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Originally Posted by aligak  I follow music almost exactly the way you do although I probably follow about 30-40 labels and about 2 or 3 netlabels. Is a decent netlabel good an initial buzz or first time release or doe sit actually "ruin" your reputation as to make it more difficult to get onto "real" labels in the future? |
I think it does ruin your rep a bit. Its risky to sign to a poor label or a netlabel. Of course there are exceptions where the talent supercedes the past. I can only think of 2 or 3 artists that have a netlabel background and have had success elsewhere. Maybe there are more but its not really mentioned in the blurb about a release. You have to be really talented to overcome the "blemish" of being associated with crappy labels or netlabels.
It makes business sense, well known respected labels have a status to maintain, and the artists they sign have to have a decent to strong lineage of good releases on quality labels before they bite. Its kinda like "what school did they go to" type of deal. They get a lot of music, so its likely they go with artists who have built a status through good labels. And then when you're talking about media attention, they seem to be hip to the quality labels that have a good roster of artists more than some crap label no one has heard of. Honestly, its better to keep shopping till you find a better label before releasing on a poor label. And if its a label that does not get as much attention as the more well known labels but has a consistent following and interest from quality DJs, then this label is worth dealing with as well, again if the music is good it should find a way.
So indeed it is a risk to release on just any unknown/poor label, because this becomes part of your history as an artist. And EDM is very much an industry of association and connections.