Onboarding Artists: What Indie Labels Should Have in Place Before Signing Anyone

Signing new artists is always exciting. It’s the start of a fresh chapter for both your label and the artist. But with that said, excitement can only get you so far. Without the right systems in place to keep things organized, things can go downhill… fast. That’s why onboarding is one of the most important parts of bringing on new artists into your label. From contracts and release schedules to team introductions and financial transparency, proper onboarding lays the foundation for a successful working relationship that lasts the test of time. 🎙️🤝 Ready to learn more? Here are the key things you need to have ready before you sign anyone…

Indie Label 101: Everything You Need To Know About Onboarding New Artists

Artist Contract Basics

Before anything else, let’s start with contracts. They need to be as clear as possible, laying out the foundation of your working relationship and making sure everyone knows what they’re agreeing to from the jump. The key is transparency. If the terms are vague, you’re setting yourself up for problems down the road.

Here are the main types of agreements you should understand:

• Administration (Admin) Agreements: Typically used in publishing. The artist retains ownership of their rights, and the label or publisher helps with tasks like royalty collection and licensing in exchange for a fee or percentage.
• Distribution Agreements: Focused on getting the artist’s music onto digital platforms and into stores. These should list out royalty splits, payout timelines, and exactly what services the label is providing beyond distribution.
• Publishing Agreements: Cover the rights to the underlying composition (aka the songwriting itself). These are typically more detailed and can include performance royalties, mechanical royalties, and sync opportunities.

At the very least, make sure your contracts cover ownership of masters, royalty rates, splits, term lengths, and exit clauses. Clear contracts don’t just protect your label, they also build trust with artists by showing you’re upfront and professional from day one.

Project Timelines & Release Schedules

Once contracts are squared away, the next step is mapping out a timeline for projects and releases. A clear schedule keeps everyone on the same page and prevents any last-minute chaos. We recommend you start by planning out singles, EPs, albums, and any accompanying videos. And be realistic with deadlines here. Rushed jobs can hurt both the creative process and the final product.

You can do this with tools like Monday.com, Notion, or Airtable to track progress, see upcoming deadlines, and know exactly who’s responsible for what. Even just shared calendars can go a long way. The goal is simple: make sure the artist, the label, and any collaborators all know what’s coming and when.

For example, indie labels should be able to map out a six-month schedule like this for a new artist:

• Month 1: Pre-production and recording demos
• Month 2: Final recordings and mixing
• Month 3: Artwork, photos, and press assets
• Month 4: Marketing plan and social media teasers
• Month 5: Single release and campaign launch
• Month 6: Follow-up content, review metrics, and plan next steps

💡 Remember, these tasks are part of a bigger picture, broken up into moving parts assigned to specific team members and departments. We recently did an article that broke down how all the responsibilities within your label should be divvied up to build a system that works like a charm, no matter the project at hand. // Check out “How To Split Responsibilities Within Your Label to Build the Ultimate Team” to get the full rundown.

Realistically, a solid timeline isn’t just about organization; it’s about building confidence within the relationship between label & artist. Artists are more likely to trust a label that has a real plan and can stick to it. It shows you’re dedicated to their success at every step of the way, not just when they win.

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Artist Welcome Packet (Pre-Signing Prep)

Even though you won’t be sharing a welcome packet with an artist until they’re officially signed, having one prepared in advance isn’t a bad idea. Think of it as the blueprint for onboarding, a set of materials that makes bringing a new artist on board as seamless as possible. This isn’t necessarily a physical packet either; these materials can live in whatever format works best for you. So, a digital PDF, an internal folder on Google Drive or Notion, templates in Monday.com, wherever is easiest to access.

For example, a complete packet should include things like:

• Team contacts: Who handles marketing, creative, distribution, publishing, etc.
• Brand guide: Key messaging, visual guidelines, and tone so the artist’s work aligns with the label’s identity.
• Asset checklist: What photos, bios, logos, and other materials will be needed for releases.

Preparing these materials ahead of time ensures your team knows what’s expected and can hit the ground running once an artist joins. It also helps standardize your processes, reducing confusion and keeping projects on track from day one.

Creative Brief Template

Before signing anyone, it helps to have a creative brief template ready to go. A creative brief is essentially a guide that outlines the vision, tone, goals, and strategy for an artist’s upcoming project. Having this template in place saves time and ensures consistency across your roster. A good template typically includes a project overview, target audience, visual direction, tone & messaging, and goals & KPI’s. Not sure about these? No problem! Here’s what each of these includes: 

• Project overview: What’s being released (single, EP, album) and why. For example, an artist might note that their new single is tied to an upcoming tour, so release dates should align with those shows.
• Target audience: Who the artist is trying to reach and how. Maybe it’s “Gen Z fans on TikTok who love bedroom pop” or “Latin indie listeners who follow key Spotify playlists.”
• Visual direction: Colors, imagery, or references that reflect the artist’s brand (like “dreamy pastels and lo-fi film photos” or “bold typography and gritty cityscapes.”)
• Tone & messaging: How the artist wants to be perceived (playful, serious, rebellious, etc.) For example, “high-energy and confident, leaning into empowerment” vs. “moody and introspective.”
• Goals & KPIs: Whether the focus is streams, press coverage, sync placements, or live opportunities. For instance, one artist might prioritize playlist adds on Spotify, while another might be aiming for blog features and local radio play.

You won’t fill this out until after an artist signs, but by having the structure ready ahead of time, you’ll make the onboarding process as easy and straightforward as possible. It also gives your team a consistent way to understand and align with each artist’s vision right from the start.

Intake Form or Dashboard

We’ve already talked about using platforms like Monday.com, etc., to plan timelines and organize tasks. The good news is, you can also use these same tools to manage the artist side of onboarding. The difference here is that instead of tracking deadlines or marketing plans, you’re collecting and storing the artist’s essential info in one central place.

This should include basic artist info like their name and contact info, splits (aka who owns what percentage of each track, ine. writers, producers, collaborators), metadata (Song titles, ISRC/UPC codes, publishing info), assets (Bios, press photos, logos, cover art, and social handles), and banking/payment info to send royalties to.

💡At this point, you should be well aware of the importance of metadata in the music industry. Not only does it help classify and identify your music among a sea of millions of others, but improper metadata could be the reason your music isn’t reaching as many fans as possible. // Want to learn more? Check out How Proper Metadata Improves Your Music’s Chance Of Success to dive deeper.

Having all of this in one dedicated place ensures everyone knows exactly where to find whatever they need, saving you hours of back and forth down the line. It also showcases how organized and professional you are before they even sign with you.

To wrap things up…

Before you sign anyone, it’s essential to take a step back and make sure your label is set up to actually support your artists’ needs, not just on paper, but in real life. Double-check your processes, make sure your team knows their roles, and have a clear plan for how you’ll collect assets and track progress. Little things like this make all the difference.

Most importantly, trust in your system and your team. When you’ve got the right tools and workflows in place, signing new artists can be a smooth and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Last but not least, good luck! When you’re prepared in advance, everything else will fall into place.