Independent Label Vs Major Label Essay
The various types of companies that the music industry is made up of are Independent and major labels. Major Labels have a mass audience appealing to a diverse and large audience. This is because major labels sign a variety of artists with different genre of sounds. Independent labels have a niche audience. Independent labels have fewer artists signed to there label therefore appealing to a lesser audience. For this essay I will be comparing universal, which is a major record label, and XL Recordings, which is an independent label. Universal Music Group is an American based, French-owned multinational music corporation. Universal also takes full ownership of universal music publishing group. It is the second largest music publishing company in the world. XL Recordings is an English Independent record label owned by Richard Russell. XL Recordings was launched in 1989 in Ladbroke Grove as a studio. They had an initial plan to release rave and dance music but this plan advanced when various artists with different genres of music became signees of the label.
Universal Music Group has a variety of music genres. Artists such as Rick Ross and Akon fit into the music genre of hip-hop whereas Rihanna and Madonna fit into the genre of Rnb. Universal music group is assembled from genres such as RnB, hip-hop, jazz, and soul, pop and urban. An artist signed to XL recordings is gigs. Giggs is an English rapper from London. He is originally from Peckham in London. The area of Peckham is known to be urban and crime affiliated. His genre of music is road rap and hip hop. Xl Recordings appeal to various target audiences as Giggs is an artist from a criminally known area in London. People from the area of Peckham would be appealed to his music as they would have adapted the style Giggs raps in and this would have transferred across the area. XL Recordings have catered for a ‘ghetto’ targeted audience as they have signed an artist who has derived from that area. The audience of Giggs would be able to appeal to his music as speaks of his gang affiliated history and his past experiences which may relate to the males and females coming from the same background. His target audience are males from 16+. Giggs would attract a mainstream audience now that he is signed with a mainstream label.
An artist signed to Universal Music Group is Madonna. Madonna is an American singer who is referred to as the ‘Queen of pop’. Her target audience are females from 20+. Universal caters for their various target audiences because Madonna is a mainstream artist who has been in the music industry for a long time earning her the title of the ‘Queen of pop’. Because of this, she has a wider target audience as her music is main stream and is played on every social medium such as the radio, television and internet as opposed to a street artist as Giggs who is signed to XL Recordings. Madonna’s genres of music are pop, RnB, electric and rock. Madonna’s target audience may be interested in festivals and concerts, channels on television such as Scuzz and Kerrang and video gaming. Activities such as these may allow Madonna’s fans to find a common ground and interact with each other more. Madonna exploring a variety of musical genres as well as being signed to a mainstream label, has shown that she has taken her artistry to a higher level engaging with a variety of fans who like different genres of music.
Universal Music Group takes full ownership of Universal Music Publishing Group. Universal Music Publishing Group represents all the music genres. They also administrate music from Warner bros entertainment, sesame workshop, DreamWorks and HBO. Universal Music Group own many subsidiaries such as universal music Latin entertainment, universal music classics, the verve music group and blue note records. Universal music group distribution is in charge of managing the revenue, marketing and distribution. This is of all there assets are a music company. This includes mobile, subscription, physical and digital. Universal appeals to a mainstream audience as they also own Vevo which is an entertainment platform on YouTube. Vevo is used to also market and distribute music from universal music group artist. Vevo is used by millions of people worldwide. This is an advantage for artists signed to universal music group as their music is potentially appealing to a global audience. Vevo is on YouTube which is free to use. Universal Music Group are also gaining revenue through this as they can gain profit through the channels advertisements. Universal music group can freely advertise their music globally.
Universals artists music are able to stream there music on an entertainment platform with many users tuned in. XL Recordings are distributed from the Beggars group. The Beggars group is a British record company that owns or distributes several other labels. They are solely responsible for the distribution of XL Recordings music. Universal music group is the parent company for well known and established record labels as well as Roc-A-Fella records, Universal Music Group UK, Bad Boy Records, GOOD Music, Decca records and Polydor Records. Universal Music Group distributes their music digitally through iTunes, Apple music and Spotify. XL Recordings are owned by beggars group and do not own other music labels or companies. XL Recordings has made a name for them as being a development label by helping other artists in terms of growth, music and development of one’s artistry.
Universal Music Group has used horizontal integration to cross promote products produced by them. For example Mariah Carey who is signed to Universal Music Group. When Mariah Carey signed to Universal they have agreed to promote her projects like movies and films across all there company divisions of Universal. XL Recordings are an independent label meaning they do not have other companies underneath them like subsidiary labels to horizontally integrate. Adele is signed to xl recordings. Adele’s music has been used for various advertisements. In the recent John Lewis advert her song has been used. This is a form of promoting and distributing her own music. Both artists have promoted themselves on a social media form.
