Hello Indie Music Friends!
Signing new Artist to your Indie Label can sometimes be complicated if the parties involved don't understand the game!
Before the contract is negotiated both parties should keep in-mind the following. The Indie Label is "The Company." The Artist is "The Product!” The Artist should not expect to be gaining new Family members! This is "Business!” The Artists in most cases have no idea what they are getting themselves into and have no idea how to conduct themselves or approach the deal! Most Artist are taken advantage of and must be on guard.
The contract may contain many elements that muddy up the water of the deal before it ever starts. Negotiating a Legal Contract in the MUSIC INDUSTRY is a very complicated procedure!
You have to be a lawyer, an architect and a surgeon when designing a contract. It must have the following elements:
-Copyrights & Publishing
-Catalog Ownership
-Production
-Record Royalties
-Record Sales
-Merchandise Sales
-Internet Sales
-Touring
Both parties should be able to achieve everything they want without the negotiations leaving either party with feelings of animosity or dismay. The Artist should expect more from an Indie Label than they should expect from a Major Deal! The Artists in today’s music industry have advantages that did not exist in the old music industry structure. Today’s Artists can gain a huge advantage well before being signed to a label. If the Artists do their homework by successfully marketing and promoting their own product through the internet, gigging, radio, Indie retail, then they can have the upper-Hand in the negotiating a record, publishing and production contract.
WHAT THE ARTIST SHOULD EXPECT:
-15% Record Royalties
-50% of all Publishing that they Produce
-50% of all Concert (During Promotion)
-50% Merchandise
-30% Internet Sales
WHAT THE INDIE MUSIC LABEL SHOULD EXPECT:
-Catalog Ownership (Negotiable) (Most Likely the Label will Own The Catalog)
-85% Record Royalties
-50% of all Publishing that they Produce
-50% of all Concert (During Promotion)
-50% Merchandise
-70% Internet Sales
My advice to the "ARTIST" and The "LABEL" is thank GOD (JESUS CHRIST) that you are in the Music Industry and you have the privilege to do what you do. It is a small fraternity of people that have the opportunity to work in such an environment successfully. Secondly, have FUN in your approach and learn the game. This Industry can be FUN if you accept it for its greatness and faults. Expect the worst and Hope for the best from people and the vicious world of the "MUSIC INDUSTRY!” The Lions of the World are in this game and they take no prisoners. They devour you and SHIT you out! Be on Guard! I was a "SHEEP Among LIONS" and developed into a fine Businessman because of it! Have Fun and take it all in. Don't regret a thing and make the best of it! Make sure you dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" in negotiating your contract by getting everything you want and that is fair in-regards to the deal. Then both parties understand the elements of the deal and what to expect. It's like Monopoly. When you pass go you get what's expected!
Dream, Pray, Visualize, Believe, Receive, Achieve!
Scotti C. Campana/Ceo
