An independent record label (or indie label) is a music company that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels. These labels typically function as small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Independent labels and their artists are often represented by regional trade associations, which are in turn represented globally by the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN).
Many of the labels started as producers and distributors of specific genres of music, such as jazz music, or represent something new and non-mainstream, such as Elvis Presley in the early days. Indies release rock, soul, R&B, jazz, blues, gospel, reggae, hip hop, and world music. Music appearing on indie labels is often referred to as indie music, or more specifically by genre, such as indie hip-hop.
Overview Independent record labels are small companies that produce and distribute records. They are not affiliated with or funded by the three major record labels. According to SoundScan and the Recording Industry Association of America, indie labels produce and distribute about 66% of music titles, but only account for 20% of sales.
Many musical artists begin their careers on independent labels, hoping to further grow their career into signing with a record label.
The distinction between major and independent labels is not always clear. The traditional definition of a major label is a label that owns its distribution channel. Some independent labels, particularly those with successful artists, sign dual-release or distribution-only agreements with major labels. They may also rely on international licensing deals and other arrangements with major labels. Major labels sometimes fully or partially acquire independent labels.
Other nominally independent labels are started and sometimes run by artists on major labels but are still fully or partially owned by the major label. These labels are frequently referred to as vanity labels or boutique labels, and are intended to appease established artists or allow them to discover and promote newer artists.
According to the Association of Independent Music, "A 'major' is defined in AIM's constitution as a multinational company which (together with the companies in its group) has more than 5% of the world market(s) for the sale of records or music videos. The majors are currently Sony, Warner Music (WMG) and the Universal Music Group (UMG), with EMI and BMG (RCA/Ariola International) being the other two majors that made up the 'Big 5' of the 1980s and 1990s. If a major owns 50% or more of the total shares in a company, that company would (usually) be owned or controlled by that major."
History Independent labels have historically anticipated developments in popular music, beginning with the post-war period in the United States.Rogan, Johnny (1992). "Introduction" in The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music. Guinness Publishing. Disputes with major labels led to a proliferation of smaller labels specializing in country, jazz, and blues. Sun Records played an important part in the development of rock 'n' roll and country music, working with artists such as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Charlie Rich. These independent labels usually aimed their releases at a small but loyal audience. They relied less on mass sales and were able to provide artists much more opportunity for experimentation and artistic freedom.
1940s–1960s During the 1940s and early 1950s, the American music business was altered by the emergence of self-made recording studios. Many of these owners realized that whichever label first publishes a song is legally entitled to receive compensation for every record sold. Jazz musicians pioneered a new subset of independent labels, companies operated by the artists themselves.Crépon, Pierre. "Wire Playlist: Musician-Owned Record Labels in Jazz in the 1940s–60s", The Wire, July 2020. Following the original pioneers of the music industry, many new labels were launched over the following decades by people with industry experience. R&B independent labels such as Savoy, Apollo, King, Modern, Mercury, Imperial, Specialty, Red Robin, Duke and Vee-Jay Records were founded. Alongside labels such as King Records, Sun Records, and Stax,Rogan, Johnny (1992) "Introduction" in The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music, Guinness Publishing, which played a crucial role in the development of jazz, rhythm and blues, and early rock and roll, genres initially sidelined by major companies, these independent labels were also responsible for pioneering both musical innovation and production techniques that major labels would later emulate, with Atlantic being the first label to make recordings in stereo, while Sun and Chess introduced slapback echo and makeshift echo chambers.
Additionally, independent labels were often the only platforms available for marginalized artists in America at the time, which included many African-American musicians, as viable mediums to release and distribute their work. In 1959, guitarist John Fahey established Takoma Records, an early example of an artist owned label that became influential to the development of American Primitivism.
During the 1960s, rock label Elektra and R&B labels such as Motown and Stax Records released singles and albums. In the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s, the major labels EMI, Philips, and Decca had so much power that smaller labels struggled to establish themselves. Several British producers launched independent labels, including Joe Meek (Triumph Records), Andrew Loog Oldham (Immediate Records), and Larry Page (Page One Records). Chrysalis Records, launched by Chris Wright and Terry Ellis, was perhaps the most successful independent label from that era.
Prior to the late 1970s, major record companies held so much power that independent labels struggled to establish themselves. During this time, some popular artists formed their own labels, such as the Beatles' Apple Records, Frank Zappa's Straight and Bizarre Records, as well as the Rolling Stones' Rolling Stones Records and Grateful Dead's Grateful Dead Records. However, these ventures often failed commercially or were eventually absorbed by major labels, until the launch of new labels like Virgin Records.
