Who’s to blame? Part I

Let me say that for the sake of this argument, in the near future, A Day To Remember will leave Victory Records (if their contract allows it) and will sign to a new label for their future recordings. What will Victory Records have left after this happens?

Victory Records has been home to many successful bands in the non-mainstream music industry such as Silverstein, Hawthorne Heights, Atreyu, Bayside, Thursday and Taking Back Sunday.  All of these bands have left the label or ended their relations with the label; a few of the bands having had some alleged problems such as with Hawthorne Heights.  All of that being said, Victory Records has to do something that gives them some kind of reincarnation with all the new music out there these days.

By now, most of the fans out there are aware that Design The Skyline has signed to Victory Records, which has led to quite the uproar.  As I type away my rambling opinion on this matter, Nick is over in Massachusetts writing his opposing opinion; no harm done, because everyone is entitled their own respectable opinion.  I have to admit that I am not a fan of this band, or this new genre of music that I cannot quite understand.  I think that it may have something to do with my growing age. However, I think I am more angry that record labels today are signing these bands, more than I am angry at the actual bands.

Even though many people may chose not to believe it, record labels have a lot more power than people may be giving them credit for.  Think about it: a label has the money in order to produce and distribute music to retailers like Best Buy, Hot Topic, Target, and even to get spots on iTunes. Labels also have the money for advertising, management, booking, public relations, and all that business stuff that many bands forget about once they are signed. So in order for these labels to continue doing all of this for the artists, who should be creating music for the art, labels have to sign bands that they know are going to produce sales for them. Whether the label is a true fan of the band or not, they have to look at the monetary aspect.  As long as that band can go places, they are worth a shot.

Take a look at Rise Records for example.  I would argue that Rise Records is one the largest labels out there right now and that many bands aspire to sign with them.  I would also argue that about 90 percent of those bands sound too similar for it to be a coincidence that they are signed to Rise.  Most of the bands signed to Rise Records are even recorded by the same producer, Joey Sturgis, and are managed by The Artery Foundation.  Of course Rise Records is signing a particular sub-genre that the label knows kids are going to soak up today; it’s called the music business for a reason.

Even with this uproar coming from the fans about Victory Records signing this particular band, I still feel like my opinion is the unpopular one.  I don’t agree that this music should become what people know as metalcore, because it’s not. I also don’t agree that this band should have been signed.  But when it comes down to it, it was Victory’s decision.  If all of these fans are truly upset about Design The Skyline being signed, then don’t support them.  Easier said than done, but ignore the music.  A band needs support to continue making money, and to ultimately keep record labels thriving.  What if Design The Skyline had been signed to a different label?  How much panic would it have caused? My guess is, that not many people would have even noticed.

Please make sure to leave your opinion below, and check back tomorrow for a continuation of this article!