Some don't have any of these instruments
In 1993, disputes with Warner Bros. led the 'Purple Rain' singer to legally change his name and produce music very quickly so as to free himself from contractual obligations.
The artist then signed with Arista Records in 1998. He did, however, eventually go back to Warner Bros. After 18 years apart, he signed with them again in 2014.
In 2018, the 'Shake It Off' singer left her lifetime label Big Machine Label Group to sign with Republic Records and Universal Music Group.
She has long since been a leader in the fight against streaming policies and her current contract focuses on the proper distribution of Spotify earnings.
In January 2014, the 'In Da Club' rapper announced plans to leave Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope, and sign with Caroline and Capital Music Group.
Although he apparently owed his ex-label another album, he was released from obligations thanks to his friendship with Eminem and Dr. Dre.
The 'Look At Me Now' rapper burns through record labels at an impressive rate: he has been affiliated with more than five different labels since 2002.
Whilst the given reasons for his itchy feet are mainly conjecture, it is known that he left Interscope in 2008 because of creative differences with its head, Jimmy Iovine.
In 1996, the N.W.A. rapper made the decision to leave Death Row Records, the struggling label he had co-founded in 1991 with Suge Knight and The D.O.C.
He went on to found Aftermath Entertainment, which currently represents big names like Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Anderson .Paak.
Although it's difficult to picture the notorious four-piece affiliated to any label other than their own Apple Records, in fact the boys had a number of label changes over the years.
They were managed by Brian Epstein and signed to Polydor before joining Parlophone and Capitol, with whom they would founded their own label.
The 'Thinkin Bout You' artist had a fraught relationship with Def Jam Recordings right from the get-go: despite signing with them in 2009, he self-released 'Nostalgia, Ultra' in 2011.
The artist has described his relationship with the label as a 'seven-year chess game,' in which he had to buy back all of his master recordings from the company.
In 2009, Mr. Carter parted ways with long-time label Def Jam, and signed a multimillion dollar deal with Live Nation.
It was off the back of this partnership that he founded Roc Nation, the company that functions as a record label, talent agency, and publishing company.
The widow of the Notorious B.I.G. left Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment in 2004, as she felt the label hadn't worked hard enough to promote her album, 'Faithfully.'
She then signed with Capitol Records, with whom she has put out various studio albums and one special collaboration, 'The King & I,' which features her late husband.
Best-known for their alternative music videos, in 2010 this Chicago four-piece started their own label after a falling out with EMI.
The 'I Want It That Way' singers decided to leave their label, Jive, in 2010 after 17 years, 130 million sales, and eight top-10 albums.
The boy band had a number of issues with the label over the years, and in 2002 they filed a US$75-100 million lawsuit against them for breach of contract.
The Backstreet Boys' rival group sued manager Lou Pearlman and his label Trans Continental in 1999 for defrauding the group of half its earnings.
Pearlman countersued the group and the disagreement was eventually settled out of court. *NSYNC then signed with Jive and produced 'No Strings Attached.'
In 2013, the 'Day 'n' Nite' artist left Kanye West's label GOOD Music, where he had reportedly felt underused.
Since leaving the label, he has released an album with rock band WZRD, four solo albums, and a collaboration with Kanye West called 'Kids See Ghosts.'
In 2010, the 'Let Me Blow Ya Mind' rapper signed with EMI after she came to blows with Interscope over the release of her album, 'Lip Lock.'
Once she had signed with EMI, disagreement over the release continued, and Eve eventually released 'Lip Lock' as an independent artist in 2013.
Best-known for her Grammy Award-winning single, 'Redneck Woman,' the country singer was signed to Sony Music Nashville for six years.
When she left the label in 2009, she founded Redneck Records, in the hope that this would enable her to release content more quickly and on her own terms.
See also: Famous songs originally written for other artists.
Mariah Carey might be adding another iconic diva moment to her list as she has reportedly dumped Jay-Z's Roc Nation following a "blazing row" with the rapper in a meeting about the future of her career, according to The Sun.
The singer had first signed with Jay-Z in 2017, and they did some great work together over the years, but a source close to the situation revealed, "Mariah and Jay had an explosive meeting which did not go well at all. She has made it clear she wants nothing more to do with him and has called it quits with Roc Nation. She will formally depart in the next few weeks."
Carey has reportedly been talking to other management who display a greater belief in her future, and she's said to be working on an upcoming "heavily R&B-influenced album" for 2021. Her name has already been removed from the list of acts that are represented by Roc Nation, the NY Post reports.
Whether it's due to competing artistic visions or complex contractual disputes, the tensions between musicians and their record labels are well-documented. Indeed, with millions of dollars often at stake, it's hardly surprising that issues arise. Check out this gallery to find which major artists quit their record label.
Their label, Paracadute, represents Pyramids, Lavender Diamond, and Infinty Shred, and has also released an app called 'Say The Same Thing.'
Artists who ditched their record label
Mariah Carey drops Jay-Z’s Roc Nation after "blazing row" with the rapper
MUSIC Labels
Mariah Carey might be adding another iconic diva moment to her list as she has reportedly dumped Jay-Z's Roc Nation following a "blazing row" with the rapper in a meeting about the future of her career, according to The Sun.
The singer had first signed with Jay-Z in 2017, and they did some great work together over the years, but a source close to the situation revealed, "Mariah and Jay had an explosive meeting which did not go well at all. She has made it clear she wants nothing more to do with him and has called it quits with Roc Nation. She will formally depart in the next few weeks."
Carey has reportedly been talking to other management who display a greater belief in her future, and she's said to be working on an upcoming "heavily R&B-influenced album" for 2021. Her name has already been removed from the list of acts that are represented by Roc Nation, the NY Post reports.
Whether it's due to competing artistic visions or complex contractual disputes, the tensions between musicians and their record labels are well-documented. Indeed, with millions of dollars often at stake, it's hardly surprising that issues arise. Check out this gallery to find which major artists quit their record label.