I keep seeing “recording deal,” “record deal,” “publishing deal,” “mastering,” and “releasing” in answers and comments. There are also a lot of comments that say “I’ve been given a contract.” I’ll explain everything to those of you who aren’t sure what it all means. If you already know what they are, skip this section.
1. Most musicians we know from the past received a recording deal or contract. They had a few songs written and a “record label,” which is typically an organization that makes recordings, prints masters, and distributes “records” (anything that a consumer can buy with your songs on it for sale) AND, most importantly, promotes its artists to ensure that they get played on the radio, are supported with a live tour, and are featured in the media. This is the genuine article. You receive an advance, which is initially your salary/living expenses and is utilized for any expenses like as recording the songs in a studio, etc.) NB: If you don’t deliver the products, you must repay the money in full. You owe the advance or a portion of it back if you fail to do anything in the contract, less the “wages” and recording components, which they will compute for you in their favor of course. They own everything, including the rights to the songs, and you get a cut of the profits, usually around 9 cents each copy sold but negotiable (depending on your star power). There are also royalties that you can obtain a percentage of (for streaming, radio and television use, and performances), but you must join the performing rights organization (PRO) If you want your region to collect them for you because your record business is unlikely to do so these days, they normally charge you a fee of 12 percent. Again, you’ll split royalties with the record label, which might be as little as 12% but could be greater depending on your star power and the terms of your contract. Remember, you’re stuck in their pocket for as many albums as you signed up for, and there’s no way out. These kinds of deals are becoming increasingly rare.
2. Limited Record Arrangement – sometimes known as a publishing deal – in which you do all of the “recording” yourself and they master, print/copy, and distribute the records for you while collecting the sales proceeds. Most record deals involve promotion because it’s in their best interests for you to sell, and you might get a little advance on occasion, but that’s rare. You can get a nice percentage (mine is 50/50 on all collections and a 50 percent up front payment for all mechanicals), and you can get a better deal on royalties, but they still own your material. If you do well, you may typically re-negotiate the arrangement to a full-fledged recording contract. Normally, this type of contract is on a per album basis so you are not encumbered past one album, which indeed you have already made.
3. You are responsible for recording and obtaining record masters, and they will cover the cost of printing and distributing the products, but they will deduct all charges from your share as the product sells. They’ll generally elevate you as well, but you’ll have to repay them in some way. Normally, there is no advance on sales. You’ll receive a higher share of mechanical royalties, as well as all performance royalties. The tunes are your property.
4. Deal with Limited Distribution – same as above, but only for distribution. You pay for the printing of the consumer product, and they distribute it for you. They pay you for mechanical item sold; you can obtain up to 50% off the wholesale price if you negotiate properly. You handle all of your own marketing. You are the only owner of all of your music, and you are entitled to all revenues. These are horrible bargains since you will not make any money unless you are an expert at self-promotion. I haven’t heard of one in a long time.
Other terms include:
The money you earn comes through collections.
Mechanical royalties for printing consumer devices for sale, such as CDs, Vinyl, Tape, Digital, and so on, and royalties for plays on radio, television, streaming services, and so on, which you obtain by joining the PRO in your region.
I’ve had a complete contract since the mid-80s, and I currently have a Limited Record Deal, which I’ve had since 1994, and I get 50% of the mechanicals and 50% of the royalties. I submit them an album, and they decide whether or not to take it; if they do, the agreement is sealed, and I get half of everything, but I relinquish the copyright to them forever. Everything is paid for by them. You probably won’t get a deal like that any longer, but they were widespread before Napster, but they were genre specific and needed you to have a studio capable of recording at a high quality, which cost a fortune back then, possibly more than the house you had them in, literally.
Those limited record deals were valuable, and collections were frequently enough to allow you to quit your day job and focus only on making albums for a living in your own space while being your own boss. It made sense to me because I was already in the music industry. However, you must stay motivated and not rely on the incoming royalties, as sales increase as the quantity of albums increases. Unfortunately, there are no longer any mechanical royalties to speak of, therefore it’s all about having 200–300 tracks all collecting royalties for you. Hey, don’t think this is easy; it takes hard work and strong distribution from a company that genuinely cares about its artists.
Everything else is a courtesy. In this scenario, Bentley Records is requesting payment in advance in order to distribute your track across streaming platforms. Do they also take a cut of the royalties? That makes them a record label that requires you to pay for your contract up front… where is the risk here??? You could do it yourself, or Freshtunes would do it for you for free – they have a mastering service that you can pay for, but they don’t take anything from your collection – it’s all yours.
