Believe it or not, many influential music organizations started with a couple of tortured musicians who at one point decided to take matters into their own hands. And this is especially true in the sprawling world of independent record labels. However, creating and maintaining your own label is a very difficult process, and many musicians are better off staying on their side of the barricades, giving part of the responsibility to existing labels. If you are considering starting your own label, here are some PROS and CONS to help you make your decision:

PROS: CREATIVE AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM

The biggest advantage of releasing music on your own label is that you don’t have to answer to anyone. Everything from music selection and releases to marketing tactics and financial details is completely under your control. In addition to choosing what type of music to release, you will have the final financial decision.

CONS: NEW LABELS VERY OFTEN LACK OF VITAL POWER AND CONNECTIONS

If you are thinking about starting your own label, the first and most important question to ask yourself is: what will be the advantage over the usual independent release of your music? Sure, you can call yourself a label, but what does that really mean? Do you have the savings to fund the releases? How about contacts with promoters and booking agencies, press and media? Just the fact that you create a label will not automatically mean that the world around you will begin to take you more seriously. The music industry is not naive, and if you just call yourself a label, it doesn’t add any legitimacy to you. If you want to release your music and the music of others on your label and according to your own rules, first understand what your goals are and what resources you have. To get things going, you need to formulate a clear plan of action.