Music executive says artists can stay independent if they don't like label terms

[Teletubby 139,704]

https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1887492807851446661
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/chappell-roan-grammys-speech-misguided-1236128051/

[JgHaus78 1,904]

[MaybeKermit 4,325]

They both make very good points tbh. 

[bionic 45,551]

If the labels are expecting the artist to treat their music 'career' as their MAIN employment then the artist should get benefits to that affect. The contracts are exploitative by design just as much by nature and "this is the way it is, nobody is forcing you to do it" is the same excuse all crooks use when exploiting their employees.

[Jill 28,544]

55 minutes ago, MaybeKermit said:

They both make very good points tbh. 

No they don't. The label executive's the only one in the wrong here. A record label has a much greater capacity to absorb higher financial costs without being significantly affected, unlike an independent artist who lacks the resources or connections that a record label possesses. Also, the promotional opportunities and visibility provided by a record label are simply unmatched. Being signed to a label is essentially the only way to become an established artist. There's a reason why the vast majority of mainstream artists are signed to record labels, and why only a small percentage of them (usually powerful artists) have the means to create their own label and/or go independent and handle their own distribution tasks.

What record labels do is not at all easy, and this person is taking advantage of many people's ignorance on the subject. If record labels present something as complex as this issue in such a black-and-white, oversimplified manner, it's because they simply don't want to treat artists as employees. Doing so would mean incurring additional expenses that they consider unnecessary, which is unfair. While they don't treat artists as employees, they are the ones who primarily benefit from their success.

This is a highly unequal relationship, and this executive portrays it as if it were perfectly balanced.

Edited Thursday at 03:46 PM by Jill

[Red 95,687]

Don’t like your job? You can be unemployed and survive! It will only be a tad more difficult with no money 😊 

[palma 7,735]

I checked his wiki to see who tf he was and the edit there is taking me  - they ate him up.

Spoiler

"Following Chappell Roan’s searing indictment of the music industry during her acceptance speech at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on February 2, 2025, music executive Jeff Rabhan rushed to the defense of record labels with a tone-deaf and widely condemned op-ed in The Hollywood Reporter. In a desperate attempt to justify the exploitative business model that has drained artists of their earnings for decades, Rabhan shamelessly dismissed Roan’s concerns about fair wages and healthcare, insisting that labels have “no obligation” to ensure the financial well-being of the artists they profit from.

Rabhan, a relic of an industry built on taking advantage of young talent, peddled the tired narrative that artists should simply be grateful for any opportunity to work under a system that routinely underpays and discards them. His remarks were met with immediate outrage, as musicians and industry professionals called out his blatant disregard for the well-being of those who actually create the music that fuels his paycheck. Critics were quick to highlight Rabhan’s own cushy career—one built on exploiting artists—making his defense of corporate greed all the more revolting.

The response to Rabhan’s op-ed was swift and unforgiving. Artists, fans, and industry insiders tore apart his argument, labeling him as nothing more than a mouthpiece for record executives desperate to maintain their stranglehold on the industry. His name trended for all the wrong reasons, as many called for a complete overhaul of the label system he so fervently defends.

Roan, though she didn’t address Rabhan directly, didn’t need to—her speech had already ignited a larger conversation, one that made it clear that the days of unchecked label exploitation are numbered. Rabhan’s feeble attempt to silence that conversation only confirmed what many have long suspected: the industry’s gatekeepers are more terrified than ever of artists demanding what they deserve."

[infinitesadness 34]

people saying 'its part of the job' are missing the point.

this is more in regards to her voicing her discomfort in the way she's been treated, but music execs telling her to put up or shut up is just very telling of how they break people into doing whatever they're told. those music execs are not the ones dealing with harassment and stalking to the same degree, if at all. they're acting like her demands are unrealistic just to keep breaking down young women, so they stop asking for what they need in this kind of career.

when I was a teenager, there was a guy at my work who kept trying to touch me, then kiss me. i brushed it off thinking it was normal because most girls my age have experienced similar things. i remember being told to just let him do it so I don't make him sad, I really had no way of asserting myself.

as I got older I began to see a pattern of people diminishing young women's boundaries because 'it's always been this way' or 'find something else to do' (lmao).... only in my adulthood did I realize how inconsiderate it is to tell people to just put up with something at the cost of their personal safety. i wish I knew then.

a young woman, famous or not; doesn't owe anyone grace, especially if their personal wellbeing and privacy is being compromised. even if its just a press photographer yelling at you. they try to make you look crazy so you stop asserting your needs. i think asking for healthcare coverage is a tiny ask compared to all the other **** young artists are being put through

[phantasmas 10,148]

Artists also need to get good lawyers to review/revise contracts before signing, imo

I've heard of many artists being shelved by their label not realizing that their contract had no agreed upon timeframe to release music so they just end up in limbo 

[Bronco 7,585]

2 hours ago, phantasmas said:

Artists also need to get good lawyers to review/revise contracts before signing, imo

I've heard of many artists being shelved by their label not realizing that their contract had no agreed upon timeframe to release music so they just end up in limbo 

With what money tho?

Where are under 18s? Or 18/19 yr olds going to get a lawyer of high calibre able to support them?

[phantasmas 10,148]

5 hours ago, Bronco said:

With what money tho?

Where are under 18s? Or 18/19 yr olds going to get a lawyer of high calibre able to support them?

some do it pro bono or ask for $ later down the line when the artist starts making bigger bucks 

of course they would have to do their due diligence in vetting the attorney such as verifying their license, checking  to see if they've been reprimanded by any govt agency and so on

[Jill 28,544]

6 hours ago, Bronco said:

With what money tho?

Where are under 18s? Or 18/19 yr olds going to get a lawyer of high calibre able to support them?

Take Taylor Swift's case, for example. She grew up a wealthy girl and already had access to all these resources, including lawyers and her own PR team. Yet, even she chose to sign with a label even after the masters controversy. That should speak volumes about how challenging and cumbersome it is to manage the logistics behind music distribution, to the point where it's often cheaper and more practical to sign a contract and delegate that part of the business. 

Taylor has almost everything under her own roof: PR, social media, tours, and general promotion. The only exception is distribution, which falls under Republic. That should give you an idea of what goes into those tasks.

[PartySick 148,554]

This is so rich coming from someone who would have nothing without those artists  

Praying all artists under their label takes this advice and quits  

[LG2008 3,760]

What about all the artists that are signed only to avoid them becoming a threat to the artists that are already on the label?

This industry is trash. Health care is basic but that's another trash industry 

Edited Friday at 02:41 AM by LG2008

[Nemo 4,230]

The only thing I disagreed with Chappell on was that labels should pay for health care

because that should be free for everyone via the government, like in civilized countries