Itching For Independence: Musicians Ditch Labels

The music industry has majorly evolved throughout the years, with one of the main changes being artists’ needs for record labels. In the alternative music scene specifically, there has been a new trend on the rise: artists creating their own ‘record labels’ and becoming fully independent.  

Bands such as Waterparks and Between You & Me are among the dozens of alternative artists that have recently become independent and released projects under their own label names. But why the sudden switch to no label support? 

Though there is no one simple answer, many aspects come into play here. It is no secret that being a musician is a very costly career. From booking studio time to doing cross-country tours, these numbers can add up very quickly. Many smaller bands tend to sign to labels to help assist with these costs. 

However, some labels are notorious for taking advantage of up-and-coming artists, leaving them without the rights to use their own music or any money until their contract is over. This has been a reoccurring issue in the music industry for many years, with artists such as Taylor Swift bringing the issue to the public eye.  

For bands that are not as big as Swift, this lack of label support can be detrimental to their careers. Though it is very rarely talked about in the music industry, a vast majority of smaller artists do not begin to make money from touring or music sales until they are more well established– and if they are making money, a lot of it goes back into paying label debts. It has become more common to see artists working day jobs when they are not touring.  

Eliminating labels from the equation not only allows artists to see more of their revenue from music sales and merchandising, but also allows artists to have full ownership of their music. In a time where social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are helping push artists’ careers with viral songs and trends, artists do not even need labels to promote them and allow for a purer connection between fans and artists.  

While the music industry still has a long way to go before being an artist full time is a feasible job option for many smaller musicians, taking back creative control and the freedom to release music at their own pace is just one of the few ways that artists are trying to increase their longevity in their career.