The most worthy advise regarding music promotion is coming from insiders and the CEO of Sony Music UK, Nick Gatfield, is the real master of the field.
The direction of his team – the biggest pop artist in the world like Bob Dilan, Barbra Streisand, King of Leon, Pink, and Justin Timberlake.
And he gives us some precious advice on how to be successful in the modern music world. Rules to follow is clear and suitable for producers and artists.
How do you get a record deal?
The question is how to get the attention of the Major Record Company. First, don’t say that anything is unsolicited, it is completely wasting time. Make sure you have an online presence, catch social media, put your music out.
‘Don’t send anything in unsolicited. It’s a complete and utter waste of time.’
It means to make noise online and then do an offline activity. I want to see an act first, some sort of online presence. Many people sending just random recording to email, but I’m not interested in artist s who didn’t build an online community.
We have around 3-5 k sent submissions a year that eventually sound 20 and that is incredibly tough.
What do you look for in an act?
it doesn’t matter what sort of music you make, important is music that comes from you, inside you. It’s not that important to be commercially variable. I’m not interested in an artist that comes to me and says said, ok guys what do you want me to do. We are more interested in an artist with a single vision. it much more about follow the artist’s creativity and provide a support service around that.
‘You have to be single-minded, be absolutely focused on what you wanna do and create something that is unique as well. ‘
Should You Self Release or Go For a Major Label?
It has been argued, it’s more commercially virulent to release your own music independently rather than trying to signed by a major record label.
Nevertheless, dealing with labels have numerous advantages.
“How you get noticed first by coming in here [major label] is by creating a digital profile for yourself…you don’t have to be spoon fed by a major record label…if you get signed, you haven’t made it…it use to be a simple business…now, you’ve got to do all the groundwork before you even begin to go to what I call mass media.”
According to Nick Gatfield, primarily artist or producer have to create an online buzz for your brand and music. That way, you and the record label understand that your music is resonating with a certain group of people.
But for a qualitative leap, the huge push is needed and record labels is the best shot!