Blog: INVISIBLE ORANGES - THE METAL MP3 BLOG

“What are record labels for?” A few decades ago, this question would’ve sounded obtuse. But as album sales plummet and bands increasingly run their own business operations, it’s become a pressing concern, especially for label owners. Thus far, the answer seems to be “curation.” Labels succeed or fail based on their ability to establish a brand and drum up excitement around it. Fans take this curative function seriously, as Profound Lore Records’ trans-genre success demonstrates. Other labels succeed by catering to specific niches. Willowtip rules technical death metal; Southern Lord handles doomy hardcore and hardcore-y doom; [...]