12" Distribution for Small Labels

[patrick bateman]

again, awesome wooo! A forum where the initial responses to a serious, honest question aren't met with elitist, know-it-all responses

when you say go big though, is there a "too big"? For example, I contacted Kompakt they got back to me, but I don't know whether it's worth getting them to look at the label at this point or maybe wait until we have a few releases under our belt that will appeal to them...

I'll repeat myself again:

1. Prepare the first 3-4 releases (on CD)
2. Do the artwork for the label
3. Write a little about why, when, who, what about the label, the idea, the people behind, the future and such.
4. Find out who and how to approach the distributors you would like to contact

[Thomas D and Jack Thomas]

when you say go big though, is there a "too big"? For example, I contacted Kompakt they got back to me, but I don't know whether it's worth getting them to look at the label at this point or maybe wait until we have a few releases under our belt that will appeal to them...

That's kind of up for personal opinion. One could argue that you could go too big but also, anything is possible. Some people set their sights too high for themselves, sending really amateur productions to big labels. It's really hard to figure out when your stuff is ready and when it isn't. I had some tunes I licensed to smaller labels and I found out later for some of the big labels that they would have taken the tunes if I would have sent them the demo. So, I took them up on the offer and delivered to some reasonable-sized labels. They weren't the biggest releases on the labels but never in a million years did I think I was capable of a deal like that. My point is that sometimes you're capable of more than you think.


Lastly, you're probably going to have to stick to one vinyl plant (choose a EU plant). The reasoning is, during the vinyl manufacturing process, you basically go from something like music to cutting the lacquer, to the metal works. The metal plates are essentially the molds of your vinyl release. This part of the pressing process is the most technically the most costly. Basically, in order to get two plants going you'd have to get two sets of plates made up and you're looking at an extra few hundred euro I am guessing. Then you would have to deal with their weight during shipping, which makes it even more costly. Finally, you have to try and organize two different pressing plants, get two different sets of films to make stickers for the labels, jackets, you name it. At the end of the day you have a full-blown operation like M-nus or something. Start small and simple with one plant, and you'll be a lot happier. I know being in Australia really cuts you off from the rest of the world sometimes with this stuff, but it might just be cheaper to have the actual vinyls shipped to you at a quicker rate even.

[Red Kite]

I don't agree with Red Kite either. Look at all the new releases these days, 90% of the labels don't even have 5 releases out so far. It's all new labels. Yes, contacts and knowing people certainly does help, but distributors will also take on new labels if they truly feel they can sell the music.

All the new labels popping up with a handful of releases? The deals were done about a year ago, the situation has changed like hell over the past several month. Kompakt, Neuton and Word and Sound won't take any new labels at all, with very few exceptions. That there's so many new labels popping up is one of the reasons for that.

We're talking about vinyl labels here, and the market for that is increasingly narrowing. Of course it's not impossible do get distributers convinced with trying out a new label, but if you wanna sell the same trendy minimal sound that 1000 other labels are putting out without some very big names supporting it I call it close to impossible, at least with the distributers I mentioned.

Oh and about 90% of the 90% new labels with up to five releases are some limited sublabels as I see it...

I sense you don't know much about how distribution companies really work, or maybe you do, maybe failed, and are jaded now.

Well you sense bullshit then... No, I'm not failed with some label plans and start bitching around because noboby loves me, if that was your point. And yes, I know what I'm talking about. Do you?

[Thomas D and Jack Thomas]

Yes, I do. I have overseen numerous labels since 2001. Where shall I start?

Deals done over a year ago? The standard distribution contract normally has a clause which allows the distribution company to cancel the contract at any period. For example, if mnml001,002, and 003 did bad, they can easily cancel on mnml004 and mnml005 which would normally come out this month or this fall. It's also funny that you mention those distributors because I'm dealing with Kompakt and Neuton personally right now on some new labels which will debut early this summer or in the fall. What's the crazy part? There is no big DJ support, the releases aren't by a-list producers, and it's not m-nus or cadenza copies. Still, the distributors feel they can push the material. It won't sell thousands upon thousands of copies but it should do well enough to make the distributors happy.

While I don't feel like putting in the effort, one could go to Juno.co.uk's last 8 weeks of releases and check out the catalog numbers. I'm sure most of the new labels are not limited or sublabels. Even if they are, what does it matter? Sure the music may possibly be more of the same, but that's more of a personal opinion than anything else.

