MAINSTREAM V INDEPENDENT

One Direction

• 1- signed to simon cowell's label "SYCO RECORDS"
• 2 -Syco Records have also signed other famous artists (that had also been in the X-Factor) like Leona Lewis, Little Mix and Olly Murs.
• 3 - According to YouGov, their target audience are young females aged 18-24 years old.
• 4 - Merchandise can be found on their merch web site http://www.onedirectionstore.com/ 
• 5 - One Direction have their own website that gives out a lot of information about the band, merch and shop
• 6 - In 2010, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson auditioned as solo candidates for the 7th of the British televised singing competition X-Factor.They failed to progress to the "Boys" category at "Judges Houses" but were put together to form a five-piece boy band. They finished in third place and immediately after the final.Shortly afterwards it was confirmed that One Direction had been signed by Cowell to a reported £2 million Syco Records record contract.

Lanterns on the Lake

• 1 - Signed to bella union founded in 1997 by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins. It is now run solely by Raymonde. 
• 2 -  The genres that this music label specifies in are: INDIE, FOLK, COUNTRY, SHOEGAZE AND POP/ROCK.
• 3 - Their target audience is predominately young teenage females.
• 4 - Merchandise can be found on their merch web site http://lanternsonthelake.bigcartel.com/
• 5 - http://www.lanternsonthelake.com/
• 6 - Lanterns On The Lake formed in 2007.They self-released two EPs and a single before signing to the Bella Union record label in December 2010. Soon after the band provided a track for Bella Union's Christmas 10" EP along with new label mates Peter Broderick and Phil Selway.

Advantage

One of the advantage of being in an independent label is that the artist has more control over the music

Disadvantage

A disadvantage is that as the artist is signed to a independent label they may not be as successful

Main advantages and disadvantages of being signed to an independent label

Advantage

One of the advantage of being signed to a mainstream record label is that the artist is more successful

Disadvantage

Disadvantage of being signed to mainstream labels is that the label has more control over the artists and this restricts what the artists can and cannot do.

Main advantages and disadvantages of being signed to an mainstream label

Merchandise 

LOTL

1D

Would you rather be signed to a mainstream or independent label?

In my opinion, I would rather be signed to a mainstream label as I will have a chance to be known and recognisable in the industry.