We’re always trilled when we get to this issue each year. After-all New Music Weekly was founded to help the independent artist and their labels so this subject is one that we know quite well. Each week we monitor a good many of the artists that are not on major labels as we continue to help level the playing field for artists in direct competition from the majors.
A good many of our reporting stations actually cheer these underdogs on and as long as the indie artists and bands provide radio friendly songs, our music and program directors will continue to support them in every way.

Over the past few years the deals that the majors have been offering to start up artists has been at a very low level. In fact many of the major labels take quite a bit from artists that go far beyond just their record royalties. Many want to be the artists management, booking agent, publisher as they try to grab every portion of the already small pie in hopes of getting their fair share. A good many newcomers and even the established artists are saying no to such nonsense and realize that they would be better off going the independent route.

There continues to be a cut throat policy in play with the majors with respect to artists on their own rosters. Due to the fact that there are only so many slots to fill at radio, many labels have their secret list of propriety artists. During their weekly conference calls to the promotion staff the true plans are given as to which artists on their label get the real push. If you are not at the top of that propriety list you are in big trouble and many realize that at times their own record label may by actually be fighting against them. For those in that situation it would be best to become independent and not have to compete with your fellow label mates. A good many are finding this to be true and are choosing to opt out.

There have been so many changes over the past decade that have actually favored the independent artist and label. The move into the digital age meant that artists and labels no longer had to spend endless funds for marketing with respect to record and chain stores alike. This funding was initially used to take your product from the back room to be placed in positions that the consumer could easily purchase but that all got out of hand and at times those moves were actually never made. The majors always found this a simple way to get out of paying record royalties by simply charting the artist for marketing and promotion.

The new age of video has also helped the indie artist. There was a time when you needed to spend ridiculous amounts of money to make a video and then to market it. Now you can make your own video with your cell phone, get it on YouTube and get a million plus followers. This type of activity has gone wild and there are new artists emerging by leaps and bounds just via their video alone. The major labels would always love to charge the artist back for those expensive video productions but in the new age it’s hard for them to get away with that. In many cases bands have been able to come up with cleaver, inexpensive videos.

New Music Weekly continues to offer the best “tools of the trade” for the independent artist, band and label. Through our own tracking system, charts, digital delivery systems and a magazine, you can reach the masses each week and keep track of what your record is actually doing. NMW offers special display rates for ads both small and large to help get the message out to the industry. Our new magazine digital distribution system helps us reach a much larger range and now gets out to the entire music industry. As the years progress we will continue to work hard and fight for the independent artist. We ask for your continued support in the venture as we move towards new and exciting musical times. You can and will always be able to count on New Music Weekly for your support system.