Other Record Labels

Building a Record Store for Music Lovers

Presented by GROOVER

What does it take to build a record store in 2026? In this episode, Scott sits down with Clifton, founder of Sisyphus Record Works, an independent online record shop specializing in jazz, classical, international music, and releases from small, independent labels.

With plans to open a physical storefront, Clifton shares his approach to curating a unique catalog, building a loyal customer base, and navigating the challenging economics of vinyl retail. They discuss why major-label records are becoming increasingly difficult to sell, the importance of packaging and customer experience, and how Sisyphus has achieved an impressive 87% returning customer rate.

Thanks to Groover.co for sponsoring today's episode, use coupon code OTHERRECORDLABELSVIP to get 10% off your first campaign! http://groover.co

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https://sisyphusrecordworks.com/

What happens when a musician gets tired of fighting with technology and decides to build his own?

In this episode of Other Record Labels, Scott sits down with Ryan McKendall of Lofty Audio, the creator of LOOPGROUND, a creative looping application designed to make experimenting with sound feel fun and intuitive.

Presented by Groover - http://groover.co

Ryan shares his journey from classical piano and teaching to synthesizers, ambient music, YouTube, and eventually software development. We explore how he used AI-assisted coding to turn an idea into a real product, despite having no traditional programming background.

Along the way, we get nerdy about synthesizers, the strange psychology of repetitive music, creative limitations, gear obsession, and why the best tools aren't necessarily the ones with the most features.

LOOPGROUND: https://www.loftyaudio.com/loopground

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Promote your new releases with GROOVER - Use coupon code OTHERRECORDLABELSVIP - http://groover.co

Do you actually need an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) to succeed in the music industry?

The short answer? No. But having the right EPK can make promoting your music, pitching your artists, and building relationships a whole lot easier.

In this episode of Other Record Labels, we're breaking down three different types of EPKs: the Release EPK, the Artist EPK, and the Label EPK.

We'll explore what each one is designed to accomplish, what information to include, and how to create something useful without overcomplicating the process.

DOWNLOAD MY FREE RECORD LABEL TOOLKIT: http://otherrecordlabels.com/toolkit

Download my FREE Record Label Toolkit: http://otherrecordlabels.com/toolkit

What can independent record labels learn from the underground death metal scene?

In this episode of Other Record Labels, Scott talks with Ben from Iron Fortress Records, a Kansas City-based death metal label and distribution business that grew from a small hobby into a full-time operation.

Starting in 2022 with small vinyl releases and handmade cassette tapes, Ben has built an international distribution network, importing and selling underground metal releases from around the world.

https://www.ironfortressrecords.com/

There's no single right way to run a record label. And sometimes, listening to too much advice—even from this podcast—can make you feel like you're doing everything wrong.

In this episode of Other Record Labels, we're talking about the importance of finding your own way as a label owner, and why copying someone else's strategy isn't always the answer.

Podcasts, books, and industry experts can provide incredible ideas and inspiration. But there's a downside: they can also convince you that you need to do everything you're hearing.

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Presented by Squarespace - Use coupon code ORL10 to get 10% off your first record label website with Squarespace: www.otherrecordlabels.com/squarespace

What does starting a record label actually look like?

James Nixon is documenting the entire process.

James is a pianist, working parent, and the founder of Fern Rose Records. What began with sharing piano ideas online eventually turned into a plan to record the music he plays for his family, press it to vinyl, and build an independent record label around it.

In this episode, we talk about why he decided to start a label, building an audience by being genuinely useful, documenting the process publicly, turning followers into supporters, manufacturing vinyl, funding a first release, and figuring things out as you go.

It’s a great look at what starting a small record label actually looks like when you’re right in the middle of doing it.

Learn more about Fern Rose Records at fernroserecords.com.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace.

Build a beautiful website for your record label, artist project, or creative business at otherrecordlabels.com/squarespace.

There's still time to register!  I'd love to have you join us!

http://otherrecordlabels.com/labelmates

What if releasing more music is actually more important than making every release perfect?

In this episode, I make the case for quantity over quality—and why independent artists and record labels may need to rethink the traditional album cycle altogether.

We’ll talk about release frequency, building a catalogue, perfectionism, streaming momentum, and why we’re probably not very good judges of which of our own songs are actually the “best.”

This isn’t an argument for making bad music. It’s an argument for making more music, releasing more often, and giving yourself more chances to connect with listeners.

Presented by Hellbender Vinyl - hellbendervinyl.com

Presented by Hellbender Vinyl - http://www.hellbendervinyl.com

Poison Furrows is an underground label releasing black metal, dark folk, dark ambient, dungeon synth, and other music from the darker corners of independent music.

In this conversation, we talk about building a label around personal taste, why physical formats still matter in niche music communities, and the different roles of cassettes, CDs, and vinyl. We also get into artist relationships, pressing records, finding new music, managing the cost and risk of physical releases, and why slowing down can sometimes be an important part of building a sustainable label.

What if the best way to figure out how to promote music is to look at how you discover music yourself?

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PRESENTED BY HELLBENDER VINYL

Vinyl pressing for independent artists and record labels.

hellbendervinyl.com

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In this episode, I share a simple exercise for reverse engineering the last few records you discovered — and using those discoveries to rethink how you promote your own releases.

We talk about the weird and unpredictable ways music finds us, why there probably isn’t one perfect marketing strategy, and why effective promotion is really a combination of low-stakes, mid-stakes and high-stakes actions happening at the same time.

Instead of searching for the one big promotional win, maybe the goal is simply to give your music as many opportunities as possible to bump into the right people.