Owner of Platinum Millennium publishing, former record label owner & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Author/creator of best-selling music biz books, courses, audio products & "How to" resources that helped 1000s. Go to http://www.Order-Yours-Now.com for more info on music contract & music contracts.
A music contract is a printed document that outlines, categorizes, explains, defines, and administrates the company relationship between an artist or group, and a record label. The music contract is called an executory agreement because it is yet to be performed or acted upon. To better grasp this type of relationship between an artist and label, it is essential to comprehend what it is that a record company does. A record company is an venture whose business activities usually include some or all of the following things:
I. Reporting to the Internal Revenue Service all royalties, contractor fees, salaries, commissions, interests, rents, pensions, insurance programs, direct sales of products for resale, and other compensations paid out to all artists and employees of that particular company.
II. Public Relations or PR work for the artists that have signed music contracts with their business.
III. Publishing or sub-publishing of records and works.
IV. Promotion, Publicity, Manufacturing and/or Distribution of albums and other materials.
V. Producing and/or Releasing commercial recordings of signed bands and artists.
VI. Scouting and signing talent with music contracts.
VII. Obtaining Rights to materials through the use of music contracts. These are including but not limited to songs, videos and master records.
VIII. Securing licenses of every kind.
IX. Distributing royalties obtained through the release of records, profits from touring and sale of merchandise all defined by the signed music contract of individual groups or artists.
Record labels come in all shapes and sizes and exist mainly to make a profit, as any business. With that in mind, labels search for talent they are sure will succeed in the music industry and they secure this talent by way of music contracts or recording contracts.
Signing an artist is risky and an expensive business so record companies want to be absolutely sure they have the best and most unique talent out there. Remember, every right a record company has pertaining to your work comes directly from the content of the music contract you sign. Always keep this in mind.
Now that you have a better idea of what a record label is and does, you can consider yourself closer to being ready to sign a music contract of your own. A music contract contains many clauses and covers a wide range of agreements. Just be sure you know full and well what you are doing before you sign any legal document!
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Music Business Plans & Contracts
- Music Business Contracts & Music Royalties Defined
- Selling Your Music On MySpace For Independent Music Artists: Music Marketing And Promotion Tips
- Nokia 5300 Music: Xpress Music On Christmas Nokia Offers
- Buy Sony Ericsson W910i Black on contract – Music is the Food of Soul
- Nokia 5800 Xpress Music plays music with style
- Mobile Phone With Music Features: Music Mania
- Music Publishing Contract
Priorities, Time Management and List Building Skills in Your Life and at the Jobsite
By: Shaun Z. Stevens | 12/11/2009Time is all we have in life. It can be said as a truism that we get too late smart in life. Time management is like that. We only have a limited amount of grains of sand in the hourglass sundial clocks of our lives. Eighty percent of the results...
Winning Job Interview Tips
By: satyajitkashayp | 12/11/2009Tips on interview helps you to get succeed in converse by worthy Interview Tips, No matter where you unnatural and which schoolhouse or college you unnatural , it doesn't matter how untold live you jazz, and whom you know--if you aren't fit to interview successfully, you won't get the job. Tips on interview gives you information most how to surface Interviews and covers most job discourse tips and also covers lots of things which we possess to abstain during converse. Applying for a job is an si
Argosy University-Hawaii-offering Grad Students And Professionals Flexibility
By: michaelrussell | 12/11/2009Typically when one thinks of a University, young people who have recently graduated from high school come to mind as the typical student body. When one goes to graduate school, it is usually at an institute that offers predominantly undergraduate degrees. Not so with Argosy University-Hawaii. The school is a branch of Argosy University that was founded in 2001 when several graduate schools merged. The University of Sarasota, the Medical Institute of Minnesota and the American School of Professio
TIPS ON FINDING A JOB DURING RECESSION
By: Henry Richzen | 12/11/2009Economic recession means shortages of jobs. More and more people are being laid off because many companies go on bankrupt thus unable to sustain and maintain operational cost. For those who lost their jobs, it means a struggle for daily sustenance of one’s needs. This is a fight for survival.
SECURED JOBS TO HAVE DURING A RECESSION
By: Henry Richzen | 12/11/2009Looking for a secured job during recession may sound difficult or even absurd. But then, have a second look because there really are secured jobs to have during a recession. This however would mean a career change on your part. You simply have to accept the reality that the recession will shake off your existing job and career. Let us look at the industries where one can start searching for that secured job.
Demystifying Employers’ Expectations
By: Dr. Uma Ganesh | 12/11/2009An attempt to make people aware of several myths and realities about the employers and their expectations.
JOBS IN NEED DURING RECESSION
By: Henry Richzen | 12/11/2009With recession around the corner, it is always a question as to which industry will stay and which will go. There will always be tension whether one will maintain his job or not. Will I have a job tomorrow when I wake up? Will I be likened to others roaming around looking for a new one?
HOW TO FIND TOP RECESSION JOBS
By: Henry Richzen | 12/11/2009With recession hovering around, job security has become a concern for everyone. Worries of losing one’s job anytime become imminent and inevitable as companies start declaring bankruptcy. Recession affects everyone especially those who will find themselves looking for a job.
Structure Your Song!
By: Ty Cohen | 08/12/2007 | MusicOver the next few minutes, we are going to discuss the beginning basics of how to write a song, the intro, the structure and the verse. Over the next few minutes, we are going to continue on with more tips for the beginner song writer.
Music Contracts and Clauses
By: Ty Cohen | 25/11/2007 | MusicThere is no perfect music contract for every single situation. First and foremost, it is important that you have a wide variety of music contracts to choose from and that you and all parties involved understand the content within each specific music contract.
Music Contracts for Managers
By: Ty Cohen | 24/11/2007 | MusicIf you are in the music industry, then you have probably considered hiring a good music manager.
How to Structure Your Song
By: Ty Cohen | 24/11/2007 | MusicAs a beginner writer, you are probably wondering how to write a hit song. Luckily, you don't have to be an extremely experienced music composer to be a good song writer.
Release Your Own Record: Part Two
By: Ty Cohen | 20/11/2007 | MusicIn the past, four tips were discussed on how to do just this; investors, group contracts, work for hire and a budget for advertising, distribution and promotion.
Legal Aspects of the Music Industry
By: Ty Cohen | 20/11/2007 | MusicWhether you realize it or not, the creative side and the business side of the music industry is inevitable linked.
A Record Company Defined
By: Ty Cohen | 20/11/2007 | CareersA music contract is a printed document that outlines, categorizes, explains, defines, and administrates the company relationship between an artist or group, and a record label.
Negotiating Music Contracts
By: Ty Cohen | 20/11/2007 | MusicNo matter who you are, from the get-go, music contract terms are negotiable.