LABE / Let Artists Be
LABE (Let Artists Be) is a Montréal-based independent music label and artist collective, founded in 2001, representing ~26 active artists across multiple genres and operating owned performance venues (Club Soda, Le Ministère), an artist residency (Studio B-12), and direct-to-consumer music sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LABE / Let Artists Be does
LABE (Let Artists Be) is a privately held independent music label and artist collective founded in 2001 and headquartered in Montréal, Québec. The company represents approximately 26 active artists spanning folk, pop, rock, alternative, classical, traditional, and experimental genres, and operates an integrated three-vertical model covering Disque (record production and distribution), Édition (music publishing), and Spectacle (live show production). Its roster has produced recurring award nominations and wins at ADISQ, GAMIQ, JUNO, Prix Opus, and the ADCC, including Félix awards for Song of the Year (Salebarbes, 2023) and Album of the Year categories (Viviane Audet, François Dompierre, La Bottine Souriante).
LABE generates revenue through four streams: recorded-music sales (physical albums and vinyl via its own boutique at boutique.letartistsbe.com and digital distribution to Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and other streamers); live show and tour production for its roster (including 2026 Québec-Europe tours); music publishing and rights administration; and e-commerce merchandise sales. Its go-to-market is sales-led and curation-driven, with artists selected for talent, authenticity, and creative ambition, supported by earned media through award circuits, festivals (Francos, RIDEAU, Le Phoque OFF, Fierté Montréal), and direct fan engagement via social channels and newsletters.
Distinctively, LABE owns and operates a network of cultural infrastructure that most independent labels must access externally: Club Soda (a nearly 40-year Montréal live music institution acquired in June 2023), Le Ministère (a turnkey event venue in a former bank on Saint-Laurent Boulevard), Studio B-12 (an artist residency in Estrie), and Boîte Culturelle (a multi-disciplinary cultural space). It also jointly controls Horizon Musiques, a Lyon-based label and tour producer, and operates Ateliers REDA, a non-profit for artistic exploration. The company employs ~30 staff across direction, administration, label/show production, communications-marketing, venue operations, and Studio B-12, and receives institutional support from Quebec funding bodies SODEC, Fonds RadioStar, and MusicAction.
LABE / Let Artists Be firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LABE / Let Artists Be
- Legal name
- LABE
- Website
- https://letartistsbe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LABE (Let Artists Be) is a Montréal-based independent music label and artist collective, founded in 2001, representing ~26 active artists across multiple genres and operating owned performance venues (Club Soda, Le Ministère), an artist residency (Studio B-12), and direct-to-consumer music sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LABE / Let Artists Be industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Music Label Services
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (51223)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs) (MPAIAHAO)
Keywords
Where LABE / Let Artists Be is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
LABE / Let Artists Be business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Record Sales: Revenue from physical album and EP sales (CD, vinyl) through LABE's own online boutique (boutique.letartistsbe.com) and digital releases distributed to streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp). Artists on the roster include VioleTT Pi (albums including 'Mythologie de la dérape'), Roselle (albums 'Eau salée', EPs 'STP', 'Regardez-moi'), Louise Forestier ('Vieille Corneille'), Alphonse Bisaillon ('t.o.m. ou la trajectoire des perséides'), and others.
- Live Shows and Tour Production: LABE produces and promotes live performances for its roster of artists, including international tours (VioleTT Pi's 2026 Québec-Europe tour), Québec-wide tours, and show productions at owned venues. The company also operates performance venues (Club Soda in Montréal, Le Ministère, Studio B-12 in Estrie) and manages show production for its artists.
- Publishing and Rights: LABE manages music publishing and editorial rights for its artists, including distribution of both records and editions. The label handles the 'Disque' (record), 'Édition' (publishing), and 'Spectacle' (show production) verticals for artists, with some artists having 'Édition' only or 'Édition-Spectacle' services.
- E-Commerce and Merchandise: LABE operates an online store (boutique.letartistsbe.com) selling physical albums, merchandise, and vinyl records for its artists, including exclusive pre-orders. Revenue is generated from direct-to-consumer online sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Physical albums (CD and vinyl) sold via LABE's online boutique |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Digital streaming and download via music streaming platforms |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
LABE / Let Artists Be product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LABE / Let Artists Be is a Quebec-based independent music label and artist collective that represents approximately 26 active musicians across folk, pop, rock, classical, traditional, and experimental genres. The label operates three integrated service verticals — Disque (record production and distribution), Édition (music publishing and rights administration), and Spectacle (live show production and touring) — supported by owned performance venues (Club Soda, Le Ministère) and an artist residency (Studio B-12).
Product overview
LABE (Let Artists Be) is a Quebec-based independent music label and artist collective founded in 2001, operating as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering is the music label itself — artist representation, record production, and music distribution — supported by a network of live event venues (Club Soda, Le Ministère), an artist residency studio (Studio B-12), a cultural creation space (Boîte Culturelle), and an e-commerce boutique for merchandise. LABE also partners with Horizon Musiques (Lyon-based label/tour promoter) and Ateliers REDA (artist development non-profit) to extend its reach. The company connects artists with audiences through live performances, physical and digital music releases, and cultural programming across Quebec and internationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LABE Music Label Independent music label representing approximately 26 active artists; provides record production, physical and digital distribution, publishing rights administration, artist development, and touring infrastructure for signed artists across folk, pop, rock, classical, traditional, and experimental genres.
