What are the major business processes of a Music Recording Company?
March 12010
ex. Marketing
*Asset management and acquisition – Also known as A&R. Artists are equated to a brand (like Pepsi or 7up), and judged by their overall marketability only. the A&R department manages the companies existing roster occasionally will add new talent (but they do not actively recruit new bands).
*The Recording Contract is just that, a recording contract. It carries not guarantees that, once recorded, anything will happen. The completed project will be pitched to the money and marketing people within the company, and they will decide if they can market it, if they will back it, and just how much they are willing to spend to market it. Many completed albums have been shelved, never to be heard by the masses.
*Manufacturing – pretty straightforward, packaging is developed and the CD’s are mass-produced.
*Marketing – for the lucky few, a marketing plan is developed. Most if not all of the actual marketing and tour execution is outsource by the record company. This most important process includes (but not limited to) the following:
- Brand development (image)
- Photography (from album cover to posters)
- Music Video Production and Distribution
- Radio distribution
- Television Placement
- Tour development and support
*Legal … throughout every step of this process, there are legal considerations attended to by the company. For example…
- Recording Contract – who owns what, who is paying for what, what are the talent obligations, etc…. (generally about 90+ pages)
- Copyright, Broadcast Licensing, Mechanical Licensing, Synchronization Licensing, etc…(you get the idea)
This is, of course, a very broad overview. This is a very complicated business, one which currently, is very risky and frankly not that profitable. It is extremely easy to get ripped off, lied to and / or just plain lose your shirt and the shirt of the person next to you. My point is, do your homework, the more you know, the better your chances, and for heavens sake, be realistic.
March 1st, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Mostly pillaging and looting, then getting a team of lawyers to sling a substandard hyped product to a jaded audience.
They are above charges of collusion after 15 years of selling 18-cent pieces of plastic for $23.95
References :
March 1st, 2010 at 2:46 pm
*Asset management and acquisition – Also known as A&R. Artists are equated to a brand (like Pepsi or 7up), and judged by their overall marketability only. the A&R department manages the companies existing roster occasionally will add new talent (but they do not actively recruit new bands).
*The Recording Contract is just that, a recording contract. It carries not guarantees that, once recorded, anything will happen. The completed project will be pitched to the money and marketing people within the company, and they will decide if they can market it, if they will back it, and just how much they are willing to spend to market it. Many completed albums have been shelved, never to be heard by the masses.
*Manufacturing – pretty straightforward, packaging is developed and the CD’s are mass-produced.
*Marketing – for the lucky few, a marketing plan is developed. Most if not all of the actual marketing and tour execution is outsource by the record company. This most important process includes (but not limited to) the following:
- Brand development (image)
- Photography (from album cover to posters)
- Music Video Production and Distribution
- Radio distribution
- Television Placement
- Tour development and support
*Legal … throughout every step of this process, there are legal considerations attended to by the company. For example…
- Recording Contract – who owns what, who is paying for what, what are the talent obligations, etc…. (generally about 90+ pages)
- Copyright, Broadcast Licensing, Mechanical Licensing, Synchronization Licensing, etc…(you get the idea)
This is, of course, a very broad overview. This is a very complicated business, one which currently, is very risky and frankly not that profitable. It is extremely easy to get ripped off, lied to and / or just plain lose your shirt and the shirt of the person next to you. My point is, do your homework, the more you know, the better your chances, and for heavens sake, be realistic.
References :