And honestly, the distributors are smart for not taking on these clone labels because the market is indeed saturated. Just because they don't want Gaiser or Grindvik clones anymore doesn't mean they won't take new music. Distributors usually know what they can sell, period. When I first started my ventures with labels, I got so pissed when I was turned down for distribution deals left and right. To this day I still feel the music was on par with the rest of the crap coming out at the time, but they didn't want to take on another label doing that same sound and that's the part I didn't get. They knew that even if they could move some copies for me, it wouldn't last unless I changed my game plan so they said no.

Distributors need labels of all sizes to stay afloat. That's never going to change. Yes, Adam Beyer won't have a hard time scoring a distribution deal, regardless of music quality. You or I might...but the important part is that it's possible with the right music.

[PsyTox]

^^
well put

It's like going on a job interview really... sometimes you will get refused, some others you will refuse yourself because it doesn't feel right, but in the end, if your stuff is good enough and the distri knows his stuff, then i'm sure you'll find a distri quick enough.

And about that sublabel thing... it's true that a lot of subs sound exactly like the "mothership", but hey, sometimes it's also because of the narrowmindedness of a lot of dj's that you have to create sublabels for every style. Always found that a bit sad... but I guess the customer's always right, right? :p

[sam i am]

Patrick, I did pay attention, but we don't have the first 3 to 4 releases. I just found 2 tracks that I thought were worth it & jumped at the opportunity, because I've been watching / waiting for years but it's the first time I've been presented with an opportunity to put out a 12" that is actually worthy of release. It's not cookie cutter minimal, by the way

when you say go big though, is there a "too big"? For example, I contacted Kompakt they got back to me, but I don't know whether it's worth getting them to look at the label at this point or maybe wait until we have a few releases under our belt that will appeal to them...

That's kind of up for personal opinion. One could argue that you could go too big but also, anything is possible. Some people set their sights too high for themselves, sending really amateur productions to big labels. It's really hard to figure out when your stuff is ready and when it isn't. I had some tunes I licensed to smaller labels and I found out later for some of the big labels that they would have taken the tunes if I would have sent them the demo. So, I took them up on the offer and delivered to some reasonable-sized labels. They weren't the biggest releases on the labels but never in a million years did I think I was capable of a deal like that. My point is that sometimes you're capable of more than you think.


Lastly, you're probably going to have to stick to one vinyl plant (choose a EU plant). The reasoning is, during the vinyl manufacturing process, you basically go from something like music to cutting the lacquer, to the metal works. The metal plates are essentially the molds of your vinyl release. This part of the pressing process is the most technically the most costly. Basically, in order to get two plants going you'd have to get two sets of plates made up and you're looking at an extra few hundred euro I am guessing. Then you would have to deal with their weight during shipping, which makes it even more costly. Finally, you have to try and organize two different pressing plants, get two different sets of films to make stickers for the labels, jackets, you name it. At the end of the day you have a full-blown operation like M-nus or something. Start small and simple with one plant, and you'll be a lot happier. I know being in Australia really cuts you off from the rest of the world sometimes with this stuff, but it might just be cheaper to have the actual vinyls shipped to you at a quicker rate even.

thanks. Good points

[patrick bateman]

Patrick, I did pay attention, but we don't have the first 3 to 4 releases. I just found 2 tracks that I thought were worth it & jumped at the opportunity, because I've been watching / waiting for years but it's the first time I've been presented with an opportunity to put out a 12" that is actually worthy of release. It's not cookie cutter minimal, by the way

Okay, but this is how the distributors work, at least those I was in contact with (Neuton, Kompakt, InterGroove, Word And Sound). How should they judge a new label on only 1 release?

[Daniel Logikal]

Hi all. First post for me

did a search but nothing showed up.. well, nothing specific to small labels...

I'm part of a small Australian label thinking of putting out a 12"

for the sake of this discussion, we can consider it to be our first release

kinda hard to know who will pick up a small label for distribution from here

(being all the way over on the other side of the world & all that)

can anybody recommend me some distribution services in North America & Europe that are friendly to new labels?

thanks in advance

Tell us a little more about your label (name, website info?)