How to Get Signed By a Record Label in 2024

As helpful as natural talent can be, to secure a record deal you’re going to also need a strong marketing strategy, a lot of perseverance and determination, and a clear understanding of the music industry landscape. To help improve your chances, here are the key steps to follow to land yourself a record deal. 

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How to get signed by a record label

Define your sound

Before seeking a record deal and reaching out to labels that appeal to you, you’ll need to define your unique musical identity and brand. 

The music industry is extremely competitive so you need to decide on what you want to achieve and who you want to be within this space. What is it that sets you apart from the hundreds of other bands vying for the attention of record labels? Make it clear how you stand out from the crowd.

Hone your craft in the studio and figure out your sound, experimenting with different styles that will become uniquely and unmistakably yours. 

Labels often look for artists with distinct voices and images so focus your attention on creating your unique perspective.

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Build your online presence

We all know how important a strong online presence is to up-and-coming artists, but it’s surprising how often this part of the process gets overlooked.

Assign adequate time to create professional profiles across Instagram, X and TikTok and to map out your strategy across all of these channels. You might want to keep behind-the-scenes and less serious content on your TikTok profile but use Instagram and X for more important announcements like tour dates or merch drops.

Set up a website for your music so fans can easily find everything they need to know via Google. This will also come in handy when labels need to find your contact information, so make sure you make it easy for them to find your details. You can even set up a free SmartLink to keep all your info together in one place. 

Release high-quality music

Good marketing is one thing, but having a well-produced, high-quality release at your disposal is the key to getting signed. 

Invest in professional recording, mixing and mastering services and team up with experienced sound engineers and producers to ensure you’re bringing your creative visions to life. 

Record labels receive hundreds of submissions so you need to give your release all the treatment it needs to catch their attention.

Develop your industry network

Building valuable relationships with industry pros can definitely open some interesting and exciting doors for your career and put you in touch with the right folks.

Try your best to make it to music industry events, conferences, and workshops such as Ditto X to meet other artists, producers, managers, and A&R representatives.

Remember to be yourself, show respect to others and be proactive in building these connections. You never know who might help you land your big break.

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Submit your music

Production sorted. Marketing in-progress. Network developed. Now it’s time to start reaching out to record labels.

List out some labels that align with your music’s style and overall ethos and read over their submission guidelines. Not all labels will accept your demo via email, so check out what their preferred submission methods are and tailor your message to each individual label. 

Give yourself credit and try to sell yourself. You’ll want to highlight your unique qualities and why you’d be a good fit for the label.

Music managers and music lawyers

Before signing to a label, you should consider enlisting the help of a music manager or music lawyer to oversee any legal negotiations such as contract agreements. 

Inexperienced artists often get swept up in the excitement of everything and sign contracts without fully understanding what they’re giving away. A good manager or seasoned industry professional will be able to help you make more informed decisions about things though and avoid common pitfalls other artists might fall into.

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How hard is it to get signed to a record label

This all depends on how committed you are to building your music brand and following the other steps we’ve covered above.

That said, it’s still not always smooth sailing. A lot of this will come down to your circumstances and also a decent bit of luck.

Following these steps will stand you in good stead though and at the very least, set you up for more success as an artist in the music industry - signed or independent.

Another option for musicians nowadays is to start a record label yourself, removing the costs and splits you’d otherwise lose out on when signing with a label. 

How do you get signed to a record label?

Unfortunately, there’s not one answer to this question, but by defining your own unique sound, researching which labels you might stand a better chance at getting signed to, and by bringing a professional team on board, you’ll be massively boosting your chances of success.

Remember though, success in the music industry often comes down to talent, timing, and perseverance, so stay focused on your goals and rewards will follow.

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