The music industry is famous for exploiting artists, producers and other talented creatives with lackluster business skills. Such illustrious and infamous names as Nina Simone, Taylor Swift, and now Kanye West have famously had public battles to get out of unfair contracts.
But the days of powerful major labels controlling the music industry may soon be over. An alternative new independent model is emerging, spearheaded by companies such as Underdog Music.
This bespoke trans-atlantic company provides nearly all of the benefits of a major label to their clients, with almost none of the downside.
‘Twenty years ago, major distributors and gatekeepers in radio and television controlled the artists that could be accessed by the public,’ explains A&R Director Oliver Harvey, ‘but in 2020, we have a lot more resources available. Our company is able to provide production, promotion, marketing, branding, development, source distribution, help the artist to produce merch and connect with and grow their fanbase. And all without requiring them to sign a lopsided and unfair contract’.
‘It’s really fulfilling work’, comments young producer and Co-Director Alderman. ‘When artists come to us with a good track record in streaming, we’re often able to leverage that and find them investment too.’
King Wizard, Creative Director, agrees: ‘We take people with massive talent, and connect all the dots. Whether the artist is funding their own career, or whether we source them investment, we push them to the point where their career is sustainable and profitable, without needing to sign any exploitative major label terms.’
It seems Underdog Music really does back the Underdogs. Out with the old, and in with the new. The truly independent music industry has arrived, and not a minute too soon.
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