You can do all this stuff for free as well.
Mastering – You probably don’t need to master anything right now. Why? Because it will not be printed on consumer media such as CDs or DVDs, which require normalized levels for optimal reproduction. Simply ensure that the levels on the metering are good and consistent throughout tracks on the same CD. You could use something like the Lurrsen Mastering Suite or just use a compressor/limiter on your output if you recorded it yourself. If your recordings aren’t good enough, you’ll have a problem with the masters regardless, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Distribution – As I already stated, some internet publishers provide this function for free. I’ve utilized Freshtunes on albums that my record label didn’t want, which has happened on a few occasions over the years. They don’t charge anything, although their reach isn’t quite as extensive as some others. Anyway, since you’re unlikely to receive genuine physical sales these days, you’ll have to rely on royalties – read the following section for more information
Royalties – You won’t get many royalties any longer; they’re reserved for actual record deals. You will, however, receive plays on streaming platforms, as well as on TV and even radio. Unfortunately, streaming royalties are still quite modest, and a half-million plays may only net you a fiver. However, YouTube promotion will almost surely get you someplace; your account can contain advertising, which you can monetize. If you’re well-known, you might even be pushed into YouTube’s top 100. You must put in the effort.
Promotion is crucial.
You won’t get anything out of it unless you advertise it, no matter who you use to distribute it. Youtube makes it quite simple, and some other sites do as well, however there is a fee you must consider. It would help if you play live or on any social media platforms. You must treat it as a job that you must attend to on a regular basis in order to earn any money.
Collections – The term “collection” refers to a financial transaction. You must join your territory’s PRO – Performing Rights Organization – to get royalties. This is not free; you must pay a one-time fee. If you do not enroll, you will not be able to collect royalties. You’ll give them all of your song information, and they’ll assign each one a CAE/IPI number. The song will receive automatic royalties if it is played at all, which you will receive in your “distributions” each month, or every three months if the monthly fee is less than $80, which it is likely to be at first.
Well, I hope this helps. Do be aware that these companies are pseudo record companies and aren’t your friends. Use them if you’re going to gain from it, but check out if you can do to free somewhere else or by yourself. Good Luck !!
Also check out this video and let me know what you think of Bentley Records.
I keep seeing “recording deal,” “record deal,” “publishing deal,” “mastering,” and “releasing” in answers and comments. There are also a lot of comments that say “I’ve been given a contract.” I’ll explain everything to those of you who aren’t sure what it all means. If you already know what they are, skip this section.
1. Most musicians we know from the past received a recording deal or contract. They had a few songs written and a “record label,” which is typically an organization that makes recordings, prints masters, and distributes “records” (anything that a consumer can buy with your songs on it for sale) AND, most importantly, promotes its artists to ensure that they get played on the radio, are supported with a live tour, and are featured in the media. This is the genuine article. You receive an advance, which is initially your salary/living expenses and is utilized for any expenses like as recording the songs in a studio, etc.) NB: If you don’t deliver the products, you must repay the money in full. You owe the advance or a portion of it back if you fail to do anything in the contract, less the “wages” and recording components, which they will compute for you in their favor of course. They own everything, including the rights to the songs, and you get a cut of the profits, usually around 9 cents each copy sold but negotiable (depending on your star power). There are also royalties that you can obtain a percentage of (for streaming, radio and television use, and performances), but you must join the performing rights organization (PRO) If you want your region to collect them for you because your record business is unlikely to do so these days, they normally charge you a fee of 12 percent. Again, you’ll split royalties with the record label, which might be as little as 12% but could be greater depending on your star power and the terms of your contract. Remember, you’re stuck in their pocket for as many albums as you signed up for, and there’s no way out. These kinds of deals are becoming increasingly rare.
2. Limited Record Arrangement – sometimes known as a publishing deal – in which you do all of the “recording” yourself and they master, print/copy, and distribute the records for you while collecting the sales proceeds. Most record deals involve promotion because it’s in their best interests for you to sell, and you might get a little advance on occasion, but that’s rare. You can get a nice percentage (mine is 50/50 on all collections and a 50 percent up front payment for all mechanicals), and you can get a better deal on royalties, but they still own your material. If you do well, you may typically re-negotiate the arrangement to a full-fledged recording contract. Normally, this type of contract is on a per album basis so you are not encumbered past one album, which indeed you have already made.
