Questions about joining lo-fi labels like Chillhop Music

[white crow]

Hey everyone!
I really like producing lo-fi music and I wanna ask questions about music labels like Chillhop Music.
Is it worth to submit music to these labels?
What should I look out for in terms the contract they provide?
Can they distribute my music to Spotify as well?
Can I earn a decent amount of money later on? (1-2 years later)
Thanks for your help in advance!

[dark steppe]

I think that people often don't understand the role of a label. A label exists as essentially an investor. They finance everything for you to basically investing in you for hopes of a much larger pay out in the future. The sad reality of these bedroom labels like ones specific for Chillhop is that they don't really offer anything of value but expect to claim a percentage over your work that you release under their label name for doing nothing except maybe putting your music on a couple playlists. The fact is you need to learn what a label that would sign you is planning on doing for you and how much of a cut they want. If they aren't offering financial advances for things like recording, post engineering, marketing, etc. Then run.

[white crow]

Yeah I don't especially know how labels work.
So if I understand well the label pays me to work on music on their labels, and they take a cut by every upload?

[dark steppe]

A label covers costs of things like recording, mastering, marketing, tour support, paying people who work on your behalf until you get to a place where you can support yourself. They take a cut of literally everything they can. If all you plan on doing is making chillhop for fun, I would just release it yourself and retain ownership of your work. There's not a whole lot of money in chillhop so companies that have that sort of ability to financially back an artist aren't going to be as willing to sign.

[white crow]

So you are against the idea releasing music for labels like Chillhop music?

[dark steppe]

100%. Always fight for ownership of your work and never let it go unless they are offering something worth taking for it.

[white crow]

I mean okey I can take ownership of my work but the downside of that, that I have to market myself

And it feels like I will never get money from that, I would feel much safer if someone else did this for me

[dark steppe]

The reality is if you're doing it with the intention of making money, you're likely going to be very disappointed. It's hard enough to make money from music in a regular situation but being part of such a niche genre will be nearly impossible. You also have the option of hiring your own marketing firm to do it for you. A bedroom label isn't going to market you at all. They can't afford it.

[white crow]

Maybe I should change genre which has much better music labels...

[dark steppe]

Like I said, if you're looking for a career making music, you're gonna have a hard time. It's not impossible, but it's one of the hardest things to obtain and retain. The one thing I tell people here is to keep it a hobby with a focus on an actual career path through schooling and such and if you reach a point where you're making enough money from it to sustain yourself, then make the jump