CHOOSING A RECORD LABEL FOR MY TRACK.

Criteria for a record label

As there are so many different sub-genres of reggae I need to pick a label with it’s roots firmly in classic reggae.

The label has to have good American/British connections for distribution.

Beverly’s Beverly’s launched the careers of reggae

legends Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley. Through the 1960’s it produced many

reggae artists and was essential in transforming ska and rocksteady into Reggae.

Experience and pioneering this would be the perfect record label, sadly the label folded with the death of it’s founder Leslie Kong in 1971

Blood and Fire Blood and Fire is a British based company and

this would be good for distributing on my home territory

Set up the artist Max Romeo and re issues a lot of reggae roots albums

Once again this company is effectively a walking corpse, it’s American distributor went out of business and though it hasn’t declared bankruptcy it is effectively dead.

Greensleeves records and publishing

Greensleeves has the largest reggae catalog in the world with over 20,000 copyrights of reggae songs.

Published Eek a mouse and other well known dancehall/reggae artists

I think this company fits with my track, isn’t bankrupt and is still very prolific

Heartbeat records

An independent record label based in Massachusetts, it specialises in Jamaican reggae.

Produces compilation albums that include Sly and Robby and Lee “scratch” Perry

They’ve won multiple awards for their compilation albums and is an incredibly prestigious record label

Has good connections with Studio One

Studio One

Studio One is THE Jamaican reggae album and has released track from every major jamaican reggae artist including Bob Marley and Lee Perry

Described as the Motown of reggae and has lots of experience in the industry and has great American connections with Heartbeat records.

Culling the list

The most obvious way to slim down the list is to take away the record labels that are bankrupt, so goodbye Beverly’s and Blood and Fire

Although Greensleeves has the largest reggae archive in the world it mainly deals in re releases and compilation albums so it has to go as I need a company that is known for releasing debut albums.

And then there was two…

So this leaves me with two labels, Hearbeat and Studio One

Both are very well known and have lots of experience in releasing reggae albums

And the winner is…

Studio One!

With it’s experience and prestige Studio One is the obvious choice for my record label, it has great connections with hearbeat in America allowing for distribution over there and the brand name is recognised all across the world. It has launched the careers of some of the most famous reggae artists and this is why it’s my record label of choice.