The definition of a recording artist is simple: a musical artist or group that records and releases music. It doesn’t matter whether they’re songwriters who create their own material, pop star singers whose songs are written by teams of staff writers, original bands that create unique or niche music, or DJs who create remixes—if they consistently record and release music, they are recording artists.

Perhaps the greatest divide in this field is between artists who are signed to record labels and those who are independent. Landing a deal with a record company provides numerous benefits, chief among them access to the label’s financial, promotional, and organizational resources. Labels provide managers, search for and license great songs from publishers, hire producers who help select and edit material, book recording studios, pay for mixing and mastering, and market the release through radio promotion, publicity campaigns, and more. In contrast, independent artists need to generate funds themselves or employ impressive ingenuity to record, mix, market, and release their work.

–Berklee.edu