So what is a label, anyway? What makes an artist notable?

Traditional thinking is that a label is a company that fosters, markets, profits from, and identifies with music and musicians.

Isn't CDBaby (or many of the other self-publish and small-volume-publish entities) a label? Considering the income and spread of artists, wouldn't it be considered to be a "big" label?

Is it fair to say that good music is always promoted and that not-good music gets no promotion. No, methinks. Not really. Applying absolutes doesn't work.

Similarly, what is a major label? Is it major because it gets airtime on the repeat-the-same-tunes-every-hour radio stations? Is it major because its artists' tracks are featured on major charts and indexes? Is it major because of gross dollar sales? Is it major because it has artists mentioned on television, Jay Leno (Hi Jay!), or the morning talk shows?

Besides, "big labels" and major radio stations seem to have shifted away from music and towards money. Money is good. Music is better.

(rant off - I'm rambling today.)