Nowadays, it’s possible to release your music without a contract. Gone are the times when you need a record label to promote harmony and gain royalties from it. You don’t need to always rely on record labels to get your music on stream. With newer platforms offering to release music without a contract, we compiled a list of the advantages and disadvantages to releasing music without a contract.
Advantages of Releasing Music With No Contract
You Keep 100% of Your Profits
Taking your music out of a contract label and into a music platform will significantly impact your profit. For one, it will help you keep the sales of streams, merchandise, license deals or music production.
You Get 100% Creative Control
Creative pursuits are high on an artist's list for both success and fulfillment. Signing a contract typically means giving up some of your creative control, which has become an issue for more and more artists. You control everything when you release your music through online streams without going under the wings of record labels. The best part is not complying with anything that you think doesn’t match your vision or standards.
You Can Release Any Music You Want
Record labels are businesses and businesses want one thing: revenue. This means that many record labels want a say in the type of music you are creating. If you’re not wanting to be tied down to a specific genre, you may want to remain solo until you find a label that agrees with your vision.
Disadvantages of Releasing Music With No Contract
Limited Budget & Resources
If you’re just starting out, your resources are limited. Nonetheless, if you are an independent artist, then it’s a struggle to book a gig, concert or find sponsors. You are also restricted within a budget. Raising funds to promote music alone is quite pricey.
You Have A Limited Network
Since record labels have been in the industry for so long, they have the connections that you don’t have. These companies have tied together with advertisers, producers and more; that’s why they have a high cut on artists’ royalties.
No Time
Pursuing music is a full-time job, but with a meager salary. You need to put a lot of time into distribution, create all the release assets, develop a marketing strategy, track sales, book shows and everything to make you known in the industry.
Before You Start…
have the right equipment first. Before diving into all the promotions, gigs and music streaming, you need the right equipment. Shop Photo Savings for your full music recording setup.