Add a label
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Some explanation about labels
What is a label?
The following guidelines are used as a set of minimal criteria for determining if a label is valid for entry into the system. Keep in mind that these are minimal requirements, some entities may meet these requirements and still not qualify as a label, though such cases should be uncommon.
For a label to be included in the database, it must meet the following criteria:
- A label should present itself as a label. If it says it's a management company or it's a retailer or a distribution company, then it isn't a label.
- Like in the artist profiles, a release in the database is required before label approval!
If the label produces physical releases, then the following criteria must also be met:
- The label must have at least one physical release (CD, record, etc.) produced solely by the label (collaborations with other labels do not qualify).
If the label does not produce physical releases, then the following criteria must also be met:
- The label has a dedicated, publicly accessible website. This requirement may be waived if the label is defunct and it or its body of releases are described on a reputable third-party site.
-- OR --
It is a reputable site with a unique domain that provides the functions of a music label. This would not include online retailers, distributors, archives or warehouses. Blogs and social network sites (myspace, facebook, etc.) are also excluded from meeting this criteria. - It makes files accessible for download. The files might be for free or for pay, the key is it's not just streaming music.
- It supports releases for more than a single artist or group. Akas and mix-and-match group members are not considered as separate.
- It has a unique domain (http://evilresidence.com/ , for instance).
- The label or its content are described or made available by a reputable third-party site. This applies mainly to defunct labels.
Is this the same label?
A label's name and its business relationships often change over time. At what point does a label cease to be one entity and become another? The following principle can often be applied:
unique short name + unique logo = unique label
As an example like Festival Mushroom Records. That label was formed when the Australian labels Mushroom Records and Festival Records merged. Though related to both labels, the unique name and logo means a unique entry in the database.
For a much more complex example, take a look at the Victor. The company began its life as Berliner Gramophone and eventually morphed into RCA Victor. If you look closely at these labels, you'll note that the unique short name + unique logo = unique label principle isn't always easy to apply.
Multiple logos and the LCD principle
Modern releases often contain multiple logos, especially those releases by labels owned by the big, multi-national label groups. When such an instance is encountered, which entity should be considered the label by RYM standards? The LCD (Least Common Denominator) guideline can generally be followed, which when applied to labels means choose the smallest entity.
Using this Carrie Underwood CD as an example, four logos are seen on the disc. 19 Recordings is acting as the publisher in this case rather than the label, which we can generally tell by the copyright and/or publishing notes. That leaves Sony-BMG, Arista Records and Arista Nashville. Sony-BMG is the label group that owned Arista, making Arista the smaller of the two entities. Arista was the parent label of Arista Nashville, making Arista Nashville the smallest of the three remaining logos. Thus, Arista Nashville is considered the label for this release. Even in this example, it's not a simple Sony-BMG logo but Sony-BMG Nashville, proof that choosing the right entity isn't as straight-forward as we'd like it to be.
Regional branches
Many record labels have regional offices in various parts of the world. Some are allowable as labels on RYM, others are not. To determine if a regional office can be allowed as a label, follow the unique name + unique logo = unique label principle. The application of this rule is actually quite strict for regional branches. The name and logo must be unique, and proof of an actual release bearing the unique logo must be provided. This means a photo of the release bearing the logo will generally be required.
As an example of a legitimate regional branch, here's an example of a Universal Music Australia release with the requisite unique logo and name (note that all that's really required with the logo is the inclusion of Australia within the logo). Without a photo like this, a regional branch will not likely be accepted as a legitimate label:
As an example of a release that does not meet the requirements for a legitimate regional branch, note that while the following release says Capitol Records Denmark, the logo is the normal Capitol Records logo. This release belongs on Capitol Records:
Regional aliases
Occasionally a record label will use the same logo and the the same name in different regions with only slight variations in the name. For instance, a label may go by So-and-So Records in English speaking countries and So-and-So Disques in French speaking countries. These types of differences should be handled by adding aliases to a single label entry using the language of the country in which the label's main branch lies as the entry's label name. Also, the address of the label's main branch should be used as the address for the entry, with regional addresses added to the meta-comments. For instance, Decca Records has been known as Decca Disques in France. In this case, since Decca Records is a British label, the name is Decca Records and with Decca Disques as an alias.
