Indie Music

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.

Jack White has announced the official release of his surprise-dropped new album, “No Name,” which was briefly for sale in limited quantities in his Third Man Record stores earlier this month, in a plain white sleeve with no information beyond the title.  

The official version will drop Friday (Aug. 2), with a blue vinyl edition will be available in Third Man Records retail stores on Thursday, and in select independent record stores across the world the following day. It will also be available on black vinyl via the Third Man and Jack White websites.

Doodles, the entertainment company that counts Pharrell Williams as chief branding officer, has announced the formation of Doodles Records in partnership with Sony’s Orchard to release its first project, the “Dullsville and the Doodleverse” soundtrack.

Doodles Records is commemorating its launch with the release of its first EP, a three-song original soundtrack for “Dullsville and the Doodleverse,” a short film with the same name debuting later this year. The EP will include Coi Leray and Pharrell’s “Not in the Store,” releasing in early August; Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty and Kyle Richh’s “Can’t Hold Me Down” in late August; and Swae Lee, Lil Yachty and Pharrell’s “Doodleverse (Draw Me Closer)” in September.

Proper Group (formerly Utopia Music) has officially been ordered to pay north of $1.86 million in connection with the 2021 buyout of advance provider Lyric Financial.
That order just recently came out of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, nearly three years after Utopia Music (the rebrand to Proper Group only occurred earlier in 2024) unveiled an agreement to acquire Lyric.

New York is filled to the brim with record labels, but Trash Casual’s lack of fear and definition sends them to reach new heights with every new release. Filled with a management team that includes many artists who are a part of the Brooklyn-based label, music is always at the forefront for Trash Casual.

Trash Casual are not afraid to have a multitude of different artists from different genres, stating, “Trash Casual aims to transform not only the creative but also the communal spirit of the music industry”. I will showcase only a fraction of the talented artists featured at Trash Casual, spanning all kinds of sounds and personalities. 

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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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. 

On Aug. 1, Adelaide’s Queens Theatre became the epicentre of Australia’s independent music scene as the 2024 AIR Awards celebrated the artists reshaping the industry.

Hosted by Dylan Lewis and Jessica Braithwaite, the evening was punctuated by stellar performances from nominees including Maple Glider, Jack River, Bumpy, Slava Grigoryan, and RVG.

Reach Records, founded by Grammy-winning Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae, stands as a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and community.

he Americana Music Association has announced its performers for the 23rd annual Americana Honors and Awards in Nashville on September 18 at the famed Ryman Auditorium.

This year’s ceremony will deliver performances from award-winning legends, buzzworthy new artists, and longtime fan favorites including Blind Boys of Alabama, Brandy Clark with SistaStrings, Charles Wesley Godwin, Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, Fantastic Negrito, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Jobi Riccio, Kaitlin Butts, Larkin Poe, The Milk Carton Kids, Noah Kahan, Sarah Jarosz, Shelby Lynne, Sierra Ferrell, Turnpike Troubadours, The War And Treaty, Waxahatchee with MJ Lenderman, and Wyatt Flores.

In addition to the annual “Of the Year” awards presented during the program (view the nominees below), the 2024 Honors & Awards include this year’s Lifetime Achievement Honorees: Blind Boys of Alabama, Dave Alvin, Don Was, Dwight Yoakam, Rev. Gary Davis, and Shelby Lynne.

Four-time Grammy winner Will Smith is among the artists on Slang, a new label launched by music-rights and entertainment company Influence Media and led by Rene McLean, its partner and founding advisor. The new label’s roster also includes Grammy-winning producers Camper (Jay-Z, Drake, Mary J Blige) and 30 Roc (Roddy Rich, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty), along with singer-rapper Leaf, hip-hop duo the Underachievers, and singer-songwriter Isaia Huron, among others.