Because of platforms like TikTok and Spotify, artists do not essentially want a splashy report deal to make a preferred hit. Nevertheless, for artists who’re signed, the label remains to be the large boss controlling plenty of their profession. A recording contract comes with plenty of execs, however there will also be a good variety of cons.
Listed below are 16 occasions singers known as out their report labels or the music trade:
1.
Accepting the Finest New Artist award on the 2025 Grammys, Chappell Roan mentioned, “I informed myself that if I ever gained a Grammy and received to face up right here earlier than essentially the most highly effective folks in music, I’d demand that labels within the trade profiting hundreds of thousands of {dollars} off of artists would provide a livable wage and well being care, particularly growing artists. I received signed so younger, I received signed as a minor. After I received dropped, I had zero job expertise underneath my belt, and like most individuals, I had…fairly a troublesome time discovering a job within the pandemic and [could not] afford insurance coverage. It was devastating to really feel so dedicated to my artwork and really feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized. If my label had prioritized it, I may have been supplied care for an organization I used to be giving every little thing to.”
2.
In 1995, TLC filed for Chapter 11 chapter on the heels of their profitable album CrazySexyCool. On the 1996 Grammys, member Chili mentioned, “We’re not gonna sugarcoat something anymore. We have been quiet lengthy sufficient…We’re the biggest-selling feminine group ever — 10 million albums worldwide. We’ve labored very onerous. We’ve been on this enterprise for 5 years, and we’re broke as broke might be.”
3.
Showing on the podcast We Have to Speak in 2025, Cher Lloyd alleged she may inform “the craziest tales” of what is been mentioned to her or been taken away from her as a result of she “refused to go and hook up with folks.” She mentioned, “I bear in mind, as soon as, whereas I lived within the US and I used to be selling my album within the US, I walked into the report label on the time, and so they hadn’t given me a promotional price range to advertise this album. We spent hundreds of thousands on this album, however there is not any price range to go get folks to listen to it? So I stroll in, and I say, ‘Look, I actually need some money to try to push this report.’ Principally informed no, however what I wanted to do to make this report take off is hit among the golf equipment and discover out the place [Justin] Bieber is, and I ought to go attempt to get with him.”
4.
Per HuffPost, in a 2024 Instagram Dwell, M.I.A. reportedly alleged that, after she signed to Roc Nation, “The very first thing [Jay-Z] requested me to do was get cosmetic surgery.” She mentioned, “What girls are you aware who hasn’t had cosmetic surgery round [Jay-Z]? All of them have. I am the one one who didn’t…” She additionally alleged Azealia Banks suggested her to bleach her pores and skin. She mentioned, “I am not going to bleach my pores and skin, no I am not going to get a fucking nostril job, no I am not going to get fucking filler.”
5.
In 2020, Megan Thee Stallion sued her then-record label, alleging her contract was “not solely fully unconscionable, however ridiculously so” and enabled the label to “actually do nothing, whereas on the identical time taking for themselves the overwhelming majority of [her] revenue from all sources.” In an Instagram Dwell, she reportedly mentioned, “1501 don’t need me to place out no music. All I did was ask to renegotiate my contract, then it grew to become a complete large factor.”
6.
In 1993, Prince modified his stage identify to the “Love Image,” which he described as “an unpronounceable image whose which means has not been recognized,” as a rebel in opposition to his label. In a press launch on the time, he mentioned, “Warner Bros. took the [Prince] identify, trademarked it, and used it as the primary advertising and marketing software to advertise all the music I wrote. The corporate owns the identify Prince and all associated music marketed underneath Prince. I grew to become merely a pawn used to supply more cash for Warner Bros.”
Warner Bros. senior VP of inventive services-turned-general supervisor Jeff Gold informed Selection, “[Prince] was making noise about wanting his masters again, and [Warner chief Mo Ostin’s] response was basically, ‘You need to have thought that earlier than you renegotiated your contract.’ So Mo is available in at some point and says, ‘Prince has modified his identify.'”
