RESEARCH- Mainstream v independent

INDIE:


Disadvantages:

• Limited promotion is a side-effect of lacking of funding, as it is harder for independent record labels to get hold and connections to the media, the general public, and other bands.
• There's also a limited distribution in many cases, as they can't send tens of thousands of copies of your latest album across the country.

Advantages: 

• Artists gets the rights to their music: where the artist has more freedom.
•  Complete control of the marketing, and the free will to say yes or no to any opportunities.

MAINSTREAM:

Disadvantages: 

• The label has more control over the artist therefore restricts what the artists can or cannot do.
• income of the artist is a percentage: if the artist is not doing well it.

Audience appeal:

The advantages and disadvantages of the indie v mainstream affects audience. This is because mainstream record labels appeal to as many people as possible. As the record label will only release what they think will sell and make a lot of money. i.e rock nation. This is done through marketing. Whereas Indie music is the complete opposite. Indie bands are relatively unknown, and are signed to Independent labels. Therefore does not have the marketing tools that mainstream record labels have, meaning they have less fans from a mainstream label. Indie music is usually influenced a lot less by the record label.