Blog
Insights, advice and news
Plain advice on releasing music, getting paid and growing your audience, written by the Dark Lab Records team.
Dark Lab Records joins forces with VEVO and BMAT: what it means for artists
Two partnerships, one goal: get artists' videos seen and their music counted properly. Here is what VEVO and BMAT bring, and what changes for you.
6 min read
Read the full article →Resources
Latest from Dark Lab
Practical advice on releasing music, getting paid and making the most of video.
Video and YouTube
Why music videos still matter for independent artists
A video is not a luxury. It is a second place for people to find you and a second way for your music to earn. Here is how to make the most of one.
5 min read
Video and YouTube
Content ID and YouTube for independent artists
Content ID can pay you when fans use your music in their videos. It can also flag your own uploads by mistake. Here is how it works and how to stay in control.
6 min read
Royalties and rights
Remixes and samples: get permission before you release
Dance music runs on remixes and samples. The permission side is less fun, but it is the part that decides whether your release stays online.
6 min read
Royalties and rights
Metadata mistakes that delay your royalties
Royalty systems match payments to songs using data. When the data is wrong or inconsistent, the money sits unclaimed. These are the mistakes we see most.
6 min read
Royalties and rights
Split sheets explained: agree who owns what
The most useful piece of paperwork in a writing session takes five minutes. A split sheet records who wrote what and who gets what, before anyone forgets.
5 min read
Releasing music
How to choose a music distributor: seven things to check
Your distributor delivers your music and collects your money. Before you sign up, check these seven things so there are no surprises later.
6 min read
Releasing music
A release plan for a single, starting weeks before launch
Good releases are planned backwards from the release date. This timeline shows what to do and when, from six weeks out to the week after launch.
6 min read
Releasing music
Your release checklist before you distribute
Most delayed releases are held up by something small: wrong artwork size, missing credits, a code left blank. Run this checklist before you submit.
5 min read
Ready to release your music?
Send us a demo or talk to the team about distribution, video and publishing.