Indie Music

A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.) has announced a partnership with newly launched GoGoods, offering A2IM members an 80% revenue share on sales of GoGoods Cloud Collectible (GCC) albums and EPs.

“GoGoods Cloud Collectible is a groundbreaking innovation that aligns perfectly with our mission to empower independent artists and labels. By providing a higher revenue share and ensuring artists are compensated on every transfer of ownership, GoGoods is not just offering a new digital format; they are redefining the economics of music ownership. This partnership represents a significant step forward in creating a more sustainable and fair future for the independent music community,” Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, President and CEO of A2IM.

Three independent record labels in Norway have merged to create a new label group called Sounds Like Gold, led by Norwegian industry veteran Helge Westbye, and formed in partnership with Virgin Music Group.

The merger of Propeller Recordings, Indie Recordings, and 777 Music brings together a roster of artists that includes boy pablo, Highasakite, Gåte and Jan Eggum. In addition to providing distribution, marketing, administration and creative services to artists in Norway, the combined entity has also taken over operations of the record label Grappa, along with its affiliates. Grappa’s founder, Helge Westbye, has joined Sounds Like Gold as Chairman.

Asbestos Records is the longest-running independent record label based in Connecticut. That alone might sound like a strange accolade. But more importantly, it also has a lot of deep history in the ska music scene, frequently re-releasing new vinyl pressings of acclaimed but long out-of-print albums by bands such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Hippos, the Suicide Machines, the Pietasters, and even not-quite-ska-but-emotionally-similar artists such Atom & His Package and They Might Be Giants. Even more recently, Asbestos released the debut folk album by John Hinckley, the man who infamously tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

Beggars Group, the UK-based record company that owns or co-owns XL Recordings, 4AD, Rough Trade, Matador and Young Recordings, among others, has reported a 13.3% YoY jump in turnover for 2023, bringing its annual revenue above GBP £100 million for the first time.

According to its annual accounts, filed on Tuesday (August 27) with the UK’s Companies House, the company owned by Martin Mills last year brought in revenue of £103.18 million (USD $128.33 million at the average exchange rate for the year).

George Strait’s Cowboys and Dreamers album is heading to 87 indie record stores before its release for listening parties nationwide on Sept. 4, including Grimey’s Records and The Groove in Nashville.

Indie record stores nationwide are celebrating Strait’s 31st studio album by hosting the listening events two days before its release on Sept. 6. Full store, city and state details can be found at recordstoreday.com.

The 2020s have significantly transformed the music industry, primarily due to the rise of independent artists. These artists are navigating their careers without the backing of traditional labels. This shift not only changes how music is produced and consumed but also highlights the growing influence of independent artists. In this article, we explore how they are redefining success, impacting the music business, and shaping future trends.

Independence and Success
Independent artists are now achieving levels of success once deemed impossible without major label support. The democratization of music distribution through platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube allows artists to reach global audiences independently.

The onward march of the ‘middle class’ of indie artists has been one of the music industry’s biggest talking points this year.

This trend was highlighted in recent months by Luminate stats showing that indies are nibbling into the majors’ streaming market share.

We also told you about K-Pop giant HYBE’s plans to launch an artist services business in the United States, citing “growing demand for change in the traditional business structure in the US market due to its fragmentation”.

Now we’ve discovered that more than half (60%) of the Top 10 songs globally on social media giant TikTok this summer were independently distributed.

A Dayton-based independent record label is releasing an album from a New York-based powerhouse music collective.

Zach Barocas’ New Freedom Sound — a collaborative improvisational music group helmed by composer and drummer Zach Barocas — will release on Aug. 20 a two-song 12-inch vinyl and digital release of “Two Freedoms” via Sweet Cheetah Records and The Cultural Society (New York).

Secretly Distribution has entered into a worldwide distribution deal with the late John Prine‘s Oh Boy Records.

The label, founded in 1981 by the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, started as Prine’s vehicle to become an independent artist after his major label deal had expired. Oh Boy continues to be run by the Prine family.

Secretly Distribution and Oh Boy will be co-presenting “Independents’ Day,” an AmericanaFest day party at Vinyl Tap on Sept. 18, which will feature performances by artists from Oh Boy and other SD labels.

