Vancouver labels and artists find new ways to innovate in a music industry shaped by tech [Video]

For decades, Vancouver-based Nettwerk Music Group has operated with a simple mission statement: release music we love. 

Founded in 1984, Nettwerk has signed and developed major Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan and The Barenaked Ladies and currently has a roster of approximately 300 artists, according to Terry McBride, Nettwerk’s co-founder and CEO.

He says the company, which also has offices in Los Angeles, London and Hamburg, asks some very basic questions when it looks to sign a musical act. 

“Do we love the music? Can we add value? Are the artists and managers not a-holes?” McBride told The Early Edition‘s Stephen Quinn. “It’s just that simple.”

While the company’s ethos may be straightforward, navigating the ever-changing music industry over four decades has been complex. 

Social media plays an increasing role in finding an audience, and many artists rely on touring, merchandise sales, and placing their music in TV and films to make ends meet.

Building music’s ‘middle class’

McBride says it’s been a …