7.
In 2018, Little Combine member Jade Thirlwall alleged to ASOS Journal, that, throughout a radio occasion with a lot of VIPs in attendance, “Somebody from our US report label alleged, ‘Go and flirt with all these essential males.’ I used to be like, ‘Why have I received to go in and flirt to get my music on the radio?'”
8.
In 2019, Scooter Braun bought Taylor Swift’s masters from Massive Machine Data founder Scott Borchetta for $300 million. Taylor known as out the deal in a Tumblr publish, writing, “For years I requested, pleaded for an opportunity to personal my work. As an alternative I used to be given a chance to signal again as much as Massive Machine Data and ‘earn’ one album again at a time, one for each new one I turned in. I walked away as a result of I knew as soon as I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would promote the label, thereby promoting me and my future.”
In response, Scott Borchetta made a publish titled “So, It’s Time For Some Reality” on the Massive Machine web site. He wrote that Taylor’s father, Scott Swift, was a shareholder within the label and was due to this fact “made conscious of the pending cope with Ithaca Holdings and had 3 days to go over all the particulars of the proposed transaction.” He claimed the “transaction handed with a majority vote and three of the 5 shareholders voting ‘sure’ with 92% of the shareholder’s vote.”
In November 2020, Taylor grew to become eligible to rerecord her first 5 albums. After all, she famously determined to rerecord and launch her “Taylor’s Variations,” resulting in her extremely profitable The Eras Tour.
9.
Per Pitchfork, in a since-deleted tweet from 2020, SZA reportedly informed followers who have been ready for her to launch new music, “At this level y’all gotta ask punch [Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence ‘Punch’ Henderson].” She additionally alleged that their working relationship had “BEEN hostile.”
10.
In 2021, Raye tweeted, “I’ve been on a 4 ALBUM RECORD DEAL since 2014 !!! And have not been allowed to place out one album. ALL I CARE ABOUT is the music. Im sick of being slept on and I am sick of being in ache about it this isn’t enterprise to me this so private.” She added, “Think about this ache I’ve been signed to a serious label since 2014…and I’ve had albums on albums of music sat in folders accumulating mud, songs I’m now gifting away to A listing artists as a result of I’m nonetheless awaiting affirmation that I’m adequate to launch an album.”
11.
In a since-deleted TikTok from 2022, Halsey alleged, “Principally, I’ve a music I really like that I wanna launch ASAP, however my report label will not let me…My report firm is saying that I can not launch it except they will faux a viral second on TikTok.”
12.
Equally, in a 2022 TikTok video, Gavin DeGraw sang this to the tune of his 2004 hit “I Do not Need to Be”: “I do not need to be on TikTok, however my label informed me that I’ve to.”
13.
Additionally in 2022, in a since-deleted TikTok, FKA Twigs reportedly alleged, “It is true all report labels ask for are TikToks, and I received informed off as we speak for not making sufficient effort.”
14.
In 2023, Fifth Concord member Ally Brooke informed the Zach Sang Present, “We actually have billions of streams, however sadly, we do not get something off of streams. However, thank God for [the non-profit collective rights management organization] SoundExchange. SoundExchange is superb, and that, we get about, like, $5,000 a month. However that [has] gone away now, and we’re unsure why.”
15.
Additionally in 2023, Ally’s former Fifth Concord bandmate Lauren Jauregui alleged to the Zach Sang Present that she did not obtain substantial royalties from the band’s music. She mentioned, “It isn’t gonna pay my hire.”
16.
And at last, in 2023, Kesha settled her lawsuit with Dr. Luke and fulfilled her contractual obligations to her earlier label. Then, in 2024, she launched her personal label, Kesha Data. She informed Elle, “The music trade must be fucking frightened of me. As a result of I am about to make some main strikes and shift this shit. I actually need to dismantle it piece by piece and shine mild into each nook. I hope my legacy is ensuring it by no means occurs to anyone ever once more.”