"Self-Released" labels
Artists often self-release their material, sometimes by creating a 'vanity imprint', sometimes just DIY-ing it and giving it away at shows, and sometimes something in between. Whether or not these imprints belong in the system as labels depends on whether they've taken steps to create an actual imprint. Rolling Stones Records is a no-brainer in that it is an internationally-recognized legal entity with solid distribution that even releases material from ... (the 'Records' at the end of the name is a good hint, as well). Jan & Dean, while much more-limited in size and scope, still has an easily-recognized logo and a unique cat# sequencing. This release by Luror, meanwhile, was just a hand-made self-release with no pretense of being a 'label'. There is no 'Luror' label.
It's not always this simple to tell, but the inclusion of 'Records' (or whatever) at the end of the name, a specialized logo, or releases from other artists are signs that it isn't just Joe Garageband dubbing CD-Rs to sell at shows with no thought of creating a 'record label'.
What to fill in on the profile
--- If the label you are looking for is already in the database but needs changes or additional information, please click on the "Correct/Edit this label" link at the bottom of the label page and update the information based on the standards listed below.
--- If the label is not in the database, begin by selecting New Label from the labels page. Anyone can submit a Label Profile, but it must go through a review process before it is accepted. Fill in the following fields with as much relevant information as possible and provide a source that can be verified by the users who will be voting on your submission. It's also good form to keep up with your submissions in case another user has any questions.
Name
First name
This field does is ignored by the search function and does not affect the alphabetization of the label, therefore it is for notations that shouldn't affect capitalization, largely articles such as "The", "Das", or "Le". The Far Out Recording Company, for instance, should alphabetize in the F's, therefore 'The' is included in the first name field on this profile.
This field would also house items such as "Disques" or "Discos" in case they're part of the label name, for instance (usually non-English) labels with names such as Discos Musart. Because labels are listed alphabetically by Last Name, putting Discos in the first name field and Musart in the Last Name field will enable this label to alphabetize appropriately in the M's.
Last name
Use this field to enter the label's common name (such as Capitol Records). Full corporate names, such as Capitol Records, Inc., should be placed in the "Also Known As" field.
Label names are expected to conform to RYM's Capitalization guidelines.
Short name
The abbreviated variation of the name should be placed in this Field to streamline the discography pages. For a typical 'short name', simply remove generic titles (such as Records, Recordings, Music, Productions, Discos, Disques or something similar) from the name. Acronyms are acceptable as short names if that is what is used on the logo. In fact, the 'logo name' is fully acceptable in this field as well, as it usually does just include the name sans 'Records' or an acronym version.
Current address
Street address
The label's most-current address. In situations where a label has multiple addresses, try to use the main headquarters. If you don't know the full address but can provide City or Country, please do so.
When entering a street address, please spell out the full address, such as Street, Boulevard, Avenue, Straße/Strasse, etc... don't abbreviate! Be sure also to use the native spelling of these abbreviations, such as Apartment (English) vs. Appartement (French).
When listing post office addresses, P.O. Box is preferred over other formats such as PO Box, PoBox, etc. Use the appropriate regional term (i.e. Postfach in Germany), however, when appropriate.
State/Region
Before entering the field State/Prov, please consult Administrative divisions. US States, Canadian and Australian provinces should be entered with their 2-3 letter code, all other countries should have their name entered in full. Use Latin spellings for locations of countries not using the Latin alphabet, as they can't be dubbed by an AKA.
Formed
Date Formed
It is not necessary to enter an exact date, but at least giving the year can be very beneficial.
Label relationships
This section provides information on how the label gets its product into the hands of its fans. While some of this information might be readily available on a label's website, it is more often not revealed. Deciphering label relationships can be somewhat bewildering, but hopefully these tips will help to ease the confusion.
Distributed by
Most labels team up with distribution partners to help get their music into the marketplace. There are many distribution companies who specialize in this type of partnership (such as Konkurrent and Sonet Distribusjon), but labels can also be distributed by other labels. For example, Touch and Go Records distributes the Kill Rock Stars label in the United States. For labels distributed by labels, [LabelXXXX] links are the way to go. For labels distributed by the larger distribution entities, it is preferable to link according to the Distributors wiki. See here for help creating links to wiki pages. Digital distributors should not be added to this field.
In situations where a label has multiple distribution partners throughout the world, list all that are known and separate with commas. Countries should be listed in brackets using the ISO Alpha-3 Codes that are common throughout RYM. In some cases, a generalization (North America, Benelux, etc.) may be more appropriate. Then alphabetize by region.
