Have a cover letter, your bio, and all your links ready to share. Be organized and prepared.
Unless you have a history with the label to permit a casual pitch, your first message should be a professional query.
We don't need a formal letter, but assuming bands are contacting a label to start a job relationship, starting an email with "Hey!" is not the right way to build a dialogue.
This does not mean using a dry, boring template,... Write from the heart about why you're a great match for the label.
We strongly recommend e-mail so you have full control over the formatting.
Listen to the record label's music
Most labels are a labor of love and not all are lucky to break even. Believe us!
The absolute minimum you should do is listen to a few of the bands and make sure you fit on the roster.
Better yet, mention why being on a roster with them excites you.
Make a personal connection.
A lot of requests we receive are lazy copy/paste requests with even no mention of the label name and a lot of requests are about completely different music style or genre from what we produce.
We are open-minded people but the '...and everyhting we like in between' note does not mean we will be interested in electronic or country music,...
Simply use your brain,... It's appreciated!
Following Up
We never blame a band for checking in if they sent a query that went unanswered.
Sometime an email can be unanswered by lack of time, not lack of interest, or sometime simply not received for unexplained reasons.
But please do not do this more than once.
Checklist of items we'd recommend having available for your pitch:
- Band Name and Music -
We're serious, we get pitched "concepts" of bands that don’t have an official name and have not recorded a demo.
This is only permissible as a "keep my new project on your radar" message if you already know the label.
Demos of new material are always helpful, but at the least share links to stream your previous work.
Send private link with good quality materials to showcase your work, the minimal quality is a mp3 format at 320kbps.
To be honest, requests with mp3s generated with low bitrate or heavily compressed, which is easily hearable, immediately go in the rubbish bin.
Also, getting in touch with a label with "We have a new album out on *put any digital platform here*" is a bad trend!
Once you have everything out, there is no need to get in touch with a label, your album is already released.
- Logo -
Pay an artist to make an awesome logo, unless you have a top-notch drawing/design talent in the band. It matters!
- Social Media Links -
At this point, if the band doesn't have a history or doesn't giving a shit in the slightest about social medias, it's unlikely we work with them.
We are trying to build connections between people and music, and a little effort goes a long way.
Nowadays Socials are the main basis all things related to sharing, people connection and of course music promotion.
- The label -
A paragraph specifically about the label and music we have released.
This is your time to appeal to the label on a personal level.
It's not about stroking egos if it's genuine.
It's about bonding over this chasm we call the wilderness of the internet and building a bridge.
- What's your exact wishes -
A summary of what you're looking for and the status of the project.
Are you pitching an upcoming album? Reissue an old demo on cassette?
You already have a label but they throw you to the moon with your new work or simply refuse it because it's different...
Are you submitting a split with another artist, or,... Whatever!
Are you only want from us a Vinyl release your label rejected?
Please, state your intentions from the start and give a quick update.
Your recording status, if you have album art, the release timeline you have in mind, etc., ...
Add anything that you feel makes your album more appealing and interesting.
Convey your passion for your music and what makes it significant and singular to you.
Don’t be afraid, just be fully honest and clear with us from the beginning, we love crystal clear things!
You too, you'll love a label who's also crystal clear with you, this is not really commun nowadays!
The Finale:
A label works on the principle of "scheduling".
Scheduling includes:
-Full listening, advicing, budgeting, studying the case;
-Managing graphics and sounds, pressing plants, fulfillment partners and/or local/global distributors;
-Eventually publishing, copyright and risk management.
If you're not ready to work this way and want to rush up an album release, please, don't submit;
If you're not ready to get some honest opinions back, please, don't submit;
If you formed last month, you're "not fan of CDs" and you're "looking for a label to press a vinyl", please, be sure to don't submit;
...
It's difficult out there to find someone to press pause on all their other responsibilities and believe in you and your project enough to focus on it for a few weeks of their life.
We truly empathize with the hustle, and this list is not meant to throw shade.
But we also believe that connection, effort, and organization are the best ways to share music in this increasingly detached world.
If you truly believe in your music, wow someone with your preparation and drive.
Yes, our label is mostly about releasing the music we love, but we also regularly invest in the PEOPLE we believe in!
That all begins with the pitch, friends.
Monday : 14:00-22:00
Tuesday : 10:00-22:00
Wednesday : 10:00-22:00
Thursday : 10:00-22:00
Friday : 10:00-14:00
Saturday : Closed
Sunday : Closed
We're almost always reachable through our main email and messenger addresses
Email | Messenger
Jean-François GALLER
Email | Messenger
Co-Owner/Founder, General Label Manager, Artistic & Production Manager, Web & Graphic Designer.
Why should you contact me:
Products's technical aspects, Contracts, Releases planning, Invoices, Payments, Orders, Purchases, Wholesales, ...
Serge MANZATO
Email | Messenger
Co-Owner, Key Account Manager.
Why should you contact me:
Sales aspects, Contacts, Proposals, Discussions with aim of establishing a contract, ...
Denis HALLEUX
Email | Messenger
Co-Owner, Advisor, Marketing Manager, Events Organizer & Coordinator.
Why should you contact me:
Advertisings, PR, Interviews, All Events related things, Trades through M9 Music, ...
7, rue Thier Ardent - 4480 Engis (BELGIUM)
TVA : BE0768524664 - RPM LIEGE
IBAN : BE64 9501 9673 7452 - BIC : CTBKBEBX
