How to Send a Demo to a Record Label (original) (raw)

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For independent artists, it can be tricky to get in touch with and send a demo to record labels. Artists used to send in physical copies of their demos on CDs or cassettes to record companies in hopes of landing a contract, but now, every music label navigates the digital world to find new artists to sign.

On one hand, the internet has made sending a demo to a record label easier than ever. On the other hand, it has led to an oversaturation of the market, making it more difficult to get your demos heard now than ever before. Many labels do not accept unsolicited submissions from artists because they are so overwhelmed with requests, so independent artists but go about it strategically. Here’s everything you need to know about how to send a demo to record labels, get your music heard, and potentially sign a contract.

If you want a direct channel to the inboxes of those working at a label, you can contact them through Groover. Their partnerships mean that no message gets lost in an inbox, and it only costs $2. Pitch your song to any curator of your choice and get a response in 7 days. If you don’t receive feedback, your credits will be returned to you to use on someone else. Browse Groover’s list of labels here!

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Are you looking to get your music heard by music labels, listening & feedback guaranteed within a week? ⬇️

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1. Prepare Your Demo Correctly

Quality

Any and all songs you’re looking to send to a record label must have gone through the mixing and mastering process in order to be of high quality. Your music should sound polished and professional – don’t consider sending anything until this is the case so as not to waste anyone’s time. You can always go into a recording studio and work with professionals if you need help and have the budget!

File Type

Be sure to use the correct file formats when exporting and sending your music. MP3 and WAV files are perfectly acceptable and often the preferred format for labels. Tag your files so that they can be found with a quick search in one’s computer, and include both your artist name and song title.

Getting a clean recording of your song is the first step to send a demo to record labels

2. Find Record Labels that Interest You

If you find record labels that correspond to your style and your expectations, you’re more likely to get a response. Focus on doing a little research to up your chances and only target labels you’d genuinely see yourself fitting into. Pay particular attention to:

• Musical Style
  • The music industry is a big machine that must use genres to properly pitch new artists to the music market in order to run their business, so find rosters that sound similar or adjacent to the music you make.
• Your Career Status
  • Some labels focus on emerging artists, while others will only sign a contract with artists that already have an established fanbase – which one are you?
• Offered Services
  • Do you want your label to take care of every aspect of your career, or are you just looking for help in the marketing and promotion of your work? Research what types of deals a label offers before reaching out.
• Other Indie Artists
  • Find artists who play in your city’s local scene or that you admire who have made it big independently. Check out who they’ve been signed with and if those labels interest you.

The Difference Between Major and Independent Labels

The three major labels, also known as the “Big Three”, are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. These labels own major subsidiaries that include big companies like Capitol, owned by Universal, and Columbia Records, owned by Sony. Major labels are known to have a lot of financial resources and influence, but they may not be adapted to the artist development of every musical project.

Independent labels run on independent funding and represented 31% of the recorded music market in 2020. These record labels range in size and notoriety and include the well known labels like Matador and XL Recordings. These labels could be better suited to growing your project than a big label, and have more time to invest in you. It’s also easier to get in touch with them!

3. How to Reach Out – Email, Submission Pages, and Private Links

Most labels have contact instructions on their website and social media pages – make sure to follow them! You do not want your demo to be discarded or ignored because you failed to follow their guidelines.

Contact by email or submission page is always preferred, and social media is often not. Though a DM may seem like the easiest way to reach out, almost all companies have a social media team running their pages that are not involved with the A&R/artist discovery process at all.

Links that could make listening to your music easier for a recipient are highly encouraged. Private links to SoundCloud, Untitled, YouTube, or Dropbox that have a download option are a great way to speed up the process for all parties. If someone from the label likes what they’re hearing, they can easily pass it along to a higher up in the company.

Sending a Demo to a Record Label through Groover

Often artists send demos to record labels and never get a response, but Groover has changed that. When you pitch a song through the platform, you can choose any of their 3000+ curators (including labels) to choose from and your message and song link will be sent straight to their inbox for just $2. If you don’t get a response within 7 days, you get your credits back. Choose a label and write a compelling pitch to build a connection in the industry and potentially sign a record deal! Discover the list of record labels available on Groover here 👀

4. How to Craft Your Message

• Make it Personal
  • Whether it’s a major or indie label, let them know why you’re contacting them specifically – show that you know who you are talking to and why they should be interested in signing you as a new artist.
• Be Straightforward
  • Professionals in the industry don’t have a lot of time, so be succinct and pitch your track in the fewest words possible while also selling yourself appropriately
• Title Things Correctly
  • Make sure to write “demo” in parentheses if your song is polished but not a finished product so it’s clear
• Explain Your Intentions
  • Are you looking for feedback? A recording contract? Help with promotion? Be clear about what you’re looking for so they know how best to help you.
• Share News
  • If you have an upcoming show that someone from the label could attend, invite them to come see you perform. It also helps to mention recent accolades (press, awards, streaming milestones) and upcoming releases.

5. Follow Up

It’s very normal not to receive a response for a couple weeks as labels are overrun with messages, so don’t be afraid to follow up in case your email got lost in the mix. Simply remind them that you reached out, and forward your original message along with the reminder. Following up with a label shows that you are actively interested and persistent.

6. Answer No Matter What

If you get a response and the feedback is not what you expected, make sure to answer anyway. The person on the other end took the time to listen and give you a response, show it goes a long way to show your appreciation. You’ll be building rapport either way, and know that they’ll likely listen to your next pitch too!

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Send your music to record labels on Groover, listening & feedback guaranteed within 7 days ⬇️

Mackenzie Leighton

Mackenzie Leighton is an indie-folk musician and florist originally from the Northeast United States. She has called Paris home since 2017, and her most recent EP "Fleuriste" is now available on all streaming platforms. Catch her at her next show in Paris! Main influences: Julia Jacklin, Devendra Banhart, Andy Shauf, Angel Olsen.