EMPIRE's President Shares The Hardest Thing About Running A Music Label

Key Concepts:

• Independent Music Labels
• Gatekeepers in the Music Industry
• Major Labels vs. Independent Labels
• Artist Ownership of Masters
• Generational Wealth in Music
• Industry Norms and Perceptions

The Challenge of Independent Music Labels: Overcoming Gatekeeper Perceptions

The primary hurdle for independent music labels is the pervasive influence of "gatekeepers" who operate outside the direct industry. These gatekeepers, often comprised of the general public and industry observers, are deeply entrenched in the familiarity of major label names and perceive them as the sole arbitrum of star creation. This ingrained perception creates a significant barrier for independent labels seeking recognition and legitimacy.

The Advantages of Independent Labels for Artists

The transcript highlights a crucial argument: independent labels are not only beneficial but often superior for artists. The core advantage lies in the ability of artists to own their masters. This ownership is fundamental to building generational wealth, a concept often overlooked or disbelieved due to the historical dominance of major label structures. By retaining ownership, artists can control their intellectual property and benefit directly from its long-term exploitation, a stark contrast to the traditional model where masters are often owned by the label.

Challenging Industry Norms and Perceptions

The difficulty faced by independent labels stems from the deeply ingrained norm of how the music industry historically operated. The established major label systems created a precedent where success was synonymous with being signed to a large, established entity. This has led to a widespread disbelief that significant success and wealth generation are achievable through independent channels. The transcript emphasizes the need for independent labels to "claw and scratch" to educate and convince both artists and the wider industry that their model is not only viable but advantageous.

Key Argument and Supporting Evidence:

The central argument is that the perception of major labels as the only path to stardom is a misconception perpetuated by industry gatekeepers and historical norms. The supporting evidence for the superiority of independent labels is the direct benefit to artists: ownership of masters, which directly enables the creation of generational wealth. This contrasts with the implicit evidence of the major label system, where artists often relinquish ownership and, consequently, long-term financial control.

Notable Statements:

• "The hardest thing about running an independent music label is the gatekeepers that are outside of that industry because people are so used to knowing the major names and the major labels."
• "They feel they are the only ones that can produce the stars."
• "an independent label, one is great for an artist and better for an artist because they allow they're allowed to be able to own their masters and build generational wealth."
• "most people don't believe that that is possible because of the norm of how the music industry started with the the major systems."

Technical Terms and Concepts:

• Gatekeepers: Individuals or entities that control access to a particular industry or market. In this context, it refers to those who influence perceptions of success and legitimacy in the music industry, often outside of direct artist-label relationships.
• Masters: The original recordings of a musical work. Ownership of masters grants the right to control and profit from the reproduction and distribution of that recording.
• Generational Wealth: Assets that can be passed down from one generation to the next, providing financial security and opportunity. In music, this is directly linked to owning intellectual property like master recordings.

Logical Connections:

The transcript establishes a clear cause-and-effect relationship. The existence of "gatekeepers" and the "norm of how the music industry started with the major systems" (cause) leads to the perception that only major labels can create stars and the disbelief in the potential of independent labels (effect). The transcript then presents the "artist ownership of masters" and the ability to "build generational wealth" as the counter-argument and the inherent advantage of independent labels (solution/alternative).

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The core takeaway is that the success of independent music labels is significantly hampered by external perceptions shaped by the historical dominance of major labels. These "gatekeepers" often fail to recognize the profound benefits independent labels offer artists, particularly the crucial ability to own their masters and thus build lasting generational wealth. Overcoming this ingrained skepticism and educating the industry and public about the advantages of the independent model is the primary challenge and the key to unlocking greater potential for artists and labels alike.