Amanda Palmer , OK Go Get Together To Celebrate Being Dropped From Their Record Labels http://bit.ly/aYO7WB Better off solo than with label because it allows them to better connect with fans, and give those fans a reason to buy something.
For both these artists the label was a hindering factor, not a help.
It’s yet another reminder of how the role of the major labels is totally changing. Historically, the only way to be successful in the music business was to get a major label deal. They were the gatekeepers, and without a deal, you were out of luck. Being dropped from a major was effectively the end of your career as a performer with a very small number of exceptions. But, these days, artists are realizing that there’s so much more that can be done without major label help, and that actually being on a major can hinder or block those opportunities, that it’s become a cause for celebration when you get “dropped” — or, perhaps, more accurately, freed!