XL Recordings have their own individual channel on YouTube but they are not advertised globally as opposed to Universal Music Group. XL Recordings use Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter and apple music to advertise signed artists singles, live performances and albums. An example of an artist signed to XL recordings is Adele. XL Recordings have marketed herself through magazine covers as of recent such as “TIME”. In this magazine feature Adele discusses motherhood, her recent success on her album and her lack of use on social media. This is also cross promotion as Adele being a successful artist promotes time magazine as well as time magazine promoting Adele to their regular consumers. Adele recently appeared on the Ellen show which was the first interview she done in three years. On the Ellen show she spoke about her most spoken about Grammy performance and her families’ first trip to Disney land. Through this fans of Adele are able to market themselves live on television so there fans can openly see them and hear information, thoughts and opinions first hand.
Universal Music Group uses a variety of ways to market their artists. An example is Rick Ross. Advertising, publicity and promotion are three strands of marketing used by artists as well as Rick Ross. Advertising is directly selling the artists song or album paid for by the institution. In a musical perspective advertising is when record label advertises there artists song, mix tape or album. This can be done by the use of billboards, television adverts and posters. Advertising would appeal to Rick Ross’s audience because the audience are able to see Rick Ross’s song or album being advertised in real life as well as social media. By constantly seeing advertisements on Rick Ross’s latest work his target audience are psychologically acknowledging and processing the information. Rick Ross’s album ‘hood billionaire’ was advertised through a television commercial advertised by Island Def Jam recordings. It last aired on Sat, Nov 29, 2014 7:52 AM ET. This campaign reinforces the persona of rick Ross because it illustrates that the artist wants things accomplished and publicised in the biggest way possible. Television is a medium in which everything in the world is addressed through various shows and programmes. Television is used by majority of people in their homes. Rick Ross using an advert to advertise his album reinforces that he is a global, mainstream confident artist.
http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7shZ/rick-ross-hood-billionaire
Publicity is raising awareness about the artist, their image, album or single not paid for by the institution. Publicity is mention in the media. Rick Ross has attended many television and radio interviews in order to talk about himself, his album and his endorsements. Recently he visited The Breakfast Club which is a radio interviewing station in New York America to speak about his new anticipating album Black Market, his engagement to his ex-fiancée’ Lira Galore, his recent criminal charges, his newly purchased mansion and many more. Through interviews Rick Ross is able to give information firsthand about the activities he has been up to and is able to discuss his new ventures in detail. Rick Ross has also been making club appearances and prior to his new activities such as his album release and after releasing his album. He hosted an album release party on Friday December 11th 2015 going into the 12th. This took place in Miami in which many of his celebrity friends joined him. This is major publicity as Rick Ross was with fellow famous friend’s celebrating the release of his album. These appeals to Rick Rosses target audience as they are able to see him living and enjoying in his element amongst people who are in the same category. His target audience through this also may want to assemble to lifestyle as they may see this as ideal friendship.
Rick Ross and his ex fiancée graced the front cover of paper magazine in which Rick Ross spoke about his album and answered other questions regarding his personal preferences and opinions. “Tell us about Black Market: This is most definitely the best of the best. This is the caviar of the rap game. I have some incredible collaboration with folks like Nas, John Legend and Chris Brown, and the album is soulfully thick in terms of the layers of the music and the production.” Rick Ross has used publicity to his advantage as he is constantly mentioned in the media. This means he is constantly noticed and is appealing to more people worldwide. Publicity for Rick Ross enhances his identity as an entrepreneur and musical artist. His credibility and reputation is built and also this encourages effective competition with his competitors.
Promotion is directly selling the artist, song or album paid for by the institution. Promotion keeps the product in the minds of the customer and helps stimulate demand for the product. Rick Ross recently released his mix tape and last album on his record label Def Jam Recordings. His latest release was his mix tape Black Dollar and his latest album was Black Market. Rick Ross uses a wide range of social media networking sites in which his fans and supporters follow him and are updated with what he posts. During the time before the release of the mix tape and album Rick Ross posted many posters of the album on his Instagram account and mix tapes writing specific captions to indicate that the album will soon be releasing and it is to be purchased through iTunes. He also used his twitter account to tweet about the album. This causes anticipation for his fans and supporters worldwide as there had been several controversies regarding Rick Ross around the time and his fans were excited to finally hear music from him. Snap chat is a popular mobile app in which people can share live video and pictures stories to your fellow snap chatters. Rick Ross uses snap chat to promote his album and videos himself in the studio, speaking about it or in the club promoting it. This illustrates Rick Ross’s ability to use social media as a platform to promote his music and raise anticipation for his fans worldwide.
XL Recordings and Universal Music Group have some similarities in terms of their marketing strategies. Publicity is symmetrical with the two companies as they both use social networking sites. XL Recordings are an independent label meaning they have a niche audience as opposed to Universal Music Group who have a mass audience as they are a major label. Universal music group being able to access revenue through free adverting is not something XL Recordings are able to do as they only have their own channel on YouTube and are not the part owners of Vevo, a high leading entertainment platform. Major labels such as Universal Music Group focus on their artist’s star persona and selling their music through that whereas independent labels such as XL Recordings focus on developing their artists.