Other Record Labels

“Twenty years as an artist prepared me to serve other artists better.”

This week on Other Record Labels, Scott sits down with Chris Kelly, founder of Alt Dub Records, a UK-based dub techno label that’s been quietly selling out vinyl releases and building serious momentum in under two years.

Presented by LANDR - landr.otherrecordlabels.com

 

Chris is an artist-first label owner with decades of experience in sound, design, and culture — and it shows. In this wide-ranging, unplanned conversation, we dig into Chris’s musical roots, his obsession with imperfection, how strong branding and genre focus fuel demand, and why patience (especially with vinyl) is one of the hardest skills to learn as a label owner.

www.altdub.com

bandcamp.altdub.com

Why aren’t your records selling?

This week, I’m breaking down five common reasons your CDs, tapes, vinyl (and even your streams) might be stuck… and what to do about it.

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Presented by LANDR - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels

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No, I’m not promising you’ll magically sell out overnight. But I do believe in the compound effect: a bunch of small 1% improvements that add up—going from no sales → a few sales → more sales → “okay wait… this is working.”

Everything in this episode comes from a mix of my own experience, the labels I’ve interviewed and learned from, and one underrated perspective: I’m also a buyer. I’m constantly checking out new music, adding albums to Apple Music, ordering on Bandcamp, digging through stores… and I can’t tell you how often a label makes it weirdly difficult to even listen to the music, let alone buy it.

So here are the five reasons your records aren’t moving:

You make it really hard
If people can’t instantly hear what you do and instantly find where to buy it, you’re losing them. Fast.

You’re not asking (explicitly)
Press is great—but are you actually selling to retailers, distros, and your buyer list? One post isn’t a campaign.

Your package is unappealing
Artwork, presentation, bundling, and the whole campaign vibe matter more than most labels want to admit.

Your pricing structure is off
Too high, too low, shipping friction, perceived value—pricing is psychology and math.

Your music is bad (or not interesting yet)
Sometimes it’s not ready. Sometimes it’s the wrong fit. Sometimes it’s “good” in the worst way: forgettable. Let’s talk about aiming for interesting.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, this episode is meant to give you practical tweaks you can make immediately—without turning your label into some salesy corporate robot.

Listen now and pick one change to implement this week.

AI is showing up everywhere in the music industry — writing emails, summarizing deals, generating marketing plans… and now, drafting contracts.

But just because AI can help with music law, doesn’t mean it should.


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Presented by LANDR - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels
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In this episode, I sit down with Cassandra Spangler, a New York–based music and entertainment attorney, to talk honestly about the growing trend of artists and indie labels using AI tools like ChatGPT for legal work — and why that can quietly put your catalog, your money, and your artists at serious risk.

We dig into:

Why AI-generated contracts often sound legit — even when they’re wrong

The hidden dangers of missing clauses, loopholes, and jurisdiction issues

Why “I didn’t understand the contract” isn’t a legal defense

The lack of accountability, confidentiality, and attorney-client privilege with AI

How artists and labels are using AI the right way — as a starting point, not a replacement

This isn’t an anti-AI episode. I openly talk about how I use AI daily — including for this podcast. But when it comes to contracts, rights, royalties, and long-term careers, this conversation draws a clear line between helpful tools and costly shortcuts.


**Get in Touch with Cassandra Spangler: https://www.cspanglermusiclaw.com/

You should download my free TOOLKIT for new record labels... http://otherrecordlabels.com/toolkit

 

Thanks to LANDR for sponsoring this episode. landr.com/otherrecordlabels


Starting a record label is exciting—but sticking with it is where the real work begins.

In Episode 8 of How to Start a Record Label This Year, Scott focuses on one of the most important (and underrated) qualities of successful labels: consistency. Not hustle. Not volume. Not chasing trends—but showing up in a sustainable, repeatable way over time.

This episode explores:

Why consistency matters more than frequency

Choosing a release cadence you can actually maintain

The difference between full-length releases, singles, and supplemental content

How the pipeline supports consistency and prevents burnout

Why a label’s greatest asset is its catalog, not any single release

How labels act as a bridge between artists and music fans

Scott reframes the role of a record label as a long-term conduit—balancing the infinite appetite of music fans with the creative rhythms of artists—and explains how thoughtful consistency builds trust, momentum, and sustainability for everyone involved.

You should download my free TOOLKIT for new record labels... http://otherrecordlabels.com/toolkit

 

Thanks to LANDR for sponsoring this episode. landr.com/otherrecordlabels

 

Contracts and royalties are where a lot of people get stuck—and for good reason. Record labels have a long history of bad deals, broken trust, and artists getting the short end of the stick. In Episode 7 of How to Start a Record Label This Year, Scott tackles this head-on and explains how modern independent labels can do things differently.

This episode walks through the fundamentals of contracts and royalties from a practical, empathetic perspective—without legal jargon and without pretending there’s a one-size-fits-all solution.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why you do need contracts—and why they protect artists as much as labels

When to involve a music attorney (and why templates and AI contracts fall short)

Common contract terms artists actually care about (term length, exclusivity, territory)

How licensing master recordings works for indie labels

Why 50/50 profit sharing has become a modern standard

How to structure fair splits while keeping the label sustainable

The importance of having these conversations before any music is released

Scott emphasizes that the most important part of any contract isn’t the paperwork—it’s the conversation. Clear expectations, honest communication, and transparency from day one are what turn contracts from something scary into something empowering.