Indie Agility or Major Might: Evaluating the Internationalisation Strategies of Canadian Recording Artists in the Early 2020s

Abstract Recording artists from smaller markets often face a strategic choice: signing with a domestic independent label or the local branch of a major multinational label (Universal, Sony or Warner). The dominant narrative suggests that major labels provide the best pathway to international success, but this study challenges that assumption by providing the first systematic, quantitative comparison of major-label and independent pathways in the Canadian recorded music industry. Using music consumption and audience data from Chartmetric and other public sources, the study applies the Mann-Whitney U test and a point-biserial correlation coefficient to evaluate the effectiveness of these models. The findings reveal that while major labels provide early advantages in social media growth, this influence diminishes as artists progress in their careers. Independent labels achieve a comparable rate of international success, suggesting that major-label affiliation does not guarantee superior outcomes. These findings challenge assumptions about major-label dominance in global markets and suggest that independent labels remain viable internationalisation pathways, even in a platform-driven industry.