Labels Major Record Indie Music Signing Contract Smaller

A "record label" is the name of the company that produced a song or album, and its name and "logo" (an image representing an organization or business) appears on the CD. The largest record labels are "referred to as" (called) "major labels." The major labels have more "funding" (money), larger "distribution networks" (connections needed to send music to many different stores), and powerful marketing departments that can "promote" (advertise) new music. Signing a contract with a major label "virtually" (almost; pretty much) guarantees "commercial success" (profitability; the ability to make money from selling something).

Smaller, independent music producers, more commonly known as "indie" record labels, don't have as much funding, power, or "reach" (ability to communicate with a large number of people) as the major labels. However, their small size gives them some advantages. Indie labels are able to specialize in specific "genres" (types of music) and can work with "performing artists" (singers, musicians and actors) who are "pushing the envelope" (moving beyond the limits or expectations in a certain field).

"Whereas" (while, used for contrasting two ideas) major record labels need to produce popular music that will reach a very large national or international audience, indie record labels can focus on reaching a smaller, more specialized, and "devoted" (committed) audience. This lets the artists be more "experimental" (try new things) and creative.

Many musicians and musical groups that begin their career with indie record labels end up signing a contract with major labels once they become popular. In other cases, major labels buy the indie record label as the size of its "audience" (listeners and customers) grows. But some artists are able to succeed nationally or even internationally with only the "backing" (support) of an indie label.