Group 4’s 10 Helpful Links

Submitted by Christina Adams, Austin Davis, Becky King, and Matt Schithuis

Fans Pre-fund Releases - This tool allows musicians to get fan support in pre-funding album releases by announcing what they need in order to follow through with the release and allowing fans to pledge a donation amount.

Sell Things That People Want - This site provides good information about marketing music, stating that fans are no longer buying music because they want to hear it, necessarily, but because they want to own that physical product and feel involved as a community with others. Input from indie label, Asthmatic Kitty.

Releasing EP Before Signing - Providing advice for college students starting an indie label, this site includes valuable information on marketing, sponsorships, management, and income.

How To Start A Record Label - This site offers suggestions on developing a business plan, licensing, promotion, and pressing new products upon getting involved with the upstart on a new record label.

Starting An Independent Label and Getting Artist to Sign - When starting a new record label, this site would be helpful in figuring out how to acquire new artists to sign to the label. How to start on a small budget, having a well-rounded business plan, setting up financial accounts, and developing a sound marketing strategy are points covered in the article.

Before You Start A Record Label -- This site goes more in depth as far as distribution, promotion, and actually working with the bands that are affiliated with your label.

6 Steps To Starting An Indie Label - Again, this article provides necessary steps in building up your new record label. It stresses the importance of funding and trademarks and registering a domain name.

Tips For Starting an Independent Label -- This article discusses the importance of making full use of your connections within the industry, or pulling all of the strings that you possibly can, and keeping overhead to a minimum.

Ask The Experts: How To Start an Indie Label - This article offers advice on the degrees and technical skills that are imperative to your success when starting a record label.

How to Start and Run the Ultimate Profit Producing Record Label - This is an outline by Ty Cohen, public speaker and former owner of Platinum Millennium Publishing. It offers a constructive timeline and plan for starting the ultimate profit producing label.