3. You are responsible for recording and obtaining record masters, and they will cover the cost of printing and distributing the products, but they will deduct all charges from your share as the product sells. They’ll generally elevate you as well, but you’ll have to repay them in some way. Normally, there is no advance on sales. You’ll receive a higher share of mechanical royalties, as well as all performance royalties. The tunes are your property.
4. Deal with Limited Distribution – same as above, but only for distribution. You pay for the printing of the consumer product, and they distribute it for you. They pay you for mechanical item sold; you can obtain up to 50% off the wholesale price if you negotiate properly. You handle all of your own marketing. You are the only owner of all of your music, and you are entitled to all revenues. These are horrible bargains since you will not make any money unless you are an expert at self-promotion. I haven’t heard of one in a long time.
Other terms include:
The money you earn comes through collections.
Mechanical royalties for printing consumer devices for sale, such as CDs, Vinyl, Tape, Digital, and so on, and royalties for plays on radio, television, streaming services, and so on, which you obtain by joining the PRO in your region.
I’ve had a complete contract since the mid-80s, and I currently have a Limited Record Deal, which I’ve had since 1994, and I get 50% of the mechanicals and 50% of the royalties. I submit them an album, and they decide whether or not to take it; if they do, the agreement is sealed, and I get half of everything, but I relinquish the copyright to them forever. Everything is paid for by them. You probably won’t get a deal like that any longer, but they were widespread before Napster, but they were genre specific and needed you to have a studio capable of recording at a high quality, which cost a fortune back then, possibly more than the house you had them in, literally.
Those limited record deals were valuable, and collections were frequently enough to allow you to quit your day job and focus only on making albums for a living in your own space while being your own boss. It made sense to me because I was already in the music industry. However, you must stay motivated and not rely on the incoming royalties, as sales increase as the quantity of albums increases. Unfortunately, there are no longer any mechanical royalties to speak of, therefore it’s all about having 200–300 tracks all collecting royalties for you. Hey, don’t think this is easy; it takes hard work and strong distribution from a company that genuinely cares about its artists.
Everything else is a courtesy. In this scenario, Bentley Records is requesting payment in advance in order to distribute your track across streaming platforms. Do they also take a cut of the royalties? That makes them a record label that requires you to pay for your contract up front… where is the risk here??? You could do it yourself, or Freshtunes would do it for you for free – they have a mastering service that you can pay for, but they don’t take anything from your collection – it’s all yours.
You can do all this stuff for free as well.
Mastering – You probably don’t need to master anything right now. Why? Because it will not be printed on consumer media such as CDs or DVDs, which require normalized levels for optimal reproduction. Simply ensure that the levels on the metering are good and consistent throughout tracks on the same CD. You could use something like the Lurrsen Mastering Suite or just use a compressor/limiter on your output if you recorded it yourself. If your recordings aren’t good enough, you’ll have a problem with the masters regardless, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Distribution – As I already stated, some internet publishers provide this function for free. I’ve utilized Freshtunes on albums that my record label didn’t want, which has happened on a few occasions over the years. They don’t charge anything, although their reach isn’t quite as extensive as some others. Anyway, since you’re unlikely to receive genuine physical sales these days, you’ll have to rely on royalties – read the following section for more information
Royalties – You won’t get many royalties any longer; they’re reserved for actual record deals. You will, however, receive plays on streaming platforms, as well as on TV and even radio. Unfortunately, streaming royalties are still quite modest, and a half-million plays may only net you a fiver. However, YouTube promotion will almost surely get you someplace; your account can contain advertising, which you can monetize. If you’re well-known, you might even be pushed into YouTube’s top 100. You must put in the effort. 
Promotion is crucial.
You won’t get anything out of it unless you advertise it, no matter who you use to distribute it. Youtube makes it quite simple, and some other sites do as well, however there is a fee you must consider. It would help if you play live or on any social media platforms. You must treat it as a job that you must attend to on a regular basis in order to earn any money.
Collections – The term “collection” refers to a financial transaction. You must join your territory’s PRO – Performing Rights Organization – to get royalties. This is not free; you must pay a one-time fee. If you do not enroll, you will not be able to collect royalties. You’ll give them all of your song information, and they’ll assign each one a CAE/IPI number. The song will receive automatic royalties if it is played at all, which you will receive in your “distributions” each month, or every three months if the monthly fee is less than $80, which it is likely to be at first.
Well, I hope this helps. Do be aware that these companies are pseudo record companies and aren’t your friends. Use them if you’re going to gain from it, but check out if you can do to free somewhere else or by yourself. Good Luck !!
Also check out this video and let me know what you think of Bentley Records.
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