In this episode, I break down four deceptively simple rules inspired by Make Your Own Rules by Andrew Huang — rules that every creative entrepreneur, indie artist, and record label owner needs to understand:

• Do things you want to do

• Don’t do things you want to do

• Do things you don’t want to do

• Don’t do things you don’t want to do

Confusing? Good.

PRESENTED BY LANDR: landr.com/otherrecordlabels

These four ideas will completely reshape how you prioritize your time, evaluate opportunities, set boundaries, and build something truly original.

If you run a label, make records, or consider yourself DIY — this episode is about the daily decisions that quietly determine your long-term success.

Book Recommends: http://otherrecordlabels.com/books

“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.

---- 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

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

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

5. 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.

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

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.

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

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

People love to say there’s no money in the music industry. And honestly? It can feel that way—especially when you’re just getting started.

In Episode 6 of How to Start a Record Label This Year, Scott tackles this myth head-on and shares what he’s seen firsthand after nearly a decade of working with independent labels across every genre imaginable. Not major labels. Not household names. Real, niche, often obscure labels that are quietly building sustainable, profitable businesses.

This episode breaks down:

• Why some indie labels are thriving while others stay stuck

• The difference between struggling revenue streams and sustainable ones

• Traditional label income (streaming, physical sales, sync, merch)

• Why the healthiest labels rely on multiple revenue streams

• How predictable income and release cycles balance each other

• The power of creating one unique revenue stream no one else has

Scott explains why diversification—not chasing trends—is what keeps labels alive long-term, and why many of the most inspiring labels succeed by combining music with something bigger: studios, stores, education, events, or entirely new ideas that only they could create.

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

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

In Episode 5 of How to Start a Record Label This Year, Scott walks through what actually happens when you’re ready to release music—and how to do it in a way that gives your record the best possible chance to succeed.

From choosing the right release date to working backward months in advance, this episode breaks down the practical realities of releasing music today, especially if you’re dealing with physical formats, digital distribution, and limited time and resources.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to choose a release date that serves the music (not just the calendar)

• Why working backward from release day is essential—especially for vinyl and physical formats

• What assets you need before release day (artwork, photos, videos, press materials, instrumentals)

• How pre-release singles, preorders, and promotion fit into a release timeline

• Why release day is not the finish line—and how to think about the long tail of your music