Record labels are at the heart of the music industry, releasing and distributing tracks and albums for fans to listen to around the world. Running a label is a challenge in a number of ways. You have to consider aspects like funding and pressing records, discovering, managing and promoting artists, commissioning and producing artwork, running events online and IRL. As well as learning the ins and outs of the music business like licensing and copyright. This may sound daunting, but the reward comes from building a label from the ground up. Being involved in every aspect of an artist’s musical journey and creating and maintaining a space for like-minded creatives to succeed.
To learn more, we got in touch with a number of record labels to learn more about their journeys. Defected Records is one of House music’s leading labels, pushing the very best dance tunes for over 20 years. SIZE Records is a Stockholm-based label founded by Steve Angello, a member of the legendary dance trio Swedish House Mafia. Coming out of Mexico, NAAFI releases forward-thinking experimental music that captures the vibrance of music scenes across the globe. Never Normal Records, led by musician and visual artist Suzi Analogue, operates out of New York and places emphasis on visual art as well as audio.
Scroll down for their stories on how they’ve been able to maintain their respective successes.
SIZE Records – “Find a focus for your record label“
“The success and longevity of SIZE Records can be attributed to a relentless focus on artistic integrity, innovation, and collaboration. We’ve always strived to identify and foster emerging talents, providing them with the platform and support they need to grow. Collaboration and community are at the core of everything we do. We believe that by nurturing these relationships, we create a thriving ecosystem that benefits everyone involved. Our 20-year history is a testament to our ability to adapt to musical trends, technological shifts, and consumer behavior. While never losing sight of our core identity.
When looking for new music or artists, we seek individuals who have a distinct vision. People not afraid to push the boundaries of electronic music. Originality, creativity, and a dedication to the craft are paramount. We value artists who have a clear vision for their music and show potential for growth. Passion and work ethic are equally important, as we believe in building long-term relationships with our artists.
Our approach to promoting and marketing at SIZE goes far beyond a mere strategy. It’s a crafted experience. From teasers and social media campaigns to influencer collaborations and exclusive live events, we build anticipation and deliver excitement. Post-release, our focus on storytelling, quality and engagement with our fans ensures that our music resonates long after its debut. It’s not just about success; it’s about connection.
You need to define a clear vision for your record label. Know what you stand for and what makes you unique in the music landscape. Cultivate relationships with artists, managers, distributors, and others in the industry. Networking and collaboration are crucial for growth and success. Focus on quality over quantity. A few strong releases that truly resonate can have more impact than numerous mediocre ones. Invest time and resources in nurturing talent and educate yourself on the legal and business aspects of running a label. Things like contracts, licensing, distribution and marketing. Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice when needed. Stay informed about trends, technologies, and shifts in the music industry and be willing to adapt and innovate to stay relevant.
As we approach the monumental 20-year mark of SIZE Records, we’ve introduced the SIZE SOUND SYSTEM, a radio show broadcasting on Mixcloud that will pulsate with the distinct beat of SIZE. We’re also forging exciting collaborations, including an electrifying partnership with Tomorrowland, along with a string of other surprises waiting just around the bend.”
Defected – “Understand the music you’re promoting”
“We’ve always stayed in our lane. While House music evolves, it would’ve been very easy to divert away from House music when the EDM boom was happening in the late 2000s. Defected remained true to House and as such, enjoyed a purple patch through the 2010’s and beyond. We have 26 labels in the Defected ecosystem, from the commercial end of D4 D4NCE, through the mothership Defected, into the underground and specialist labels. All offering the opportunity to release quality House music. For the vast majority of our releases, setting them up at the club level first with DJ promo is key. We then work the records through clubs, across social media, and then into specialist radio and streaming services. It’s important to set the foundation right for our releases, and in the main this begins at club level.
Our advice would be to understand how to promote music. Whether it’s DJ promo, radio promo, DSP pitching or social media, make sure you understand what it takes to truly work a record properly. You have to understand that trends come and go. If you remain true to yourself you will have moments that are more successful, and you’ll have moments where you will need to navigate through choppy waters. Learning how to do so whilst remaining consistent will be the biggest challenge. Ensuring everyone understands your mission statement and mantras whilst moving at 100 MPH is key to ensuring that your internal employees and external community are able to connect when marketing products. We’re excited to keep true to the history and heritage of the label whilst introducing new, fresh talent to keep House music alive.”
NAAFI – “Be ready to work hard“
“Our mission at NAAFI is to show the world what the Global South is doing and how amazing the music coming out of non-Western societies is. It’s been hard work, but our drive and the fact that we know what we’ve done all these years and what it means to us and others keeps our passion intact. When signing artists, we’re always looking for people with a character and the confidence to make music that is not meant to blend in with everything else. NAAFI is a platform for many artists, and that’s what keeps us relevant!
It’s important to trust the process as we understand that genres and scenes come in waves. You might be super popular one year and then maybe not so much next year. But it will come back your way eventually and if labels keep putting out good, interesting music, people will respect that and show their support. We have been very stubborn to push the music we push and we are super proud of being able to represent artists of all kinds. The biggest piece of advice we could give is to be ready to work a lot as running a label is not the easiest thing to do.”
Never Normal – “Never stop learning“
“There is no real secret to our longevity, just pacing. We never once aimed to drop a specific number of releases by a certain date and believe in quality over quantity. Next year we will be going into our 10th year as a label. Some years we’ve released a handful of records per year, other years just one or two. What has always been important to us is that artists get the chance to represent their creative ideas above all else. No matter the time it takes. We’ve always been open to trying new ideas and growing together with artists. The process is very mutual even when it’s not easy. It’s really a long game, more than building a label, it is world building. We don’t look at the music ‘industry’ but look to build a music ecosystem.
98% of the time, we find artists to connect with through live experiences. After we see a person play live, we know they have the courage it takes to push themselves out into the world. We find relatability in artists that are audio-visual minded or even in practice. Or have other interests that take a unique role in their lives in addition to music. We’re looking for people with the ability to be real. Sonically, an artist stands out to us when we can envision where and for who we would play their tracks to.
When it comes to promotion, the biggest thing is to create a narrative and conversation. When there is no narrative and conversation, it shortens the lifespan of what you push. After it’s out, we always remind artists that this is actually Day 1. NOW it’s our job to keep pushing this together in creative ways. People have to see and hear things multiple times before they really register with things. That’s one of the most challenging reminders to artists these days. Keep pushing even if you feel like it’s ‘done.’ That’s why we’ve always prioritized work over relevance. When you work with impactful people in an intentional way, you never have to worry about relevance.
Our advice for starting a label would be to prepare to be a student for life. The music ecosystem gets updates by the day and you have to be prepared to always be learning. Stay on top of your research for what has worked ‘traditionally’ so you can innovate new ways to do things that work best for you. Keep your approach genuine and intentional about why you do what you do at moments where you may feel less grounded. No one has ever had the answers, we’re all just experimenting.”