- Club Soda
Quantifiable outcome
- LABE artists consistently nominated at ADISQ Gala each year (2023-2026), with multiple wins including Song of the Year (Salebarbes 2023), Album of the Year categories (Viviane Audet, François Dompierre 2025), and Traditional Album of the Year (La Bottine Souriante 2024). LABE itself nominated for Album Production Company of the Year.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use LABE / Let Artists Be
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
LABE / Let Artists Be technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
LABE / Let Artists Be partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ROSEQ (Réseau des Organismes de la Scène de Québec)coreLABE partners with ROSEQ for Les Flambettes tours, with Ruel Tourneur as co-producer. ROSEQ is a network of Quebec performing arts organizations. LABE artist Viviane Audet served as spokesperson for ROSEQ 2026. ROSEQ's venue network is leveraged for LABE artist tours across Quebec.
- Akira & Le SabbatminorAkira & Le Sabbat is a collaborative project between Horizon Musiques and LABE. The collective, comprising six queer musicians, released the EP 'Poudrière' and the single 'KLNX', performing over 50 dates in France and internationally. LABE handles distribution and promotion for Quebec/Canada while Horizon Musiques covers Europe.
- Horizon MusiquescoreHorizon Musiques is a label and tour producer founded in Lyon, France in 2015. LABE and Horizon Musiques co-produce collaborative projects such as 'Akira & Le Sabbat', a collective of six queer musicians blending rap, rock, techno, and punk. The partnership enables LABE artists to tour France and Europe.
- Ruel TourneurminorRuel Tourneur partnered with LABE and ROSEQ to co-produce and tour Les Flambettes' second and third cohort shows across Quebec.
- SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles)minorSODEC is a Quebec government cultural enterprise development agency. LABE displays the SODEC logo on its website footer, indicating institutional support. SODEC provides funding and support for cultural enterprises in Quebec.
- Fonds RadioStarminorFonds RadioStar is a Quebec music industry fund displayed in LABE's website footer, indicating institutional support for LABE's artists and releases.
- MusicActionminorMusicAction is a Canadian music industry funding body whose logo appears on LABE's website footer, indicating institutional support for LABE's artists and releases.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LABE / Let Artists Be competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Believe: Global independent music distribution and label services company. Comparable to LABE in supporting independent artists with distribution and label services, but at much greater scale across multiple geographies and genres.
- Secretly Group: Independent music company operating multiple labels (Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Numero Group) with full-service label, publishing, and sync capabilities. A larger established indie operator with comparable vertical scope but broader geographic reach.
- Sony Music Canada: Canadian arm of a major global music company. Competes with LABE for high-profile Quebec signings and has materially greater resources for international rollout, A&R, and marketing.
- Universal Music Canada: Canadian affiliate of the world's largest recorded music company. Competes with LABE for signing and visibility of major Quebec artists (e.g., previously signed Salebarbes, Ludovick Bourgeois) while offering global distribution reach.
- [PIAS]: European independent music label and distribution group operating across multiple countries. Comparable to LABE in championing independent artists with integrated label and distribution services, but with broader European footprint.
Others
- Bandcamp: Direct-to-fan music sales and streaming platform on which LABE operates a label storefront. Functions as an enabling distribution channel for LABE's catalog rather than a direct competitor.
Direct peers
- Audiogram: Long-standing Québec independent record label representing established and emerging Quebec artists. Comparable to LABE in offering label services within the French-language market with multi-decade catalog depth.
- Royal Mountain Records: Montréal-based independent record label focused on indie rock and alternative acts. Operates a similar artist-development model within the broader Canadian indie ecosystem and frequently tours across Quebec venues like Club Soda.
- Bonsound: Montréal-based independent music label and artist management firm representing Quebec artists. Operates a similar full-service model (label + management + booking) for French-language artists, making it the closest direct competitor to LABE in the Quebec indie market.
- Dare to Care Records: Montréal-based independent record label with a roster spanning indie rock, folk, and electronic music. Operates with a comparable artist-centric, Quebec-anchored model and shares venue/performance infrastructure with LABE.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LABE / Let Artists Be social profiles
Digital presenceLABE / Let Artists Be financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LABE / Let Artists Be leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
LABE / Let Artists Be subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
LABE / Let Artists Be funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LABE / Let Artists Be M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LABE / Let Artists Be
What does LABE / Let Artists Be do?
LABE / Let Artists Be is a Quebec-based independent music label and artist collective that represents approximately 26 active musicians across folk, pop, rock, classical, traditional, and experimental genres. The label operates three integrated service verticals — Disque (record production and distribution), Édition (music publishing and rights administration), and Spectacle (live show production and touring) — supported by owned performance venues (Club Soda, Le Ministère) and an artist residency (Studio B-12).
Is LABE / Let Artists Be a public or private company?
LABE / Let Artists Be is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LABE / Let Artists Be founded?
LABE / Let Artists Be was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LABE / Let Artists Be based?
LABE / Let Artists Be is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does LABE / Let Artists Be make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Record Sales are the primary driver. The others are live Shows and Tour Production, publishing and Rights and E-Commerce and Merchandise.
Who are LABE / Let Artists Be's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Believe, Secretly Group, Sony Music Canada, Universal Music Canada and [PIAS]. Bandcamp is listed as an others. Direct peers are Audiogram, Royal Mountain Records, Bonsound and Dare to Care Records.
Does LABE / Let Artists Be have an API?
No public API is recorded for LABE / Let Artists Be.
What industry is LABE / Let Artists Be in?
LABE / Let Artists Be's product category is Independent Music Label Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAAAA, Record Labels (Major & Independent), with a secondary code of MPAIAHAO, Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs). Its NAICS code is 51225 and its SIC code is 3652.