Widely respected British music executives Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish have joined forces with independent music company B-Unique to launch a new label, Artist Theory.

The new label’s roster already includes established UK rock act Sam Ryder for the follow-up to his No.1 debut album, plus new artists H.LLS and Emily Jeffri.

Since the first one in March 2020, the Bandcamp Friday events have generated more than $120m in sales for artists and labels on Bandcamp. Now the company has confirmed the next few events, taking it through to the end of 2024. “The next Bandcamp Friday is September 6, 2024. After that, Bandcamp Fridays will continue on October 4 and December 6,” announced the company.

Its blog post included tips for artists and labels looking to make the most of the events, during which Bandcamp waives its fees. The advice includes posting music in the days before each event “so you don’t get lost in the shuffle” – giving the music time to be featured in Bandcamp’s search and discovery tools.

WINCON, the annual gathering of representatives from the global independent record label community, is taking place in Belgrade in 2024, as part of the Runda Digital Day conference

The label achieved this huge profit with only 8 albums released, which included tracks by Adele and Peggy Gou.

British independent record label XL Recordings has reported another huge profit this year. The company’s published business review shows that Peggy Gou’s smash hit “(It Goes Like) Nananana” contributed a lot to this.

PRS Foundation – the award-winning charitable funder of new music and talent development – announces today the first round of promoters receiving the targeted Early Career Promoter Fund, supported by Arts Council England using strategic funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The 18 early career promoters, selected for support by a network of specialist music industry advisors, are:

This month, we announced the dates for A2IM Indie Week & Libera Awards 2025; the launch of Indie Week Australia Edition, and more.

Independent labels have emerged as a pivotal force in the music industry during the 2020s, offering a platform for diverse voices and nurturing new talent that major labels often overlook. These labels give artists greater creative freedom and play a crucial role in shaping the musical landscape by championing innovative sounds and underrepresented genres.

Role of Independent Labels

Independent labels stand out through their artist-centric approach, offering flexibility and creative control often absent in major label contracts. Labels like Sub Pop, XL Recordings, and Rough Trade have become synonymous with identifying and nurturing groundbreaking talent. These labels take risks on unconventional artists, allowing them to explore unique sounds without the pressure of conforming to mainstream trends. This environment attracts a wide range of artists, from emerging talents to established acts seeking a more personal and artist-friendly production process.

ADA, the independent label and artist services arm of Warner Music Group (WMG), announced its partnership with FTS Global Management today. The company will cover global distribution for FTS’ network of artists. The label, founded by former Hall of Fame athlete and banker Travis Wilson, boasts a roster featuring heavyweights across hip-hop, R&B, and dancehall, including The Game, Eric Bellinger, and Konshens.

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Limited Edition Merch Drop: “I Own My Masters”

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Arctic Monkeys’ catalogue continues to perform strongly, according to Music Week analysis.

Domino Recording Company has just published its annual accounts for the 12 months up to August 31, 2023 – and the band’s seven studio albums played a crucial role in the financial performance.

The independent label saw a 39% year-on-year increase in revenue for the 12 months to £31.65 million.

Pre-tax profit increased by 39.5% to £4.24m. Operating profit was up 40.8% to £4.08m.

A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.) announces its debut international event, A2IM Indie Week Australian Edition, to be held during the AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) annual 2025 Indie-Con conference. This collaboration, in conjunction with AIR and The South Australian Government, will bring A2IM’s Indie Week programming to Australia, at their Adelaide event.

Iconic Welsh label Sain Records is to digitise its whole archive which it hopes will spark a new age of Welsh music.

Music from the oldest independent record label in Wales is being preserved for future generations – thanks to an epic digitisation of its entire back catalogue and the reimagining of its original studio space for the local community.

The Orchard congratulates Manzana Records on the signing of Mùsica Mexicana singer-songwriter Antonin Padilla! 

Antonin Padilla has become an important player in the genre as a musician, songwriter and is now ready to make an impact as an artist. Padilla has left his imprint on tracks performed by heavy-hitting acts like La Receta, Marca Registrada, Gabito Ballesteros, Herencia de Grandes, La Ventaja and El Komander. Via his songwriting prowess, Padilla is a major contributor to the global appeal of Mùsica Mexicana.