Too good to be true? Not this time.
Every once in a while something comes along that stops you in your tracks. If you’re in an independent band, or you’re a solo performer, this is one of those occasions.
The Independent Artist Registry (IAR) was created to find and promote the nation’s top independent artists to the music industry in a way never done before.
By reviewing thousands of independent artists and selecting only a select few to be inducted into the Registry, the IAR helps label A&R reps and music pros find those artists with the total package that are ready for national exposure. |
“Fact is, there are quite a few independent artists out there that are every bit as talented as the major label artists,” said Josh Wendell, Director of the IAR. “The problem for record label A&R reps is finding those quality artists. There are just so many independent bands performing right now it’s really diluted the field. Most of today’s independent artists are good, far fewer are great. Being great used to be enough to get signed in the past, but today A&R reps are looking for artists who have the complete package.”
So what constitutes the complete package and why is that important?
“Well, we have minimum requirements that have to be met before we start evaluating an artist,” Wendell explained. “They have to play at least 30 shows a year, have original material, a CD with at least seven tracks, a press kit and a website. If an independent artist doesn’t meet those requirements, they’re probably not developed enough for the national publicity and attention that comes with induction into the IAR.”
The IAR reviews artists that meet their minimum requirements on the four categories identified as the most important by record label A&R reps and venue talent buyers: music, press kit, website and professionalism.
“The IAR is entirely artist-driven,” Wendell said. “We evaluate artists based on their professionalism because it usually gives you a good idea for how serious an artist is. All artists that meet the minimums can submit their information, but it’s their job to follow up with us. That’s why we don’t call any of the artists about their submission. We expect them to treat us just like a venue they are trying to get into. If an artist can’t get it together to make a follow up call on time, we just can’t endorse them.”
But an endorsement deal isn’t all that artists inducted into the IAR receive. The IAR’s website will feature the inducted artists with a page of their own containing their EPK, a bio, photo, booking and contact information along with a link to the artist’s website - making the artist’s information available at the click of a mouse to thousands of music industry professional who will have access to the website.
It gets better. Artists inducted into the IAR will be listed next to the nation’s top 4,000 major label artists in the Music Phone Book, further ensuring the artist is at the right place at the right time.
The artist who comes out on top of the evaluation process will be presented with the IAR’s prestigious Indie Award. That artist will have their demo submitted to several major record label A&R reps like Atlantic Record’s Steve Robertson, who has been quoted by some as the “King of A&R.”
"When I was approached to be a part of the Independent Artist Registry, I said why not,” Robertson said. “As a Music Phone Book subscriber, I know what a quality operation they run and knew the IAR would be a great way to find artists I may not get a chance to hear. I especially like the way the IAR is structured. Being entirely artist driven, I know the demos I get will be from serious performers with talent. Finding those artists is my top priority at Atlantic and its not easy. I’m excited to see who the first Indie Award winner will be."
In addition to having their demo dropped into the hands of most of the major label A&R reps, the Indie Award winner will also get 1,000 of their CDs replicated for free, and be the subject of a feature article in the Music Phone Book.
Your probably reading this and thinking, what’s the catch? That’s what makes the IAR so great. There aren’t any. Artists retain 100% ownership of their materials and any deal struck between the artists and the labels is completely independent of the IAR.
“We want to help bring recognition to the nation’s best independent artists and hopefully help a few get signed,” Wendell said. “The only part of the IAR that involves money is the artist has to be a Music Phone Book subscriber, which is a measly 35 bucks an issue. If an artist doesn’t think having the direct numbers to virtually every venue talent buyer and A&R rep in the country isn’t important, they probably aren’t developed enough for the IAR. We hope any artist that ends up getting signed will give us a nice testimonial, but we have no financial stake in what happens once the artist’s demo is handed over.”
Apparently some things aren’t too good to be true.
For more information on the Independent Artist Registry, visit the Independent Artist Registry page. |