Independent labels gained further prominence in the American 1960s underground music scene such as ESP-Disk and International Artists. Other independent labels included those in Germany's krautrock scene like Kraftwerk's own label Kling Klang Records as well as Ohr, Brain, and Sky Records.
Internationally, the situation was different. In Sweden, three of the four biggest rock bands at the time were signed and saw great commercial success with independent labels. These included Hep Stars (Olga Records), Tages (Platina Records) and Ola & the Janglers (Gazell Records). According to Företagskällan, these three artists secured an interest for minor record labels, a situation which otherwise would have led to 'the big five' having full control of the Swedish music scene during the 1980s.
1970s: Punk and DIY Early independents of the 1970s included labels such as MAM Records, set up by the Gordon Mills' Management Agency & Music company. However MAM, like many of the small independents in the United Kingdom ended up signing a distribution deal with a major to remain viable, with MAM's records being licensed and distributed by Decca until it was sold to Chrysalis.
During the punk rock era, the number of independent labels grew as they became integral to the early years of punk rock musical distribution, as seen with Beserkley Records in the US, who put out the debut album of The Modern Lovers which was recorded years earlier. In the UK, independent label Stiff Records released the first UK punk single "New Rose" by the Damned. In Australia, Brisbane band the Saints had their first punk release outside the US, "(I'm) Stranded", on their own "Fatal Records" label. This was followed by the Go-Betweens releasing "Lee Remick" a few months later.Lazell, Barry (1997). "Indie Hits 1980–1989", Cherry Red Books.
On January 29, 1977, Manchester-band Buzzcocks released Spiral Scratch, which, alongside The Desperate Bicycles' early singles, showed listeners how to produce and distribute their own records independently at very low cost, inspiring a wave of DIY punk bands like Swell Maps, 'O' Level, and Television Personalities who helped popularize independent rock releases. By 1979, independent record label Rough Trade released the album Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers which went on to be the first independently-released album to sell over 100,000 copies and enter the UK Top 20. This success sparked major record companies' interest in independent music and by the end of the decade, the establishment of the UK indie charts signaled the growing popularity of the movement. The BBC documentary "Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade"Wilson, Chris (13 March 2009). Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade (Television production). stated that:Other notable early indie labels include Mute, 4AD, Factory, Beggars Banquet and Creation Records.
1980s: Compilations, post-punk and indie music The late 1970s saw the establishment of independent distribution companies such as Pinnacle and Spartan, providing independent labels an effective means of distribution without involving the major labels. Distribution was further improved with the establishment of 'The Cartel', an association of companies such as Rough Trade Records, Backs Records, and Red Rhino, which helped to take releases from small labels and get them into record shops nationwide.
The UK Indie Chart was first compiled in 1980, with the first number one being "Where's Captain Kirk?" by Spizz and his band (billed on the record as Spizzenergi). "Where's Captain Kirk?" had been a constant seller for Geoff Travis' Rough Trade Records, but never got into the chart compiled by BMRB (British Market Research Bureau) as a lot of independent stores were not chart return shops and because a more accurate way of collating sales via EPOS (electronic point-of-sale systems) had yet to be introduced. The chart was unrelated to a specific genre, and the chart featured a diverse range of music, from punk to reggae, MOR, and mainstream pop, including many songs in the late 1980s by artists like Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan on the PWL label.
Even though PWL's releases were mainly Hi-NRG-influenced disco-pop, the label was independently distributed and did have a music fan (Pete Waterman) at its helm, which the label was closely associated with. Other founders of independent labels in this era included Ivo Watts-Russell (4AD), Alan Horne (Postcard), Daniel Miller (Mute), Alan McGee (Creation) and Tony Wilson (Factory).
The UK Indie Chart became a major source of exposure for artists on independent labels, with the top ten singles regularly aired on the national television show The Chart Show. By the late 1980s, the major labels had identified that there was an opportunity in indie music and so teamed up with many of the main figures of the indie scene to launch indie music record labels. WEA (Warner/Elektra/Atlantic) teamed up with Geoff Travis and él Records' Mike Alway to launch Blanco y Negro, followed a few years later by Alan McGee's Elevation label (even though some indie fans viewed this development in a negative way, WEA set up Korova in 1979 for Zoo Record's Echo & the Bunnymen, with Zoo Records being the Liverpool-based label of Bill Drummond and David Balfe). The term "alternative" was increasingly used to describe artists, and "indie'" was more often used to describe a broad range of guitar-based rock and pop.