indie rock record labels may have the antidote.
Sources:
Howe, Jeff. "No Suit Required." Wired Magazine. Sept. 2007. CondeNet Inc. 22 May 2007.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/nettwer k_pr.html
Kampwirth, Kevin. “Arcade Fire's 'Neon Bible' Opens At No. 2.” CMJ. 14 Mar. 2007. CMJ Netword Inc. 23 May 2007. http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php? id=32547263
Kot, Greg. "Pitchfork E-Zine tells indie fans what's hot and what's not."Knight Ridder News Service. 8 May 2005. The Honolulu Advertiser. 22 May 2007.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/M ay/08/il/il22p.html
Sire Records. 30 May 2007. http://www.sirerecords.com
Frequently Asked Questions. Matador Records. 30 May 2007. http://www.matadorrecords.com/matadorinfo/faq.html
Merge Records. 2007. 29 June 2007. http://www.mergerecords.com/about.php.
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