KrugeR
03-30-2009, 04:01 AM
Found this, thought some people trying to come up could use it.
"When most people think of getting a recording contract they imagine large sums of money thrown their way. Fancy clothes, expensive cars, and tract mansions on hundred acre lots all come to mind. This is what the recording industry has trained you to imagine, they have stock in perpetrating the illusion of success by their artists. If you really knew that artist was living in a rented house with a leased car and had nothing in his bank account to show for it would you be as impressed?
The most common artist deal that exists is a development deal. When an artist gets 2 million dollars the record company doesn't just cut them a blank check and say "get to work writing hits!"
The cold hard truth is the second you sign that contract you are no longer you, you have become *artist name here* and you are now an asset of the company you sign under. You waive all right to determine how you are to be marketed, how you will dress, what type of music you perform, and everything else you use to be. You are there to generate profit and if it becomes apparent at any point that you are not willing to play ball they will drop you and leave you owing most if not all of the investment they made on you.
See, the money is a loan for your development as an artist, it is not a blank paycheck. This money covers ALL expenses you might incur for a set number of album releases, time, or a combination of both. By signing a 2 million dollar deal you are basically saying "I believe I can generate 2 million dollars in capitol from my album sales" and placing a bet upon that with the record companies money. Even worse, YOU HAVE LITTLE SAY IN HOW THIS MONEY IS ALLOTTED!
Here is how people lose their shirts in the music business. I sign a 2 million dollar deal with Sony. They set aside 2 million dollars for my development that is to last 2 albums. The manager decides what money is spent where, and EVERYTHING has to come from this allotment - recording, design, advertising, videos, touring costs,wardrobe... everything. In essence this is money you borrow from the company, not money they pay you, except THEY control how it is spent - not you. Almost all of the time they use expensive in-house companies for design, marketing, studio, and legal that charge more money than if you were to shop around independently. Its in essence a no-bid contract for all the technical aspects of turning you into a marketable star.
What happens first is you get put up in a nice rented house, get you on a lease for a decent car, and supply you with a decent wardrobe budget - it is important for them to sell the illusion that their artists are well off. Nobody wants to pay money to see someone who lives in an apartment, dresses like a bum, and drives a 92 Accord, so they make sure you look good and appear to be doing reasonably well. They also give you a small per-diem allowance that serves as your paycheck basically, for which you buy food, toiletries, and anything else you might need from day to day."
http://digg.com/music/What_Major_Record_Companies_DON_T_want_y ou_to_know#
"When most people think of getting a recording contract they imagine large sums of money thrown their way. Fancy clothes, expensive cars, and tract mansions on hundred acre lots all come to mind. This is what the recording industry has trained you to imagine, they have stock in perpetrating the illusion of success by their artists. If you really knew that artist was living in a rented house with a leased car and had nothing in his bank account to show for it would you be as impressed?
The most common artist deal that exists is a development deal. When an artist gets 2 million dollars the record company doesn't just cut them a blank check and say "get to work writing hits!"
The cold hard truth is the second you sign that contract you are no longer you, you have become *artist name here* and you are now an asset of the company you sign under. You waive all right to determine how you are to be marketed, how you will dress, what type of music you perform, and everything else you use to be. You are there to generate profit and if it becomes apparent at any point that you are not willing to play ball they will drop you and leave you owing most if not all of the investment they made on you.
See, the money is a loan for your development as an artist, it is not a blank paycheck. This money covers ALL expenses you might incur for a set number of album releases, time, or a combination of both. By signing a 2 million dollar deal you are basically saying "I believe I can generate 2 million dollars in capitol from my album sales" and placing a bet upon that with the record companies money. Even worse, YOU HAVE LITTLE SAY IN HOW THIS MONEY IS ALLOTTED!
Here is how people lose their shirts in the music business. I sign a 2 million dollar deal with Sony. They set aside 2 million dollars for my development that is to last 2 albums. The manager decides what money is spent where, and EVERYTHING has to come from this allotment - recording, design, advertising, videos, touring costs,wardrobe... everything. In essence this is money you borrow from the company, not money they pay you, except THEY control how it is spent - not you. Almost all of the time they use expensive in-house companies for design, marketing, studio, and legal that charge more money than if you were to shop around independently. Its in essence a no-bid contract for all the technical aspects of turning you into a marketable star.
What happens first is you get put up in a nice rented house, get you on a lease for a decent car, and supply you with a decent wardrobe budget - it is important for them to sell the illusion that their artists are well off. Nobody wants to pay money to see someone who lives in an apartment, dresses like a bum, and drives a 92 Accord, so they make sure you look good and appear to be doing reasonably well. They also give you a small per-diem allowance that serves as your paycheck basically, for which you buy food, toiletries, and anything else you might need from day to day."
http://digg.com/music/What_Major_Record_Companies_DON_T_want_y ou_to_know#