Submitting your band’s demo to a record company can be a very daunting task. To get an idea of what the record company’s procedures are, get in contact with the company via email and ask them if they are interested in your genre of music, and the submission guidelines. Most record companies would follow some of the following processes:
Cover letter – The cover letter should include a brief introduction of yourself/ the band and state the reasons why you intend to submit your work. For example, you may be looking to book your band for a gig or you might want to sell your songs for a single song contract.
Copyright – Before you send in your work, make sure you copyright your song lyrics, logos and other material. For more information on copyrighting, visit the www.copyright.gov.
Lyrics sheet – You should also include a sheet that includes your song lyrics and music.
Demo CD, Tape, Flash Drive or DAT – Providing a sample copy of your music is vital; therefore make sure you have included a good quality demo in your package.
Self Addressed stamped envelope (SASE) – Some record companies ask that you provide an envelope with your address details in order to respond.
Paying to get your contract – Some companies may ask you to pay them a fee to sign on your songs. Before you choose to go ahead with such a company, make sure you check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to make sure that the company has no complaints in the past and that it is a reputable one.