VIVA SOUNDS 2025 - IT JUST TOOK US 18 YEARS! - The long game behind an overnight success

Case study: How LAB Records went top of the chart Eighteen years, countless releases, and one hell of a ride later — independent label LAB Records finally hit No.1 with The K’s album Pretty on the Internet. Label founder Mark Orr walks us through the long game: the early days of DIY hustle, the belief that kept it alive, and how timing, strategy, and chaos somehow aligned for a chart-topping moment. This is a case study in the art of keeping-it-up, in persistence, trust, and the kind of success that doesn’t happen overnight — but sure feels good when it does. Mark Orr - LAB Records, UK Chair: John Kennedy - Radio X, UK