04/27/2026
Thank you SPIN !! Upward and Onward!
âIn this industry, it felt like the equivalent of trying to go to the moon,â jokes founder Brett Orrison during a call from the labelâs bustling HQ in Austin, Texas. âThe joke is that labels are all ânon profits,â but we wanted to do it for real and have the focus truly be on the art.â
In a music business where artists get pennies for streaming revenues and can unknowingly sign dirty deals relegated to shady advances and royalty terms, Orrison instead focused on establishing 501(c)(3) status and creating an equitable recording contract that is incredibly artist-centric. And itâs paid off.
âAround 98% of our artists keep 100% of their profits, and they donât reimburse us for any of our services,â Orrison shares, noting thatâs the case with one of their legacy artists like the Toadies as well as an up-and-comer like their latest signee, Jâcuuzi. Bands also have the chance to choose a la carte services from Spaceflight, whether itâs a full album campaign or one-off promotions or legal services. âThatâs very different from other record labels,â affirms Orrison.
The idea came to him after years as a career front of house engineer who worked for touring bands like Widespread Panic and Jack White (whose own Third Man Records was a large influence) and at venues like House of Blues New Orleans and Austinâs La Zona Rosa. Heâs also logged time as a producer and mixer and has seen the blood, sweat, and tears artists put into their craft while still struggling to maintain viable in a highly competitive and fickle environment.
âI was seeing the producer contracts, I was touring with bands, I heard all the stories of the inequities. And I saw some of my really great friends do really well around the world and not really be shown monetary value, which made no sense. Itâs like, you buy onto a record for $5 and you sell it for $25, so how can you tell me that a band canât make money from that? Thatâs their product. Whereâs the other $20 going? I wanted to see if we could figure out a way to change that, even in a small way, just for Austin,â Orrison shares.
Find our full interview at the link in the comments.
