Ed Sheeran turns gamekeeper with his new record label – but it’s tough game to poach

Ed Sheeran is not the first successful musician to launch a record label. The singer-songwriter’s recent announcement that he’s going to sign acts to a new label is sure to excite much attention, given his own rapid ascent in recent times.

It remains to be seen if we’ll see Sheeran binge-gigging with the rest of the talent scouts at the next Eurosonic, Great Escape or SXSW, and he probably already has a decent idea of the type of acts he’ll favour. From a strictly business point of view, a label wall-to- wall with acts that can sell out arenas solo with just a guitar (much like Sheeran) would be well worth investing in.

But the history is not awash with encouraging precedents. From The Beatles with Apple to U2 with Mother (a very odd footnote in their career), best-selling artists aren’t the surest bets when it comes to finding and building new acts.

Vanity project
Often, the label tends to be a vanity project or something to help mates out, rather than an undertaking with talent development and ambitious revenue expectations at its core. In many cases, the label turns out to be something the founding act's own advisors would have told them to run a million miles from.

Yes, there are exceptions. Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning were instrumental in the setting up of the Arts & Crafts label, although they’ve largely left co-founder Jeffrey Remedios to his own devices. Jack White has had a good run with Third Man Records, as has David Byrne with Luaka Bop.

There are many burgeoning electronic music labels, such as Hyperdub or Kompakt, where a musician has taken the lead. Rappers also know how to sweat their fame when it comes to labels, with everyone from Jay Z, Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne getting in on the act, with Roc-A-Fella, Good Music and Young Money respectively.

But in terms of most rock and pop acts, it’s the long established major and indie labels who do the bulk of the heavy lifting. Artists may have the best intentions in the world when it comes to their new label, but it’s a different kettle of fish when it comes to making that label work.

In some cases, a major label will be only too happy to give an act their own imprint to keep them onside. The parent label knows full well that the act will have no intention of attending A&R or marketing meetings so the label never quite gets off the ground.

Let’s see what kind of a fist Sheeran makes of his new initiative. But don’t be surprised if the the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd proves more alluring for him than listening to acts kvetching about his labels’ business affairs.

Andy Stott
Faith In Strangers
(Modern Love)
New moves and shapes from the Manchester producer (above), as he applies a range of shades to his normally minimal techno palette. The vocal contributions of his old piano teacher Alison Skidmore are particularly alluring.

ETC It’s a decade since the Odessa Club opened on Dublin’s Dame Court and they’re marking the occasion with a run of shows and performances in the next few weeks. The big one is the birthday bash on November 21st with Donal Dineen and Ed Smith on the decks, but there are also appearances from Laura Cannell (Nov 16), Little Matador (Nov 20), Le Galaxie (Nov 14), The Minutes (Nov 26) and a twisted funk brunch hosted by Bantum (Nov 22) to add to your diary.