Disc Makers Elite’s Concierge For Label Refugees
Disc Makers has launched Elite Artist Services, a new division aimed at major artists who want to go independent. It will offer manufacturing, distribution via Sony RED, download distribution, promotion and e-commerce infrastructure..
With artists like Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Tori Amos leaving their labels in increasing numbers, going independent has shed any stigma and is now seen as a major profit opportunity for established artists. Elite is designed to serve artists that have already sold 100,000 records,and there’s a calculator that compares the revenue potential of going independent versus staying on a label. But don’t forget to add in the cost of marketing
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i don’t understand how this is different than being on a label… surely SONY will take their cut of physical distribution and recoupable amounts should come into play.. digital distribution is already easily attained without putting another party as a middle-man…
A couple of differences:
1) Most revenues from CD sales go to the record label to cover their overhead, with only a small royalty paid to the artist. With Elite Artist Services, all revenues go to the artist (after they’ve paid for disc manufacturing). Profit potential is huge.
2) The artist retains all copyrights and creative rights to their compositions, recordings, and graphics with Elite. That’s usually not the case with a label.
3) With Elite there is no long-term, multi-album agreement required.
4) With Elite there is total transparency for the artist with regard to sales units and revenues for physical and digital product. No funny accounting or slight of hand.
In short, if an artist has enough of a following to strike out on their own, Elite Artist Services offers most of the services and infrastructure a record label would provide, without the negative aspects of being on a label.