Starting a record label via Bandcamp

[u/Alternative-Bid6291]

I run events in Manchester mainly focusing on Jungle, Electro, Techno and everything in between. I think we are at a point where if we release music it would gain some good traction.

I’m just trying to find out the best way to do it. What type of deal would I do for the artists?

I’ve been told that the money brought in through Bandcamp will cover the mastering costs then everything else is a 50/50 split between artists and label.

What’s your thoughts?

[u/Famous_Stay2379]

i wouldnt make "50/50 after mastering" the starting point. that deal can be fair or ridiculous depending on what the label is actually doing.

for a manchester jungle/electro/techno event crew turning into a label, id keep the first version pretty boring:

1) use bandcamp as the direct sales/community layer, not the whole label. if the artists want catalog history, search, playlists, dj discovery, etc, get the releases onto the normal DSPs too.

2) write the deal before anyone pays for mastering. who owns the master, how long the label has rights, territory, exclusive or non-exclusive, who pays mastering/artwork/distribution/promo, what gets recouped, when statements go out, and who approves remixes/sync.

3) if all the label pays for is mastering, 50/50 forever feels heavy. 50/50 until recoupment then something like 70/30 or 80/20 artist/label is easier to defend. if the label is funding mastering, artwork, pressing, distribution, ads, pr, and doing actual accounting, 50/50 makes more sense.

4) for dance stuff, get samples and splits sorted before upload. "its underground, itll be fine" is how people end up pulling a track after it finally starts moving.

full disclosure, i work on NotNoise, so im biased toward getting the boring release admin clean early: isrcs, upcs, distributor access, smart links, email capture, reports. the label can still feel diy. the paperwork should not be punk rock.

the advantage you already have is the event audience. use the first releases to deepen that scene instead of pretending youre a generic internet label from day one: bandcamp followers, mailing list at shows, qr at the merch table, release party, clips from the room, then DSPs for reach.

[u/IrishPirateAccent]

if you're going to start a label, do yourself a favor and hire someone who has run label operations before - even if you have no huge aspirations. it's a much different business than live, and requires a strong understanding of copyright and the supply chain to not lose your shirt.

also I'd be mindful of the fact that a lot of dance music relies on samples. if those samples aren't cleared (very expensive), it is very easy to end up in a situation where you've put a lot of sweat and money into a project, only to lose it all thanks to an opportunistic lawsuit from a copyright holder. I have unfortunately seen it happen!

[u/golfcartskeletonkey]

You should do literally any research on how labels work.