Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows has said the band does not intend to sign with another record label after completing its Warner deal, becoming fully independent following 2023’s Life Is But A Dream…. He argued that major labels no longer offer enough practical value to justify their costs, particularly as artists can distribute music and promote themselves online.

Shadows said labels once funded recordings, arranged industry support and helped secure retail, radio and MTV exposure, but believes those routes no longer have the same influence. He criticised advances as expensive recoupable debts, citing a hypothetical $25,000 advance requiring $100,000 in earnings to repay, and said independence gives artists greater creative freedom despite acknowledging that earlier label-era exposure helped establish his band.