The Biggest Indie Record Labels
Checkout a list of 7 top indie record labels and with tips for standing out.

The popular narrative about indie music that you have to go it all alone couldn't be more misleading. Not every indie artist makes it all by themselves. Some organizations help indie artists grow and develop. If you're caught between the indie music vibe and getting some support behind you, these organizations are the way to go. We call them indie record labels.

Also called boutique labels, indie record labels are smaller than the traditional big three, and not funded by them. They're much more likely to be artist-friendly with their deals and much more accessible to an upcoming artist like yourself. So who are the biggest indie record labels for you to target? I have a list of seven labels for you...

Seven Top Labels

XL Recordings

XL Recordings is a true giant of the indie music industry. Formed in 1989 as an imprint of the dance label, Citybeat, it has since eclipsed its parent company and grown into a true force on its own. You'd even be forgiven for mistaking it as an affiliate of a traditional label.

XL Recordings have an impressive lineup with artists such as Jack White, Richard Russel, and Radiohead. You might also have heard of some of their former artists such as Azalea Banks, Tyler the Creator, and Adele.

DOMiNO

Founded in 1993, DOMiNO Recording Company is another giant of the indie music industry. In the early days, DOMiNO went against the Britpop order of the day, focusing more on rock music, and they struggled. Tough as anything, they dug in and are now reaping the results of their resilience. Today, DOMiNO boasts a solid lineup of artists and an established position in the indie music industry.

Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, and Anna Calvi are all notable names among their roster of artists.

4AD Records

Owned by the same group as XL Recordings, Beggars Group, 4AD has been in the thick of indie music for almost fifty years. In the 1980s, they caught the public eye with their post-punk, alternative rock, postpunk, and gothic rock releases from artists such as Pixies, Throwing Muses, and Bauhaus. They built on this earlier success and went on to produce even bigger artists, including Bon Iver.

For decades, 4AD Records have steadily grown and remain committed to finding promising indie artists and bringing the best out of them.

R&S

In 1983, a young DJ from Belgium got fed up with the Belgian music scene and decided to take matters into his own hands. Renaat Vandepapeliere and his wife, Sabine Maes, founded their indie label as a challenge to the status quo of their time. According to Vandepapeliere, the music was completely commercial and unoriginal, so he decided to change it. In 2000, Vandepapeliere decided to pack up and leave, claiming he had gotten bored with music management.

In 2006, however, he returned to music management and already has an impressive roster of artists including James Blake. If you're looking for a label to back you as you challenge the status quo in music, you know where to go.

Carpark Records

Founded in 1999 by Todd Hyman, Carpark Records is another true giant of the indie music industry. They've worked more in electronic music and IDM, but have recently begun spreading roots into pop, so this might be an opportunity to go in early. They've collaborated with several artists including Beach House, Toro y Moi, and Dan Deacon.

If you lean towards electronic music, or pop music, or can come up with a creative fusion of the two, Carpark Records might want a chat with you.

Ghostly International

Samuel Valenti IV founded Ghostly International in 1999. His love for underground music began as far back as his teenage years when he would sneak into hip-hop clubs. Eventually, he became a DJ and went by the name Space Ghost, a name which would later inspire the name of the label. Ghostly International started with a Detroit techno sound but has expanded over time.

Ghostly International has also produced music for some popular video games such as Hohokum and Minecraft.

Glassnote Records

Only founded in 2007, Glassnote Records has grown into an undeniable force in the indie music industry. Only two years after its establishment, the label had its first Grammy-winning artist when Phoenix won the award for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2010 Grammys. By 2012, they had another Grammy winner in Mumford and Sons, who won the award for Album of the Year.

These are not the only stars on the roster, and you might be forgiven for thinking Glassnote is a subsidiary of a traditional label. They've also worked with Childish Gambino in the past, among others. These people know how to build stars.

Tips on Standing Out

If you're looking to get a deal with any one of these labels, you need to keep in mind that the competition is high. To make it in, you have to stand out, leave their mouths open, and be irresistible. There are two sides to consider if you want to make this happen.

The music

Your music must be fresh and impossible to ignore. Before you send a demo to any label, you must research them and the sound they favor. Don't go sending a country song to a label that focuses more on electronic songs. No matter how good you are, you probably won't get a deal. Once you've done your research, make the perfect song. Make a song so good they'll have no option but to call you back.

The rest of you

If your music is taken out of the picture, will you still be desirable to a record label? This is the second point you must tackle if you'll get a foot in the door. What's on your social media? What kind of image do you project? From your profile and character, the label is likely to predict what your relationship with fans would be like. Will they like what they predict?

Final Thoughts

As an indie artist, you don't have to go it alone. You can get a record deal without "selling your soul". Indie record labels are all around you, even beyond the seven listed in this article. If you can stand out for the right reasons, the world is yours to conquer.