A couple of days ago, we were discussing with a producer about the differences between being under a major, being independent and working with a “minor” label. Being a complex topic, we’ll develop it another day: today, we want to speak about minors, a reality that as always fascinated us!
“Minor Labels” are, historically, smaller independent labels, often focused on a niche and a main streaming channel. For example, Soundcloud labels were flourishing 3-4 years ago, while, more recently, huge Youtube Channels have introduced their related labels (such as Lowly, Tribal Trap, or Proximity).
Minors have more risks involved: in fact, they are often composed by a small team with a limited budget, targeting a niche of the market. Many of them didn’t survive the passage from Soundcloud to Spotify (such as Quartzo, TNC or Trano). However, a consequence of this is that there is passion and a lot of efforts behind their job. With minor labels, an artist is more likely to be supported and helped! This is a key advantage, especially at the beginning of a career. Their brands are easier to be recognized, since we speak about a niche.
So, in an era where majors are losing power (streaming services are leveraging the situation, but this is a topic for another article), a smaller reality can connect a producer with a loyal niche using its unique personality. Sure, sometimes there is unprofessionalism and disorganization, being small contexts, but it depends.
We have a love-hate relationships with minor labels: they are a constant source of fresh, interesting music, but their existence is often troubled. Surviving in the EDM scene isn’t easy.
What do you think?
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