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by Harmanjot Kaur Introduction You're more likely to have a successful career in the music business if you are savvy about music contracts. Hopefully, this blog will remove some of the mystery and help you to avoid common missteps. If you are using the services of an attorney, you can benefit and save money on attorney fees with a basic understanding of music contract terminology and principals. I've tried to cover most of the agreements that are important to musicians. I focused on agreements that are negotiable, that is, terms can be changed. I start with record contracts because they have so many elements that are common to other music agreements. Please note that throughout the course, I use the terms musician and artist interchangeably. Why recording contracts are important? - A record contract enables a record label to sell, license, and distribute an artist's recordings. In return for granting these rights, the artist's music is promoted and the artist is paid a ...

by Harmanjot Kaur Before you sign - I'm going to discuss management agreements. Contracts in which a manager agrees to perform certain services, in return for a percentage of an artist's income. The management agreement describes the manager's tasks, explains how the manager will be paid, and establishes how long the manager will work. Before entering into a management agreement, here are a few things an artist should keep in mind. The management contract is an exclusive arrangement. That is, the artist can't hire two managers at the same time. The exception to this rule would be if the artist has a career in another entertainment field in which the music manager has no expertise. For example, acting or writing. Even though an artist can't hire more than one manager, the management agreement usually allows the manager to manage many artists. Beware, however, that in some cases, managing many clients may lead to a conflict of interest. When a manager uses one act as ...

  Management Contract in the Music Law Before you sign - I'm going to discuss management agreements. Contracts in which a manager agrees to perform certain services, in return for a percentage of an artist's income. The management agreement describes the manager's tasks, explains how the manager will be paid, and establishes how long the manager will work. Before entering into a management agreement, here are a few things an artist should keep in mind. The management contract is an exclusive arrangement. That is, the artist can't hire two managers at the same time. The exception to this rule would be if the artist has a career in another entertainment field in which the music manager has no expertise. For example, acting or writing. Even though an artist can't hire more than one manager, the management agreement usually allows the manager to manage many artists. Beware, however, that in some cases, managing many clients may lead to a conflict of interest. When a man...

  Performance of Contract Basic terms - A performance agreement establishes the date and time of the gig, the number of sets and their length, the payment, time for load-in and sound check, and of course, the most important of all subjects of negotiation, the size of the artist's guest list. A performance agreement may be an oral agreement or a simple one page written agreement. If a musician or a venue has more detailed requirements, for example, security, liability and hospitality issues, those are usually addressed in the document known as a rider, that is attached to the basic agreement. Performance agreements can provide for payment to artist in various ways. For example, a percentage of the gig, or a flat fee with no percentage, or a guaranteed fee or percentage of the gig, whichever is higher, or a guaranteed fee plus a percentage of revenues above the guarantee. In some cases, part of the fee is paid ahead of time. In which case, the timing and amount of payment should be i...