Listmania!
Starting a Record Label in the 21st Century
By an Amazon.com customer
Apple MacBook Pro MA895LL/A 15.4" Laptop (2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo,  2 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive)Apple MacBook Pro MA895LL/A 15.4" Laptop (2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive)
Buy used from: $938.99
I will always include a MacBook Pro in my lists because I believe that they are a necessity and worth more than almost everything I own. If you want to run a business: GET A MACBOOK PRO!
All You Need to Know About the Music Business  6th EditionAll You Need to Know About the Music Business 6th Edition by Passman D
Buy new: $21.60 / Used from: $16.96
Probably the most important book you can read when starting a music based company. However, it's also a bit wordy and takes a pretty solid understanding of business to grasp all the concepts.
This Business of Music, 10th EditionThis Business of Music, 10th Edition by M. William Krasilovsky
Buy new: $19.77 / Used from: $18.00
Probably the second most important book on this list; it lays out the music business in a way that is moderately simple to understand. I took a highlighter to mine and it's almost all yellow. Get this now!
Start and Run Your Own Record Label (Start & Run Your Own Record Label)Start and Run Your Own Record Label (Start & Run Your Own Record Label) by Daylle Deanna Schwartz
Buy used from: $2.60
Another extremely important book that will take you through the 'ego' that you need to have for this business, the tools, and a number of helpful tricks that will aid you in the development of your label. You will see her name alot on this list.
I Don't Need a Record Deal!: Your Survival Guide for the Indie Music RevolutionI Don't Need a Record Deal!: Your Survival Guide for the Indie Music Revolution by Daylle Deanna Schwartz
Buy new: $15.56 / Used from: $4.99
The title is a bit off, I understand, BUT really, what better way to understand what the bare minimum you need to be doing for your artist(s) are. This book is extremely helpful for those who want to have a long lasting and satisfying career.
This Business of Music Marketing and Promotion, Revised and Updated EditionThis Business of Music Marketing and Promotion, Revised and Updated Edition by Tad Lathrop
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $7.38
As I am originally a Marketing Graduate, I feel that there are very few objectives that are more important than understanding Marketing inside and out in regards to your business. This book and this author do just that for music. READ THIS BOOK NOW!
This Business of Global Music Marketing: Global Strategies for Maximizing Your Music's Popularity and ProfitsThis Business of Global Music Marketing: Global Strategies for Maximizing Your Music's Popularity and Profits by Tad Lathrop
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $3.25
After you're done reading the book above this one (which was written by the same man) then immediately grab this up and get going. Today EVERYONE can run a global company and this book explains how that can be done with little to no upfront investment. It is a bit wordy and full of stats, but you need it!
This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring: A Practical Guide to Creating, Selling, Organizing, and Staging ConcertsThis Business of Concert Promotion and Touring: A Practical Guide to Creating, Selling, Organizing, and Staging Concerts by Ray Waddell
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $14.71
TOUR, TOUR, TOUR: this is what you will be screaming at your artist(s) after a record comes out and they only sold 100 of a 1000 disc order. As a musician, it helped me to know that my label understood that Touring sucks and is near impossible to do alone. READ THIS BOOK IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR ARTIST(S)!
This Business of Artist ManagementThis Business of Artist Management by Jr. Xavier M. Frascogna
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $10.45
No matter what you might think you're doing as a record label, you ARE managing artists. Thus, you should probably read up on how that's done and what you can do to ensure that neither party gets...well, you know.