Other Record Labels

There's no single right way to run a record label. And sometimes, listening to too much advice—even from this podcast—can make you feel like you're doing everything wrong.

In this episode of Other Record Labels, we're talking about the importance of finding your own way as a label owner, and why copying someone else's strategy isn't always the answer.

Podcasts, books, and industry experts can provide incredible ideas and inspiration. But there's a downside: they can also convince you that you need to do everything you're hearing.

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Presented by Squarespace - Use coupon code ORL10 to get 10% off your first record label website with Squarespace: www.otherrecordlabels.com/squarespace

What does starting a record label actually look like?

James Nixon is documenting the entire process.

James is a pianist, working parent, and the founder of Fern Rose Records. What began with sharing piano ideas online eventually turned into a plan to record the music he plays for his family, press it to vinyl, and build an independent record label around it.

In this episode, we talk about why he decided to start a label, building an audience by being genuinely useful, documenting the process publicly, turning followers into supporters, manufacturing vinyl, funding a first release, and figuring things out as you go.

It’s a great look at what starting a small record label actually looks like when you’re right in the middle of doing it.

Learn more about Fern Rose Records at fernroserecords.com.

 

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace.

Build a beautiful website for your record label, artist project, or creative business at otherrecordlabels.com/squarespace.

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http://otherrecordlabels.com/labelmates

What if releasing more music is actually more important than making every release perfect?

In this episode, I make the case for quantity over quality—and why independent artists and record labels may need to rethink the traditional album cycle altogether.

We’ll talk about release frequency, building a catalogue, perfectionism, streaming momentum, and why we’re probably not very good judges of which of our own songs are actually the “best.”

This isn’t an argument for making bad music. It’s an argument for making more music, releasing more often, and giving yourself more chances to connect with listeners.

Presented by Hellbender Vinyl - hellbendervinyl.com

Presented by Hellbender Vinyl - http://www.hellbendervinyl.com

Poison Furrows is an underground label releasing black metal, dark folk, dark ambient, dungeon synth, and other music from the darker corners of independent music.

In this conversation, we talk about building a label around personal taste, why physical formats still matter in niche music communities, and the different roles of cassettes, CDs, and vinyl. We also get into artist relationships, pressing records, finding new music, managing the cost and risk of physical releases, and why slowing down can sometimes be an important part of building a sustainable label.