The 2 Copyrights in a Song (And How To Make More Money From Them)
. Many artists I work with have a tough time understanding the different copyrights in a song. The revenue streams that flow from them. I don’t blame them. Our copyright system has developed in bits and pieces over decades, so there are layers of complexity at play here. In every recorded song there exists two […]
Producer Royalties: How Should Your Producer Be Paid?
For some reason, the last week has seen me drafting or negotiating a ton of agreements between Artist and Producer, outlining what percentage of record sales the former will pay the latter.
Are Tribute Acts Actually Legal?
Every time I open the newspaper and peruse the local gig listings in my city, I’m struck by something: tribute acts are in high demand! More often than not, there are more tribute acts on the calendar than original acts. And based on the ticket prices to some of these shows, tribute acts are big […]
5 Things to Look for in a Record Deal
After years of hard work, you just landed your first record deal. Amazing. Now the record label sends over the contract and it’s thirty pages long. Yikes. Here are the main points to look for in a record deal and what to avoid. 1) How Long is the Term? This is a good starting point: […]
5 Things to Look for in a Music Producer Agreement
So, you’ve found the perfect producer for your upcoming recording project. Great news. Now the producer sends over a 10-page contract full of legalese regarding record royalties, songwriting splits, SoundExchange revenues, producer advances and more. Before you enter the studio, here are some key points to look for and understand: 1) Who Owns the Masters? […]
Band Name Disputes: Who Can Use the Band Name When a Band Breaks Up?
Bands break up all the time. And band name disputes often follow. Sometimes one or more members want to continue using the band name, as was the case with Pink Floyd in the 1980s when both Roger Waters and David Gilmour were touring with two different bands under the name Pink Floyd. Similarly, Axl Rose […]
Can You Copyright a Drumbeat?
Copyright a Drumbeat In light of the many high profile plagiarism cases making headlines in the music business over the last few years (Lana Del Rey, Led Zeppelin, Robin Thicke, Sam Smith, etc.), it felt like the right time to examine the topic of songwriting from where we all sit: the drum throne. All of […]
Should You Sign a Music Publishing Deal?
If you write your own songs, at some point in your career you will want to consider whether signing with a music publishing company makes sense. Music publishers are sort of like record labels, but for your compositions rather than your master recordings which embody your compositions. The right music publisher can take your career […]
Should Musicians Self-Publish?
As a songwriter, you have likely heard talk of self-publishing your compositions. You’ve likely noticed, while perusing the fine print in the liner notes of your favorite albums, that nearly all major artists have created their own publishing company. This means that they’ve incorporated a publishing company, through which the publisher’s share of income flows. The […]