In recent years, one of the questions that I’ve been asked most by my artist clients is: how much of my SoundExchange royalties should I give my producer? As we examined in my article here, it is industry standard for music producers to be paid a percentage of an artist’s record sales (known as “points”). Industry norm is between 2-5% … Read More
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? First and foremost, you should … Read More
Do Musicians Need a Record Label in 2017?
I get asked this all the time. Do I need a record label to help my career? It used to be that a record deal was the holy grail of the music industry; the brass ring that all artists worked towards. This is no longer the case. While record deals are still a vital part of the music industry, their … Read More
How Your Music Makes Money (Part Two) – The Songwriting Copyright
How does your music make money in the modern world? While record sales are becoming less and less relevant, revenue streams generated from the Songwriting Copyright have greatly increased. This is because music is being used more now than ever before. This use generates money for the writers of the music. The revenue streams flowing from the Songwriting Copyright include: Public … Read More
What is an Artist Development Deal, and Should You Sign One?
In the “glory days” of the recording industry (i.e. after Elvis, before the Internet), there was a very common type of deal offered by record labels called the Artist Development Deal, sometimes known as a “Demo Deal”. The idea was fairly simple: if a label liked you but didn’t want to commit fully with a record deal, they’d offer you … Read More
KD Chosen as Music & Law Columnist for SOCAN
Received some great news this morning. I’ve been writing articles on the music industry for years, sharing them here and getting them published every now and then in magazines like Canadian Musician and DRUM! Magazine in the US. Today’s breakthrough is particularly special, as I’ve been a songwriter for most of my life. SOCAN has chosen me to be their … Read More
Elected to SaskMusic Board of Directors!!
I’m honoured and excited to have been chosen, by my fellow musicians and music industry people, to serve on the SaskMusic Board of Directors!! What a great start to the year. I can’t wait to give back to the music community that has done so much for me over the years.
Interview with Music Box Artist Consulting
A big thank you to Bonnie McGrew and the great people at Vancouver’s Music Box Artist Consulting for choosing me for their Entertainment Law feature this week. Click here for the full interview, and check out the entire Music Box site for more.
The 3 Types of Music Publishing Agreements (and why they’re important)
If you write your own songs, either with a band or on your own, or co-write with others, developing an understanding of music publishing is probably the most important thing you can do for your career. That being said, music publishing is the most confusing aspect of the music business. The number of blank stares that return my gaze after … Read More
Sign a Band Agreement Kids! Former Rolling Stone is stone broke
I was just sent an article from a friend you can read here about legendary multi-instrumentalist and former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor, who plays guitar and piano on two of my favorite Stones albums (Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street), among others. The article is a shocking and sad depiction of Mr. Taylor’s life, and the poverty-stricken state he … Read More