{"id":522,"date":"2025-02-20T22:02:04","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T23:02:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/?p=522"},"modified":"2025-02-27T05:24:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T05:24:45","slug":"the-secrets-to-getting-signed-by-defected-records-according-to-labels-head-of-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/the-secrets-to-getting-signed-by-defected-records-according-to-labels-head-of-music\/","title":{"rendered":"The Secrets to Getting Signed by Defected Records, According to Label’s Head of Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many producers, landing a release with Defected Records<\/a> is a dream. But with countless demos submitted daily, it’s difficult to figure out what to do to make your submission stand out.<\/p>\n

In a recent Defected newsletter shared with EDM.com<\/em>, the label’s Director of Music, Andy Daniell, shared his insights into the A&R process and answered key questions about what makes a track stand out, how demos are evaluated, why artists often misjudge their own best work and more.<\/p>\n

Read on to discover\u00a0Daniell’s tips on how artists can stand out to imprints like Defected, which in 2022 was named by\u00a0EDM.com <\/em>as the year’s\u00a0best record label.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\n

Andy Daniell\/Instagram<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A&R decisions happen fast<\/h2>\n

With the sheer volume of music coming in, A&R professionals simply don\u2019t have time to listen to every track in full. Much like crate-digging for vinyl, Daniell says he needle-drops through tracks, skipping intros and jumping straight to the energy. If an arrangement doesn\u2019t grab attention immediately, it\u2019s passed over.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ll feel the production quality, the feel, tone, direction of the audio very quickly, and if it\u2019s removed from what we do as a label, you move on,” he explained. “Likewise if it\u2019s feeling relevant and exciting we listen in more depth. It\u2019s the same as record shopping, you know from the preview clip if you\u2019re curious to hear more.”<\/p>\n

Producers often misjudge their own best work<\/h2>\n

Many artists assume they know which track will get them signed, but according to Daniell, that\u2019s rarely the case. This is why it\u2019s crucial to send a well-rounded selection rather than banking on one track. Sometimes, the one you least expect is the one that stands out.<\/p>\n

“There are loads of elements that make a Defected track to me,” he said. “Great original songs, standout club tracks, exciting hooks, funk, soul, are all elements I resonate with, but every single track is different. Quite often it\u2019s the track artists least expect that I end up resonating with over the one they think is Defected.”<\/p>\n

How to make your demo stand out<\/h2>\n

Presentation matters just as much as the music itself. Daniell stresses the importance of keeping demo submissions concise and professional: a short introduction, a functional streaming link, links to social pages and a well-curated selection of tracks. These “best practices” are crucial, he said.<\/p>\n

“I would keep information relatively concise, maybe a paragraph about who you are, what you\u2019re sending and why,” he explained. “When sharing the audio, I personally prefer a streamable link with a download option. PLEASE CHECK YOUR LINK WORKS. You would be amazed how many dead\/private links I get.”<\/p>\n

“I would also recommend keeping your music focused when sharing. I\u2019d say a maximum of four tracks that you feel best represents your artistry. If an A&R is curious they will absolutely be asking for more music. Also share a link to your relevant social pages, again if the music makes us curious we\u2019ll be wanting to dig deeper to understand more about you and this makes that super easy. Even if the music isn\u2019t right I\u2019ll often follow artists I\u2019m curious about to ensure I keep an eye on what they are doing moving forward.”<\/p>\n

Sample clearance isn’t always a dealbreaker<\/h2>\n

While many labels reject tracks containing uncleared samples outright, Defected takes a more flexible approach.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m always a believer in the creativity leading the business, not the other way around,”\u00a0Daniell said.\u00a0“After 20 years or so of figuring out clearances I\u2019ve got a reasonably good sense of what is achievable, where we might run into issues, impact on the business side of the record so can hopefully have a highly informed conversation with the artist about the best steps forward. If the record is good I’ll want to figure out the sample.”<\/p>\n

Getting signed is just the beginning<\/h2>\n

Even if a demo isn\u2019t signed immediately, it doesn\u2019t mean the door is closed. Daniell frequently keeps tabs on promising artists, following their progress.<\/p>\n

For producers looking to get noticed, the takeaway is clear:\u00a0be professional, stay consistent and submit polished, original music. The track that lands you a deal might not be the one you expect\u2014but if it brings something fresh, it won\u2019t go unnoticed.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, putting in the effort is just as important as raw talent. Taking the time to refine your production, craft a strong submission and understand what makes a track stand out can make all the difference. Storied record labels like Defected aren’t just looking for a single good record, but seeking out artists with vision, longevity and dedication. A signing is just the beginning\u2014the real challenge is proving you have what it takes to stay.<\/p>\n

Follow Defected Records:<\/h2>\n

X: <\/strong>x.com\/defectedrecords<\/a>
Instagram: <\/strong>instagram.com\/defectedrecords<\/a>
TikTok: <\/strong>tiktok.com\/@defectedrecords<\/a>
Facebook: <\/strong>facebook.com\/defectedrecords<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For many producers, landing a release with Defected Records is a dream. But with countless…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=522"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":526,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522\/revisions\/526"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dieng.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}