An
independent record label (or
indie record label) is a
record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the
major record labels.
Overview
The boundaries between major and independent labels, and the definitions of each, differ from commentator to commentator. In practice, however, the traditional definition of a 'major' record label is one that owns its own distribution channel. Some independent record labels, in particular those with successful performing
artists, sign dual-release agreements (and make other deals) with major labels and may rely to some extent on international licensing deals, distribution agreements, and other arrangements with major record labels. Major labels may also wholly or partially acquire independent labels.
"Today, big music can seem like the only game in town and many newcomers think the only way into the industry is "getting signed", getting a "recording contract" or "record deal". Musicians working locally cheerfully call themselves unsigned, unpublished, semi-pro, amateur, etc. rather than what they are. But these DIY and indie acts are the music industry every bit as much as the majors. Maybe more so.
Although mainstream TV and radio is dominated by major label acts, a 2004 survey found over 4,500 live music events in the UK every day (1.7 million a year, MORI poll). Compare that with TV. The mass and diversity of local acts puts the handful of bland national icons in perspective. There's a lot more happening outside the media bubble. But the influence of big business gets attention, and it's easy to forget that what's happening in music isn't what's happening on MTV, Radio One, or in the charts."
Other nominally "independent" labels are started (and sometimes run) by major label artists but are still owned at least in part by the major label parent. These spin-off labels are also frequently referred to as
vanity labels and are intended to appease established, powerful artists and/or to give them latitude in discovering and promoting new talent.
According to
Association of Independent Music (AIM) "(...) A "major" is defined in AIM's constitution as a multinational company which (together with the companies in its group) has more than 5% of the world market(s) for the sale of records and/or music videos. The majors are (currently) Sony BMG, Warner, EMI, and the Universal Music Group (which incorporates Polygram).(...) If a major owns 50% or less of the total shares in your company, you would not (usually) be owned or controlled by that major. In that case, you can join AIM.", see
History
Independent labels have a long history of signalling developments in popular music, stretching back to the post-war period in the
United States.
[Rogan, Johnny (1992) "Introduction" in The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music, Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0-85112-579-4] Disputes with major labels about publishing led to a proliferation of labels specializing in
country,
jazz, and
blues.
Sun Records played an important part in the development of
Rock 'n' roll as well as country, with artists such as
Elvis Presley,
Carl Perkins,
Johnny Cash,
Jerry Lee Lewis,
Roy Orbison, and
Charlie Rich.
The independent labels usually aimed their releases at a small but devoted audience, not relying on mass sales for success, giving artists much more scope for experimentation and artistic freedom.
In the
United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s, the major record companies
EMI,
Philips, and
Decca had so much power that independent labels struggled to become established. Several British producers launched independent labels as outlets for their work including
Joe Meek (Triumph),
Andrew Oldham (Immediate), and
Larry Page (Page One).
, launched by Chris Wright and Terry Ellis, was perhaps the most successful from that era, and continued to expand. Several major rock stars set up their own independent labels -
The Beatles with
Apple Records,
The Rolling Stones with Rolling Stones Records, and
Elton John with Rocket, but they generally failed as commercial ventures or were swallowed up by the majors.
The
punk rock era brought about a turning point for independent labels, the do-it-yourself ethos of the time seeing the emergence of a plethora of independent labels.
In the US, independent labels such as
Beserkley also found success with artists such as
The Modern Lovers. Many of the UK labels ended up signing distribution deals with major labels to remain viable, but others retained their independence (eg. Warp, Wax On, BlancoMusic) and the factor that came to define independent labels was distribution, which had to be independent of the majors for records to be included in the
UK Indie Chart, which was first compiled in 1980.
[Lazell, Barry (1997) "Indie Hits 1980-1989", Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4] The term 'indie' and the chart itself was unrelated to a specific genre of music, and the chart featured a diverse range of music, from punk to
reggae, to
MOR and mainstream
pop, including several hits from the likes of
Kylie Minogue and
Jason Donovan on the
PWL label. The late 1970s had seen the establishment of independent distribution companies such as Pinnacle and Spartan, giving independent labels an effective means of distribution without involving the majors. The situation improved further with the establishment of 'The Cartel', as association of companies such as
Rough Trade Records,
Backs Records, and
Red Rhino, who helped to take releases from small labels and get them into the shops nationwide.
The 'Indie Chart' became a major source of exposure for artists on indie labels, with the top ten singles regularly aired on the national television show
The Chart Show. By the late 1980s, the major labels had identified an opportunity to break new acts via the indie chart, and began setting up subsidiary labels that were financed by the majors but distributed via the independent network, thereby being eligible for the chart. With the major labels effectively pushing the genuine indie labels out of the market, the independent chart became less significant in the early 1990s, with 'alternative' increasingly being used to describe artists, and 'indie' often used to describe a broad range of guitar-based rock and pop. The Offspring's 1994 album 'Smash' is the highest selling independent record of all time and also the highest selling album by a punk band. The album sold more than 16 million copies worldwide.
Independent labels and the RIAA
Starting with the widespread
piracy lawsuits of the early-2000s, non-membership in the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) or its non-American counterparts is increasingly seen as a prerequisite for a label to be truly independent, although this view is not universal. Given the number of RIAA labels, this can be difficult unless one checks a database such as the
RIAA Radar. In the US, independent record labels are represented by A2IM
American Association of Independent Music, in the UK, by the
Association of Independent Music, whilst in Australia they are represented by the
Australian Independent Records Labels Association.
Many independent labels have been wrongly listed as members of the RIAA on the RIAA's own website, and have fought for many years to have them removed from the site, most notably
Fat Wreck Chords,
Matador Records, and, to a lesser extent,
Lookout! Records.
See also
