RCA Records would be the best label for the music video production due to its wide audience reach and promotion of various genres and artists. As a subsidiary of Sony, RCA has more financial resources than independent labels to fund production. However, the video's portrayal of current issues in America and inclusion of Donald Trump imagery could cause controversy and lose some audience members. The goal is to show America from the perspective of an English student living there today.

1. Music VideoRecord Label
Research
By Lewis Pike

2. Introduction
&
What isa
independent and
conglomerate
 A Record label is a trademark that markets music and music videos. The
record label will put their trademark onto music and videos. The label is a
publishing company as well which takes care of brands, trademarks,
coordinates , production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion
and the enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos. In
this task I will be conducting research into existing record labels to see what
genre of music they promote, what artists they represent, and weather they
are a independent or a conglomerate.
 Independents are media companies that are free from influence from the
government and conglomerates. Independents are smaller than
multinationals and work in media such as television, radio and newspapers.
Domino Recording Company and Grace Productions are examples of
independents.
 Conglomerates is a company that owns a large amount of smaller companies.
The conglomerate which is the larger company will hold the majority share in
each company in which they own, this is so that they can control many
outflows of media. Sony is a example of a conglomerate, owning smaller
companies such as Syco, Legacy and Relentless.

3. Examples of
Independents and
Conglomerates
Independent labels
Conglomerates

4. RCARecords
 RCA Records is a American record label, which is owned by Sony
Music. RCA is one of the three flagship labels along with Columbia
and Epic Records, of whom is the record label for the track I will be
making a music video to. Artists that have been signed by RCA
Records are Zayn, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Pitbull and Pink. The
genre of music they promote and sell, varies including pop, rock, hip
hop, electronic, R&B, Blues, Jazz and Country genres. RCA has been
operating for 115 year when it was first established in October 1901,
founded by Emile Berliner and Eldridge R. Johnson. The record label
operates in France, Italy, Australia and the United Kingdom where
artists such as Paloma Faith have been signed.
 I believe that RCA Record fits my production because it promotes the
genre of music that I’m producing a music video for. RCA Records
music videos tends to be narrative and I do believe that this is the
best style for me to use in my music video to give my interpretation
of the USA. The record label does seem to sign more solo artists than
a band. I think RCA Records would best fit in terms of ethos and
audience because the label tends to sign more solo artists than bands
and they offer a variety of genres so they attract a huge audience but
consider everyone’s needs in a individual song. Living in America is a
song that isn’t targeted towards a particular age group its targeted
towards a diverse audience. RCA Records fits my production because
it’s very similar to the Living In America’s label, Epic.

5. Domino
Recording
Company
 Domino Recording Company is a independent record label and was first
established in 1993. Domino operates with no funding from major labels.
Commercial bands start their music careers on independent labels.
Independents have no restrictions and there is more freedom to do what
the company want to do. A disadvantage is that there is a lot of
competition. I have chosen to look at this recording company because of
how successful they have been and that they’ve signed well known
artists and bands such as Arctic Monkeys, The Kills, Franz Ferdinand,
Animal Collective and The Last Shadow Puppets. Domino label promote
various genres of music however the main genre seems to be Indie Rock.
Domino is based in London, United Kingdom, a wing of the company is
located in Brooklyn which operates that is in charge of released in
America and there is a division of the company in France and Germany.
 The style of genre of Domino is Indie music so this doesn’t match my
style of genre, but the videos tend to be narratives which I will be
looking at for my production as I will be incorporating a narrative style
which will suit with the lyrics. With the song Living in America the
audience is such a diverse audience. As the soundtrack was in the Rocky
IV film in 1985 . I don’t think that this label would fit my production
because they seem to sign bands while mine is a solo artist. I don’t
think it fits in terms of target audience because Living In America is a
song that’s a classic and any age group like this song, however not
everyone would like the Kills and Indie.

6. Mom+Pop
 Mom + Pop is a independent record label based in New York.
The label was founded in 2008 and was founded by Michael
Goldstone. The record label favour a particular genre of music
instead of various styles, Mom + Pop promote and sell Indie
Rock and Alternative Rock. The record label have the following
artists signed; Ashe, Bayonne, DMA’s, Hinds, Lucius, Polica and
Wild Club.
 I don’t think that this label would be suitable because the track
Living In America is a funk and R&B track, while Mom + Pop
seems to focus on the Indie style genre. The age group for Indie
is 16- 25 years old. I want to produce a music video for any age
range, who may like the soundtrack of living in America. The
video will not be rude, so therefore will be suitable for under 16.
 Some indie labels are financially secure, however small record
labels are just trying to stay afloat. This means that they don't
have the money to fund an amazing video. With indie labels
you'll usually have to remain financially invested in your own
music career.

7. Conclusion
 I believe that my production would best suit RCA Records and the label best
suiting my production. RCA is a part of Sony and they try to aim their music to a
wide audience so that they have a high revenue. The label for the Living In
America track was Epic Records and Epic and RCA is a subsidiary of Sony. RCA
promote and sell a variety of bands and artists as do Epic Records. RCA Records
try to aim their music to a huge audience. However my ideas could lose some
audience members because of my opinion of America. Due to Diversification, RCA
records can reduce their investment risk and as RCA is a conglomerate they don’t
need to secure funding from elsewhere. They have more power than an
independent, so they are able to film in a good location to get the right shot, for
example closing of a particular location to the public.
 My music video could cause a bit of controversy because of the President Donald
Trump and the way in which I perceive America, but will be filming America as a
English student and will be showing what I see. Whether this be bad or good. As
I am showing America as I see it today and that Donald Trump is their current
President, which many people of America and around the world, disagree with.
This could therefore cause controversy as many refuse to believe he is the
president. American people may dislike the fact that his merchandise will be
shown in my video. American people may also dislike the way in which I perceive
their country as America is known as a global leader of the world, however we are
often hearing how America has problems with guns, drugs and homelessness. As I
may be addressing these issues in my production I could lose a audience. Linking
the Uses and Gratification theory to the Living in America track I would say it
would fall under the surveillance activity because we are using the media to show
what is out there. As I live in the UK I don’t know what America is like so I’m
learning new things while shooting the video.