MED

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Map 1: UK Record Company

The function of a record company (or record label) is to find and sign artists / acts and appropriate material (songs), record them professionally, promote the records (product) and associated artist(s) via the media (TV / radio / press / online / clubs) and release in bulk through to retail outlets and digital services for consumers to purchase.


MD: Managing director of record company (team leader). Sets budgets, plans overall company strategy, liaises with BPI and possibly government.BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (DIGITAL): Responsible for developing new online / digital business models. The music industry is experiencing great changes in the way business is conducted. The advent of new media (iPhones / digital downloading) is changing the way music is bought and sold. Negotiate with digital distributors, ISPs and mobile phone companies. It is anticipated that the majority of music sales will be digital / online by 2012. BUSINESS/LEGAL: (Some employees are qualified lawyers). Responsible for negotiating all contracts / agreements, setting budgets for each act / release / department (along with MD,Marketing and A&R), planning business strategy and when necessary handling court cases on behalf of the label or its artists. FINANCE: (Usually qualified accountant). Handle all company income and expenditure, compile company accounts, liaise with inland revenue / MCPS / PPL / VPL HUMAN RESOURCES: Responsible for all aspects of staffing. Interviews, employment contract details, wage levels, training and development, employee relationsand communications. SUBSIDIARY LABEL 1: First type of subsidiary or associated label. In this case only A&R and Administration are separate. All other work (marketing, promotion, etc.) is undertaken by the ‘mother’ label. Often smaller label is specialist (R ‘n’ B, techno, metal, etc.) with office inside the mother company’s building. Not a true independent as label requires other departments of larger label to operate. This is only one example of the ways in which a subsidiary / associated label may operate. A&R: ARTIST AND REPERTOIRE lies at the heart of the record company. Responsible for all interaction between record company and acts (usually via their management) signed to the record company. Organises the selection (signing), recording, production and co-ordination of acts and material (songs). Large record companies (or labels) will have several A&R staff dealing with different styles of music and working at different levels (scouts, senior A&R, Head of A&R). MARKETING: (or PRODUCT MANAGEMENT) work closely with A&R and ARTIST MANAGEMENT to create a marketing strategy for each act signed to the label. Agree desired image / public perception for act and then select / approach appropriate media outlets to reach desired market (Smash Hits for teen acts, NME for guitar acts, etc.). This is sometimes known as ‘positioning’. Work closely with other departments to design sleeves and posters, video, advertising and photo shoots. Also authorise manufacture of product (CDs). In a nutshell it is their job to ensure act / product get noticed in the correct light / right place / right time and sell records. Marketing personnel also liaise closely with sales department to establish retail and online marketing approach. PRODUCTION: Responsible for co-ordinating the manufacture of the physical product (CDs / Vinyl) in the correct quantities at the correct time. SALES & DISTRIB.: Oversee distribution and sales of product (physical / digital). Ensure sufficient product reaches shops / digital master reaches online services in time for release date. Regular contact with DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES to check sales information. Will have knowledge of retail environment, geographic sales patterns for each product, best retail approach to target market(s) for each release and identify new sales opportunities (e.g. supermarkets, web, etc..). Sales and distribution personnel will most likely prioritise key accounts (HMV, iTunes, Asda, etc) as these outlets represent the largest part of record sales. DIGITAL OPERATIONS: Responsible for all aspects of internet marketing and sales of company product these departments are relatively new to record companies but are expected to be a rapidly developing element in the foreseeable future. CREATIVE / VIDEO: Commission video for single release. Select director, discuss story / content, book studios / locations and ensure act appears on time. PROMOTION: (or RADIO / TV PLUGGING). Essentially the radio and TV equivalent of a press officer. Aim is to gain maximum airplay (appropriate to desired ‘position’) for song / video of acts on record label. As with press, contacts could be regional (Radio Scotland, BBC Wales, etc.) or national (Radio 1, Chart show, etc.) or both. PRESS: Aim to have an article / review / interview / photo printed in every appropriate newspaper and magazine whenever a record company act is playing live, releasing a record or recording new material. Press officers have to persuade each journalist to write about their acts. Often attend interviews / photo sessions. Work closely with MARKETING. May work regionally (Glasgow Herald, Belfast Telegraph, etc.) or nationally (Q, Sun, etc.) Type of press sought will be indicated by A&R and marketing dependent upon desired ‘positioning’ of act / product. Also responsible for online press promotion. Press officers often work weeks / months ahead of release date. </b>MANUFACTURING</b>: (or PRESSING PLANT). Company which manufactures the CDs, cassettes and records. The record company provides the master tape and specifies the quantity of each format required (production run). Finished product is then sent to distribution company. <b>DISTRIBUTION COMPANY</b>:Organisation responsible for placing product in shops in time for release. National distribution involves driving to record retail outlets all over the UK. Distributor also informs record company (sales / dist.) of sales and pre-sales (advance) figures for each release to give early indication of success. RETAIL OUTLETS: Any shop / purchase point at which the public can purchase recorded music products (i.e. record shops, supermarkets, service stations, internet, etc.) SUBSIDIARY LABEL 2: Second type of subsidiary or associated label. In this case the label only works with the sales and distribution department of the larger company. All other functions (A&R, press, marketing, etc.) are undertaken by the subsidiary label itself. This allows the smaller label to remain artistically independent while benefiting from the larger label’s sales / distribution network. STUDIO: Building where artist records songs. Technologically advanced (and often expensive) equipment is required to record professionally. Normally one or more recording rooms where the musicians perform and a control room where the recordings are made and the producer and act listen back to each track / song. Record or publishing companies may own recording studios to allow their artists / song writers greater access. RECORD PRODUCER: Responsible for overall sound of the recording. May also help with arrangement / structure of material and suggest additional musicians / parts. Usually meets act / artist prior to recording to discuss ideas / studio requirements. May also be DJ / re-mixer producing alternative mix of song for club / dance market. ENGINEER: (or tape operator). Operates all studio equipment. Often resident in studio. Understands (and usually maintains and repairs) mixing desks, tape machines, processors and all other recording equipment. Most engineers have technical qualifications and some progress to becoming producers. SESSION MUSICIAN: Additional instrumental performer brought in to add extra sound / part to recording. May be requested by either artist or producer. Will often be required to play previously unheard part for unknown song in one or two takes. (e.g. brass, percussion, strings or backing vocals). MEDIA: All press / radio / TV including music-specific media (TOTP, NME, Radio 1) and general media with music content (TFI Friday, Guardian, etc.). The media is usually considered to be split into regional and national. INTERNATIONAL: The international record company is based within the UK record company and essentially deals with the promotion and sales of domestic (ie UK or Irish) artists abroad. Each country (or territory) with a substantial record market will have its own international office (e.g. EMI France, EMI Germany, EMI Japan, etc.) which co-ordinates the promotion and sales in that country for its acts. Foreign artists (USA, Europe, etc.) signed to the label’s company in their country of origin work with A&R / marketing in the main UK label offices to assist promotion and sales in the UK. TERRITORIES ABROAD: Countries abroad are usually referred to as territories. They will be grouped in a way which makes sense to the record company. For example Europe may be considered as one territory. DIGITAL SERVICES: DSPs (Digital Service Providers), aggregators, streaming and subscription services, D2C (Direct to consumer services) and artist websites all provide digital music services to the consumer. Increasingly these are becoming the more important part of music sales. Several models for digital distribution and sales currently exist. It is not easy to tell which will be the most popular / successful service in the future.