Now operating under their own label, Paracadute Records, OK Go has served as a role-model for aspiring musicians questioning the traditional goal of a major label contract.

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According to a much-told story, after the show the then-unknown Elvis told the group that, if he ever landed a major-label contract -- he was on Memphis' Sun Records at the time -- he'd have the Jordanaires back him up.

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Verging on starvation and desperate to escape a contract with his first label, Morrison wound up in a New York studio with a small group of jazz musicians.

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In 1958, he signed a record contract with the Blue Note label and formed a band with baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, releasing their debut album, Off to the Races, a year later.

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That led to a contract in 2009 with the Def Jam label, but not much came of it initially, and Mr. Ocean turned his attention to working with an underground rap collective known as Odd Future.

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