If you were a new artist, with no money, would you sign this contract?

[FreshAIG]

Let's say you're just coming on to the scene (2-3 years), slight buzz, but you not making real money yet (maybe 2500 a show).

And like Atlantic offers you a deal:

$250K for signing up front, all yours (you don't have to pay it back)
They own all the your masters
They get a percentage of your tour money, show money, merchandise, ad revenue, licensing, features, etc...
And you're signed for 6 studio albums (Mixtapes, collaborations, eps, etc.. don't count towards your albums you owe them)

Or would you not sign and stay indie.

 

[Raiders8199]

Stay independent

 

[Starburst]

Let's say you're just coming on to the scene (2-3 years), slight buzz, but you not making real money yet (maybe 2500 a show).

And like Atlantic offers you a deal:

$250K for signing up front, all yours (you don't have to pay it back)
They own all the your masters
They get a percentage of your tour money, show money, merchandise, ad revenue, licensing, features, etc...
And you're signed for 6 studio albums (Mixtapes, collaborations, eps, etc.. don't count towards your albums you owe them)

Or would you not sign and stay indie.

Hopefully every response in this thread is “no thanks, I would prefer to stay indie “

However this deal is very appealing to someone who is in a desperate situation, and needs to catch a break.

I wouldn’t be surprised if many of your favorite artists signed this kind of deal with the actual terms disguised to be more appealing to them.

 

[FreshAIG]

Hopefully every response in this thread is “no thanks, I would prefer to stay indie “

However this deal is very appealing to someone who is in a desperate situation, and needs to catch a break.

I wouldn’t be surprised if many of your favorite artists signed this kind of deal with the actual terms disguised to be more appealing to them.

Exactly

it’s easy to say stay indie and I see a lot of people get on artists for signing bad deals. But if you’re still struggling and someone offers you that, it’s hard to turn down. Especially the upfront money. That’s life changing to the average person.

 

[Ethnic Cleansing]

Define Percentage

 

[Prince.Skeletor]

No
6 albums is wayyyy too muchhh
I would ask for a 2 album offer & see what they got.
Is this a 360 deal?

 

[Damba]

Hell naw I wouldn’t sign.

 

[CBalla]

2500 a show * 3 shows a week = 7500 a week
7500 a week * 4 weeks = 30000 in a month
30000 a month * 12 months = 360000 a year

No

 

[CrimsonTider]

Let's say you're just coming on to the scene (2-3 years), slight buzz, but you not making real money yet (maybe 2500 a show).

And like Atlantic offers you a deal:

$250K for signing up front, all yours (you don't have to pay it back)
They own all the your masters
They get a percentage of your tour money, show money, merchandise, ad revenue, licensing, features, etc...
And you're signed for 6 studio albums (Mixtapes, collaborations, eps, etc.. don't count towards your albums you owe them)

Or would you not sign and stay indie.

Everyone can say no because they know they’re never going to be in this situation

everyone face with thst decision is signing cause you have no leverage and don’t know if another deal will ever come around

stay independent doesn’t mean you will ever get 250k at one time a resources to put your music out to the world

 

[Long Live The Kane]

Would need more info...from what we know, a 6 album deal sounds too long...the average artist is not relevant long enough to ever fulfill that commitment, and even if you were...from an artist standpoint that’s too long because a lot can change in that time...you’ll likely want renegotiate way before 6 albums... definitely need to know how big of a split they’re taking on show money and all that....and that $250k upfront is nothing if that’s supposed to be a budget ...what type of advance are we talking per album? From what we know from the OP it’s highly unlikely said artist would ever get popping enough for those masters to be worth shyt....UNLESS they have a huge source of funding outside of the label...this moreso fits a late-career former major label act with a huge fanbase already....if you’re getting it out the mid, that $250k ain’t doing shyt...might as well say indy

 

[FreshAIG]

Define Percentage

20% on everything.

 

[Starburst]

Define Percentage

This is an example of a question that should be asked during negotiations, but probably isn’t. I’ve said numerous times that artists need to be smarter. There are too many horror stories for the ignorance and desperation to continue. I understand wanting to get a better life, but ultimately some record deals will eventually put the artist in a worse off position.

In my opinion, everything is negotiable if you spend time to do your homework and bet on yourself knowing the label needs you more.

 

[Starburst]

Everyone can say no because they know they’re never going to be in this situation

everyone face with thst decision is signing cause you have no leverage and don’t know if another deal will ever come around

stay independent doesn’t mean you will ever get 250k at one time a resources to put your music out to the world

This is true, however something else to think about, indie is a good way to go until a new artist understands the business and is able to go into a meeting with label heads and negotiate a deal that is beneficial to them.

 

[African_brehda]

20% on everything.

I used to be an up and coming rapper, honestly, I'd have signed a deal like this in a heartbeat. nikkas saying no probably dont know how it feels being underground for years and not making any proper noise or money

This music shyt is luck. Almost a 98% chance that you fail at it

 

[El Guapo]

If I had no money, I think I would still stay indie. It’s the six albums that’s a deal breaker for me. If they cut it down to two albums it would more appealing for someone with no money. By that time I’ve already established myself and then could own the masters to my third and future albums. Six albums worth of material is just too much to not own. I might creatively have done my best work on albums three to six because I’m more seasoned at that point, but can’t even benefit from it financially to the max.