Labels: Making Independent Music

Three companies dominate the music industry, while thousands of small independent record labels have emerged. Dominik Bartmanski and Ian Woodward's book explores how these labels act as taste-makers and scene-markers, curating music and projecting cultural values that challenge the mainstream capitalist industry. It draws on interviews with labels such as Ostgut Ton, Argot, 100% Silk, Ninja Tune, and Goma Gringa, and is essential reading for anyone interested in the contemporary recording industry, independent music, material culture, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 328 pages
\n Publication date: 04 May 2020
\n Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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The music industry is currently dominated by three major companies, while thousands of small independent record labels have emerged despite the challenges posed by digitalization. These outsiders face the daunting task of not only surviving but also thriving in the vast and competitive mass music markets. In their book, Dominik Bartmanski and Ian Woodward explore the unique strategies employed by these labels to carve out a meaningful presence and connect with their audiences.

Bartmanski and Woodward argue that labels act as tastemakers and scene-markers, not only curating music but also projecting cultural values that challenge the mainstream capitalist music industry. The authors focus primarily on labels that entered the independent electronic music scene after 2000, reconstructing their aesthetics and ethics through extensive interviews with a range of labels, including Ostgut Ton in Berlin, Argot in Chicago, 100% Silk in Los Angeles, Ninja Tune in London, and Goma Gringa in Sao Paulo.

The book draws on a wealth of insights and perspectives, providing a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary recording industry, independent music, material culture, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. Written by the authors of Vinyl, this book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in these fields, offering valuable insights and perspectives that will deepen your understanding of the music industry and its impact on society.

\n Weight: 552g\n
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 16 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781474280457\n \n