Why Independent Artists Shouldn't Sign with Labels and Embrace the Open Internet
July 09, 2025
The traditional music industry, dominated by major record labels, is a system that has historically exploited artists, especially independent ones. Abusive contracts, copyrights held for decades, and unfair profit distribution are just some of the problems. While Gilberto Gil celebrated the recovery of the rights to his work, many musicians, like Cartola, died in poverty, with their creations controlled by third parties. This system doesn't protect artists, but rather the intermediaries who profit from their work.
The open internet and technologies like NFTs and IPFS offer a truly liberating alternative. NFTs are self-executing contracts that allow the direct transfer of value between artist and fan, without intermediaries. By licensing works under CC0 (voluntary public domain), artists escape the industry of artificial shine, where success is measured by likes and views manipulated by algorithms and paid boosts. Creative autonomy is worth more than the validation of an engagement machine.
Record labels operate under a model that prioritizes quick profits, often at the expense of artistic integrity. They control not only music rights but also the narrative surrounding artists, shaping their audiences through massive marketing campaigns. Meanwhile, centralized digital platforms like Spotify and YouTube don't guarantee real audiences,bots and fake user farms distort the reality of what's heard. Decentralization breaks this monopoly.
A small but engaged community is infinitely more valuable than millions of empty streams. Independent artists who build direct relationships with their audiences have more control over their careers and livelihoods. Decentralized platforms, such as those based on IPFS, allow for self-custody of works, preventing third parties from hijacking or monetizing them without consent. True independence lies in owning the means of production and distribution.
The current generation of artists no longer needs to rely on manipulable reward systems. Music can circulate freely, with fair monetization via smart contracts and cryptocurrencies. While record labels insist on contracts that lock artists in for years, Web3 offers flexibility and transparency. Those who produce art should be the primary beneficiaries, not executives sitting in an office.
Artistic resistance requires decentralization. Sharing intellectual property, allowing remixes, opening access, and still guaranteeing remuneration are real possibilities today. Cartola, if he were alive, might have chosen this path rather than seeing his work imprisoned. The fight is not just for copyright, but for a new model in which art is not held hostage by anyone.
Independent artists must look to the future without fear: the open internet is the stage, the tools are available, and the power is in the hands of those who create it. The era of record labels as gatekeepers is over. Now is the time to build a new history one where music truly belongs to those who make it and those who love it.
You can right click save this NFT and it is good praxis to do so, and share it, and you can reuse it for whatever even sell some shirts, idgaf, anyways it'll be under a cc0 license and the design itself uses cc0 assets, so go for it. This piece was created as satire and for entirely satirical and comedic purposes.