Music Industry Terms
The world of music can be confusing because we are Artists and wear many different hats and roles within the creative process. This being the case when it comes to the business side of the Music Industry terms and procedures can become confusing because the way that they are discussed in the creative side of things might not directly line up with the terms in the business sense.
-
This is the song at its core, the idea or intellectual property including things such as the melody, harmony, lyrics, etc... (Not the recording)
-
The person who creates the composition. Publishing companies represent songwriters. A songwriter collects Composition royalties (songwriter royalties) performance and mechanical.
-
This is the recorded version of the composition created by a Recording Artist and Producer. This is also referred to as the Master. Master Copyright is created for the particular expression of a composition in its recorded form and is owned by the recording artists/producer and the record label that funded the project.
-
Artists record sound recordings. Rihanna is an artist. She did not write her song “Diamonds.” So she is not the songwriter. Record labels represent artists. A band is an artist. A rapper is an artist. A singer is an artist. Typically whatever name is on the album is the artist.
-
A Producer is someone who is in charge of taking a composition and creating a Sound Recording of that Composition. They are the person who gets things done or finds the person to get it done.
This can look different depending on the project or genre but producers are typically in charge of The big picture and act as the point person on the creative project they handle or delegate jobs like managing the budget, scheduling studio time and musicians, coaching the artists and creating the very backbone of the sound.
In today’s music industry Music Producers wear many hats and often handle jobs such as acting as recording, mixing, or mastering engineer as well as the studio musician or creator of the backing track or beat.
Producers in music are very similar to film and Art directors.
For an Artist hiring a Producer is like hiring a project manager to help your vision for your song be brought into reality.
-
Points are percentages of royalties 1 point is 1 % of the royalty in question. this can get confusing when in context to points or percentages of a record deal
-
A document outlining who owns what portion of the composition and the master sound recording.
-
Publishing companies represent songwriters and the copyrights related to the composition. Publishing companies historically were in charge of helping composers get paid for their sheet music and that has further evolved today to include more broadly the intellectual property of the composition.
-
A Record Label is a company, brand, or trademark that deals in the manufacture, distribution, and promotion of the recordings of affiliated musicians.
Record Labels often work with other subsidiary or contracted Production Companies, Distribution Companies, and PR/Marketing companies to help generate revenue or success from the Sound Recordings of compositions from Artists.
Some people like to refer to Record Labels like banks or investors who offer deals (loans) and services to help generate success from the music or sound recordings ( asset) in exchange for a generous percentage of the Sound Recording Copyright and the royalties generated by that recording either in perpetuity ( forever) or for the duration of the deal.
-
A PRO is a nonprofit organization that collects royalties on behalf of songwriters and music publishers when a song is publicly broadcasted or performed. A PRO handles the Performance Royalties of the composition.
-
A Music Distributor acts as a middleman between an Artist/Record Label and distributes the sound recording on their behalf.
in The age of streaming and online music, the term DSP (Digital Service Provider) is often used in reference to digital distribution companies, like Distrokid and Tune core.
-
The term net royalties in this instance refer to royalties accrued after recoupment of the upfront cost of the project.
Example:Artist Pays $3,000 for production and a A producer has a 20% net royalties agreement with the artists. The Artist doesn’t pay the producer any royalties on the sound recording until the initial $3,000 fee has been recouped by the Artist for the production of the song.
-
Item descriptionAn EPK is a digital package that contains all of the important information about an artist, their music, and their brand. It is essentially a digital resume that can be sent to venues, promoters, and other industry professionals to showcase an artist's work. An EPK typically includes:
- Biography: A brief summary of the artist's background, career highlights, and musical style.
- Music: Samples of the artist's work, including full tracks or snippets.
- Photos: High-quality images of the artist, album covers, and promotional materials.
- Videos: Music videos, live performances, and interviews.
- Press: Reviews and articles about the artist's work and career.
- Contact Information: How to get in touch with the artist or their management.
