Why should I let my music get signed to some other label?

Something dawned on me today that really pissed me off. A track that I had signed to a label has had BARE MINIMUM promotion.

I mean, it had a link of the labels facebook page, a post in a couple of forums, and a clip on soundcloud, but that was it. I give my track to a label entrusting them to sort artwork promotional stuff and so on, yet I'm not happy. Then I realized that these people probably dont even understand the principles of business and stuff. A track is put on TID and forgetten about... I havent seen or heard the track played promotionally at all, or had any form of extensive promotion.

So I ask myself the question, why sign my track away? I have a Business A-level, and am doing a Graphic Design university course... I could release music myself and do a better job...

So should I try starting and running my own label? Or shall I just give up sending my tracks to other labels and just release them for free or something? Definitely tempted to withdraw my tracks from a label at the moment. There's only 2 that have been accepted with a release date months from now...

Its a bit of an angry moment from me at the moment, but I put effort into tracks that dont even scratch the top 100 of the hardcore list on tid.... Its pitiful - and I probably wont get paid anyway...

My ethos isnt how much money I make, I want as many people to hear my music as possible. If releasing music on labels means far less people hear the music, I wont want to do it...

I'd start your own label. Maybe get another artist or 2 to work with you 1st, to set yourself aside from all the solo artist labels that keep coming out. May even be worth seeing if some guys here want to submit a track or 2, there are some quality unsigned tunes by the guys that use this forum. I can't produce for shit, but I'm happy to help out with online promo if you want to get it cracking. If you know business that's most of it, and knowing the graphic design side can't hurt either.

A few free releases to promote the label are a good idea, and if worst comes to worst and your shit isn't selling, then you can always do the free thing, at least you tried

Yeah, I mean Ive seen what works and what doesnt. But at the end of the day is starting a label the key to getting heard by as many people as possible?

I could quite easily draw up a plan and utilise contacts and friends Ive made, but I dont know.. I'm in a grey area between happily releasing music free and getting it heard by up to thousands, and labels which have a turnover of a pony, and heard by perhaps about 100...

Best of both worlds? If you have the tunes up on SoundCloud but no download, then the same amount of people can listen to it, and those that want to mix it can buy it. The thousands that heard it still will, and you can sell it to the hundred, invest in better equipment, make more music, rinse and repeat.

At the end of the day what you do will always be up to you and what makes you happy, but if you have a drive to make a label then you will never know until you try it.

Thats a pretty sound idea. Since I'm not bothered about making the money, I can still put the full track on youtube and soundcloud, get the listens and those who want to buy it, can to mix it and stuff.

I like that allot, nice one, man

No problems I'm just a plethora of ideas (unfortunately not actions ). As I said, if you want a hand with any promo stuff let me know what you want me to do when you got your ideas sorted.

Good for you Olly. Go for it mate