You are a passionate music artist who has been honing your talent for years. You made the rounds on SoundCloud and YouTube, playing gigs at nightclubs and local festivals, and now the thing you’ve been waiting and wishing for has finally come: the option for a record deal.
Entering into a recording contract with a label is the dream for many musicians and vocalists. It can provide you a chance to take your music to the next level and offer it out to a much wider audience. While that is all very exciting, it is important to understand that production companies create contractual agreements that benefit them more than they benefit you.
Contractual considerations for retaining creative control
When negotiating your agreement with a label, there are certain things you will want to address if you want to maintain the greatest level of creative control of your music. Some of the aspects you’ll want to discuss before signing the dotted line include:
- Creative components of music videos
- Recording budget
- Budgetary considerations for remixes
- Freedom of song selection
- The right to authorize or deny the use of name and likeness in merchandising decisions
- The right to authorize or deny the use of music in secondary advertising campaigns or films
This is by no means an exhaustive list of what you might want to specify in the terms of your contract. If you create your own music compositions and lyrics, you may desire that all critical decisions run through you first. Discussing the contract with someone familiar with entertainment law can help safeguard your rights as you enter this next season of your music career.