The chances of landing a contract from a major record company such as Atlantic are very slim, but by following a few steps, you can get your foot in the door. Relationship building will get your music heard, and if it is good enough and the label thinks it will make money, you may be signed to a contract.
Promote your band in your hometown. Record labels are always looking for bands that are marketable nationally, but they should first have a following where they live. Bands that can draw hundreds of fans to a club on any given night are, in effect, test-marketing themselves. If your band has a fan base in a major metropolitan area, the chances are good that you will do well nationally. That's appealing to a major record label such as Atlantic.
Reach out to lower-level representatives at Atlantic.The label will often have unpaid local scouts who can come to your area. If you can get them to attend a show or send them demos, they may champion you at the label. This may persuade an A&R rep to come to a show as well. Establish relationships in the music industry and at the label so your band gets checked out at a performance. With luck, this could lead to being signed.
Sign up for a music industry service such as Taxi or Hit Quarters (see Resources). These websites often provide tips to get you in touch with A&R representatives, including those from Atlantic, as well as ways to submit music to reps. HitQuarters is one of the best resources for contact information for reps from Atlantic and has the email addresses of these people as well as phone numbers. Give them a call and try to start a relationship.
Hire an entertainment attorney with connections at Atlantic. A&R reps only take solicited materials from people they trust in the music industry. This protects them from lawsuits and screens out the many underdeveloped artists in the marketplace. If an entertainment attorney likes your music and sees potential, and thinks he could make money eventually, he may try to get you signed to a major label like Atlantic.
Writer Bio
Christian Mullen is a graduate from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor's degree in finance. He has written content articles online since 2009, specializing in financial topics. A professional musician, Mullen also has expert knowledge of the music industry and all of its facets.
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