Existing Music Labels

A record label is a trademark also known as a brand which is used for the marketing of recordings and music videos.

Major companies are also in control of the publishing and manages the trademark/brands as well as the production, marketing, promotion and the copyright of the artist.

Music artists have a connection with their music label due to having a contract with the label and manager.

Record labels

Most recording artists have become increasingly reliant upon record labels to broaden their consumer base, market their albums, and be both promoted and heard on mp3, radio, and television, with publicists that assist performers in positive media reports to market their merchandise, and make it available via stores and other media outlets. 

To avoid costs, some artists use the internet to target new audiences, as well as the use of videos to sell their products.

Music Industry

Record labels can be small and “independent” (“indie”) or they can be large and part of a large international media group.

As of 2012 there are only three labels that can be referred to as “major labels”.

A sublabel is a label that is part of a larger record company but trades under a different name.

Major vs. Independent

Warner Music Group is an American major global record company in New York City. Its one of the big four record companies.

Warner Music Group's music publishing company is Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's leading music publishers.

WMG also provides sales, marketing and distribution services for physical and digital, and audio and video products, both to its own labels and to leading independent labels

Major Labels

WMG recent achievements

Record companies and music publishers that are not under the control of the big three are generally considered to be independent (indie), even if they are large corporations with complex structures.

The term indie label is sometimes used to refer to only those independent labels that adhere to an independent criteria of corporate structure and size.

Indie label is sometimes considered to be almost any label that released non-mainstream music, regardless of its corporate structure.

Independent