Prince says record contracts are “just like… slavery”

[MusicLover7]

"I would tell any young artist... don't sign"

https://consequenceofsound.net/2015/0...-like-slavery/

[Deja Vu]

Considering for like $50 CDBaby will put you on iTunes, Spotify, and every internet-connected bar Jukebox across the nation, I'd say a record deal is obsolete. Record deals have always been a nightmare but now there's a viable alternative. Not that it's easy, but it's possible, and you stand to gain a lot more if you can make it work.

In the 21st century I've seen a lot of really solid artists who ended up getting dicked around by their record label when they had a solid following and easily could have kept up some sort of a fanbase as an independent artist. It was bad enough when Silvertide couldn't release their second album but then when they did the same thing to Anna Nalick... after she had a huge hit. A lot of artists don't flourish until their second album. How can you take an artist with a promising start and refuse to even let them put out their second record?? Imagine Nirvana without Nevermind!! In the past there was no other option but as an independent artist they could have released their second albums and self-promoted it. They'd have to do a lot of promotion and it'd have to be a damn fine album to rise up through the ranks without a label backing it -- but think about it, with the label they didn't even get to release the album! So even the hard road up a steep mountain is a lot better than not even letting them try to climb.