How do I get discovered by a record company??????????????

Question

if anyone here in Yahoo has been, please tell me how you did! I will settle for answers from anyone who knows what they're preaching, though.

Answer 1

The main criteria I'm aware of are:

1) Draw a crowd, either at live events or via downloads of your material on the internet. Nothing gets noticed faster than the fact that people want to hear your stuff or see you play live.

2) Get some radio play. Be aware that ever few years, there is a big payola scandal, and this is because record companies do not want YOU or anyone else to get radio play because they want to push their artists that they've invested money behind. But if by some miracle you can get a relationship with a DJ (like invite him to your shows, or get people he knows to come to your shows) you might just get some radio play.

3) YouTube (or similar sites) where you can get a video uploaded. A clever one that somehow stands out from the crowd of millions of other videos. See #1. This means that you should have a unique look.

4) One resource you might be able to use is the instrument manufactuer/s of the gear you have. If you play a Fender guitar, contact Fender and see if they have some events planned where you might perform in front of other industry people. The NAMM convention is a good place for that sort of thing.

Unfortunately, some of this is "catch-22". For instance, some instrument manufacturers ask that you have label representation before they will take you on as an endorser.

Mainly, be awesome, and stick with it, and perform all over the place, draw fans, send out demo tapes, forge relationships and eventually, you'll make it. Be sure to have some thick skin and don't sign anything without a lawyer looking it over first and explaining what it means to you.

Answer 2

Play the famous clubs, a lot of promoters are often in these clubs looking for new talent. Go to New York and play as many places as you can, even in the subway, you never know. If you know there's a famous promoter in a club offer to play for free. Send tons of demos to everyone you can think of, and if your good enough someone will eventually notice. Do anything that you have to do in order to be seen, if your ambitious enough you'll do anything that it takes and hopefully someone will discover you, good luck !!!

Answer 3

You can try going to the studios and leaving a demo tape there, or by doing small gigs in bars/lounges. Try going to the Apollo in Harlem, a lot of people get signed that way too.

Answer 4

Stand in front of their studio performing. That's how many musicians were discovered.