Example:
Stomp [AUS], Konkurrent [Benelux], Outside Music [CAN], Southern Records [GBR], Art Union Corporation [JPN], Revolver Distribution [USA]
Example using an alternate formatting style:
AUS: Stomp | Benelux: Konkurrent | CAN: Outside Music | GBR: Southern Records | JPN: Art Union Corporation | USA: Revolver Distribution
Part of label group
Labels sometimes form Label Groups to help share the costs associated with manufacturing and promoting their catalogs. The labels maintain their own branded identity, but might rely on each other for behind-the-scenes support. A good example of this is the Beggars Group, which consists of about ten different labels, including Beggars Banquet, Matador, and 4AD Records. Though these labels are well-known for their independent nature, being part of this label group allows them to share expenses in production, promotion, office space, or staff. Please note that, although the name of these groups is often similar to the head label of the music group, they are not the same institution, nor a label of their own.
Never use RYM label links in this field. A label group is not a record label, even if the names are identical. If available, a link to the group's wiki page is acceptable. The Label groups page provides a list of label groups currently in the wiki. See here for help creating links to wiki pages.
Sub-label of / Imprint of
Sub-labels and imprints are essentially 'babies' of other labels, such as Portrait being an imprint of Epic Records. This field is to note those relations.
In cases where a label jumps from one relation to another, it's proper to list the dates in brackets, for instance Atlantic Records [1990-95] (if the parent label is not in the database yet, now's a good time to add it). Only labels that are in the database should be entered here. Known sub-labels not yet added to the database should be mentioned in the meta comments. Do not list more than one parent label, only the one that is on the next step in the hierarchy.
Note - at the current time, this field is split into separate 'sub-label of' and 'label imprint of' fields. These will be combined in time. For now, just go with whichever one you like best
Additional info
Date closed
The full date is not required. If the label was re-opened later or if a parent company still re-issues under that name, leave this field blank. It is useful to mention relations like these in the "Biography" section.
Official websites
Use the label's official website, when possible. Fan sites are not acceptable. WWW addresses should be listed using the http:// prefix, so they will be clickable. Along with the official website for a label, the following types of links may also be included:
Official Facebook
Official Twitter
Sometimes the official website will be hosted on a blogspot or tumblr (or other relevant sites), these are fine to add if it's the only official site they have. These should be limited to only 1.
Note - otherwise you shouldn't place any external links in the profile, except in the "Sources Cited" section, as references.
Founded by
The names of the label's founders. If the founders also have artist entries on rym, please use the according [ArtistXXXX] shortcuts. If the person records under a pseudonym, please put it as aka in brackets after the birth name (for example: Richard D. James [aka Aphex Twin]). If the label was formed by a musical group, a link for the group may be used instead of individual artist names/links, otherwise data in this field should be limited to individuals and their akas. If a label has multiple founders, each founder should entered on the same line with the founders separated by commas.
Biography
See Biographies / Descriptions.
Specialty areas
This section is for labels that have a reputation for concentrating on one or two specific areas. This could be a genre (Chess Records is known for their Blues, Epic Soundtrax releases nothing but Film Soundtracks, etc.) or it could relate to packaging, brands or concepts. Rhino Records, for example, is known for their box sets and catalog reissues. In the 1980s, there were cassette-only labels and there are vinyl reissue labels that still exist today. These are good examples of specialty areas that could be listed here.
Less is more with this field. It is meant for what can be considered 'specialty' labels, and isn't meant to be a grocery list of every genre a label deals with. Listing a handful of genres implies by definition that the label isn't specializing in one or two specific areas, in which case this field should be left blank. Many labels simply don't specialize in one or two things. That's not a bad thing.
If the label is a 'Netlabel' or a 'Bootleg label' you may write this information here.
EU label code
See Label codes.
In Europe, most labels use 'label codes'. These are denoted on most releases as LC 00XXX. This field is to note this number.
In some cases, related labels share label codes. In other cases, label codes are imprint-specific.
Other comments
This field is being deprecated. Please do not put any information in this field.
Also Known As
A comma-delimited list of alternative names for this label.
Meta-comments
For all information you enter, please provide sources (preferably online) that can be verified by the people voting on your entry. If you don't have a source for part of the information, please look for one, otherwise it is best to remove unverified data from the profile. Explain any interpretations of source material and comment on any questions/difficulties that have occurred (or may occur) with the provided information. If citing a specific release as a source, please provide a link to the release's page on RYM.
This is a required field that will help us determine the credibility of your submission and will not appear in the final profile.