Running Your Own Record Label

With record industry cutbacks all round, the prospect of success with a major record label seems more remote than ever for most musicians. So why not start your own? Many of us think about it, but what would you actually need to do? Our new 7-part series tells you...

In Part 1's introduction to this series, we explained some of the legal issues which you need to consider when setting up a record label to release your own material. This time, we take a closer look at publishing and royalties.

This series has already looked at the legalities of song ownership and how to make money from song publishing — but, as the head of your own label, you also make money from record sales. Like publishing income, however, it's not straightforward. We explain the basics...

We've discussed how to set up your label and integrate it with the UK music business. But how you run it from day to day, and who you employ to help, is up to you. We look at how two own-label bosses manage...

The earlier parts of this series explained how to set up your label. Now it's time to start looking at ways to get your recorded work out and on sale to the public.

In Part 5 we explained how a label can create its own distribution channels by selling merchandise on the Internet. This month we examine dedicated distribution companies, and how the smaller companies can serve niche record labels.

In this final part of our series, we recap on the key things you need to consider before you start your own label, and take you through the process to the first release.