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Music Business & Contracts

Information around contracts and the music business

10 articles
Record Deals Explained: Royalties, Recoupment & Rights 2026Master record deal mechanics: royalty rates (15-25%), recoupment math, 360 deals, and negotiation strategies. Protect your career with expert insights.
Management Agreements Explained: Contracts, CommissionsUnderstand management contracts: standard 15-20% commissions, sunset clauses, key person provisions, and red flags. Protect your career before signing.
Publishing Deals Explained: Songwriter Contracts Guide 2026Understand publishing deals: traditional, co-pub, and admin agreements. Learn which royalties you keep, what you give up, and how to protect your catalog.
Sync Licensing Fundamentals: Get Your Music in TV and FilmMaster sync licensing: earn $500 to $50,000+ per placement plus ongoing royalties. Learn what music supervisors want and how to prepare your catalog.
Booking Agent Agreements: Protect Your Live Performance DealsLearn booking agent commission rates, contract terms, and red flags. Territory, exclusivity, sunset clauses, and when you need agent representation explained.
Producer Deal Structures: Fees, Royalties, and OwnershipLearn producer payment models, points calculation, and ownership rights. Work for hire, royalty splits, and essential contract terms for independent artists.
Music Distribution Deals ExplainedUnderstand every distribution deal type from DIY to label services to full label deals. Learn what terms like recoupment, cross-collateralization, and reversion rights actually mean.
How to Audit Your Record Label Royalty StatementsUp to 95% of label royalty statements contain errors. Learn when to audit, what it costs, what auditors find, and how to protect your music income.
Royalty Split Agreements: Complete Guide for MusiciansLearn how to create royalty split agreements for every collaboration. Covers composition splits, master points, producer deals, and tools to document ownership.
International Rights and Cross-Border Royalties: A Musician's Guide to Getting Paid GloballyLearn how cross-border music royalty collection works across 111 countries. Collection societies, neighbouring rights, publishing admin, and closing revenue gaps.