Record Labels

a) What does a record label do?

Record labels enable artists to treat music making as a full-time career. They exploit the artists' recordings commercially and collect and pay the resulting royalties on their behalf.

b) Give four examples of services a record label might provide for an artist.

1. Pay for the recording and mixing of albums and underwrite new acts' touring costs to help raise their profile and sales.

2. Provide essential promotional and marketing role, includes developing and executing ad and marketing campaigns as well as promoting and plugging the acts to the media.

3. Exploit recordings in movies and adverts and license rights to global parties in different markets.

4.

c) Why might an artist want to be signed to a record label?

An artist might want to be signed to a record label because they provide money for the artist to make music as their career, record labels help get acts noticed.

d) Give four examples of ways in which record labels make money (these are known as revenue streams)
 1. Royalty costs
 2. Distribution costs
 3.Promotional costs
 4.Manufacturing costs

and potential profits

e) Name the 'big four' record labels (also known as 'the majors') and name two well known artists who are signed to each one.

EMI music - Katy Perry and Coldplay
Sony Music Entertainment - Beyonce and Usher
Universal Music - Dizzee Rascal and Will.i.am
Warner Bros Records - Michael Buble and Jason DeRulo