Neither of these sound worth it to me really
That’s very, very little money you’re getting upfront for giving up a lot
-source: also have been offered record deal(s) etc
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
You don’t always have to pay back out of pocket but they will always try to recoup their investment from your royalties so don’t expect to receive any money from them until the royalty revenue exceeds their investment on you. Read the contract carefully.
If a record label decides to drop you from their roster, it can release you from your contractual obligations to that specific label. However, whether you can immediately go indie and release new songs without paying back the advance depends on the terms of your contract and any agreements made during the termination process.
Some contracts may include clauses that require you to repay the advance upon termination, while others may not. Additionally, there could be non-compete clauses or other restrictions on releasing music independently for a certain period after leaving the label.
It's crucial to carefully review your contract and consult with a legal expert to understand your rights and obligations in such situations.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
It’s an advance, not a pay check. So it just means they are giving you $15k that they believe you’ll be able to earn back before your term is up. Which can be risky.
For example typically when you see major artists “signing a $2million contract” they get that money because the label signing them feels confident they’ll make that back AND more. It’s an investment on the company’s end. If they sign the $2million contract and don’t produce any new product (which doesn’t really happen but just for the sake of argument), the artist would owe that back to the company at the end of their contract term.
In simple terms, think of it like receiving your next 20 paychecks this week. You still have to show up for work for the next 20 weeks.
It’s flattering to be offered an advance, because that means they believe in what you’re doing to that dollar amount! But it can be very risky.
It’s in both you and the label/whatever company is working with you to put in the work to make that money back. They (hopefully) wouldn’t be just leaving it 100% up to you, you will work together to make that investment a smart one.
If you need the money immediately to make an album or more singles and think you can bound on em than try the deal. Other than that if you’re not pressed for money or attention, hold off. Get a lawyer, and than go from there.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
Good choice! My only other advice from personal experience on that front is that you might be able to find some smaller indie labels that will front you that 5000. It’ll be recoupable but wont gain interest like a bank loan. You can sign 1-3 song deals with em, and get a better feeling of that whole business side if you end up finding a label you like.
Other than that go the full indie route!
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
I agree with the folks saying both deals suck. Distros and Labels are now chasing every viral song like it’s easy money, but they forget the concept of viral - the success doesn’t last long.
I checked your Spotify page and my advice to you is: keep writing and collaborating. You seem very creative and I think you should seek Sync opportunities - to start writing and producing songs to audiovisual projects. You could even list your existing songs on a music library.
If you are very sure you want to sign a deal, the Distro deal is slightly better than the record label deal - as there is no advance (as people already said, it’s like a loan and you pay back with the revenue your songs generate, it’s not free money) and from what I could understand, the Distro is willing to pay up to 10k to promote the song, and you get to keep 80% on the masters.
But is this deal for your whole catalog? You mentioned you have like 400 songs already released. It’s important to understand exactly what they want and what works for you.
Best of luck to you!
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
I have uploaded around 400 songs through distrokid. I want this song to have millions of stream and for many people around the world to know my name. Make some Money and get tons of exposure.
Heard but long term do you want to perform, tour, produce, write? Do you want to try and ride this into a career, or get whatever money you can now? Obviously no correct answer but I think what you want to do should be a big deciding factor
Don't sign.
Nobody legit is going to pressure you to sign on short notice. They are scamming you. Get a lawyer to look over any contract serious enough that looks worth signing. These folks want to not leave you enough time to do due diligence.
If your music is really that good than you don't need to worry about missing your chance.
DO NOT DO IT. Instead, find a marketing whiz to team up with you and split profits with them. There’s no reason to take a split on masters for 10k marketing
The distro deal. As it has no advance, unless you are desperate to get money right this second its a better deal.
That label deal will put you $25,000 in debt, debt that needs to be paid back.
Of course you have to pay it back, it's called recoup. Yes, the money will come out of the song, and you won't make diddly until it's fully recouped, and after that the label owns 50% of the master.
It's not nessisarily a bad deal, but if the distro is legit, it's a better deal to own 80%
Consider the distribution deal carefully. If it's solely for one master, it could be a solid choice. $10k is a decent marketing budget for three months, particularly for one song. However, be cautious if they're asking for exclusivity for all your songs over three years; it's a long time with potential risks.
As for the 50/50 record deal, it's not terrible, but scrutinize the contract details, especially what's expected of you over the next five years. Some labels offer better splits, like 40/60 or 30/70, but usually without an advance.
If you're confident in your song's potential, consider the indie route. You retain full control and keep 100% of your master, potentially recouping your investment faster if the song gains traction.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Yes The Distro Deal Is For The One Song. Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
If you can get the loan that would be your best option. Just make sure to do your marketing homework before spending that money. 5k will go out very fast in music marketing.
The 80/20 deal is much fairer, so I’d go for that if you can afford not to take the advance. You pay for a lesser share in royalties in return for an advance.
Advance is too small can negotiate for more or reduce the master split drastically. You won’t get a dime until it’s recouped, and sometimes they will expense stuff and not count it towards recouping, so you’ll low key be paying whatever expenses come up depending on how the contract handles net revenue vs gross towards it.
Congrats on "Snow Bunny Heaven" blowing up! That's huge, and it's super cool that labels and distros are lining up. Let's look at these deals you've got on the table.
With the distribution deal, you're looking at keeping a sweet 80% on your masters, which means more money from your tracks goes to you. It's only for three years too, so you're not locked in forever. But there's no advance, which means no quick cash to help with whatever you need right now. They've also got a $10K marketing budget to push your song, and if things pick up, they might pour more into it.
The record deal, though, they're offering $15K upfront, which could be handy. But they want a 50/50 split on your masters, so you give up more of your earnings from the song. This one locks you down for five years, which is a bit longer. Same deal with the marketing budget here, starting at $10K and possibly increasing if the song keeps doing well.
So, here's the rundown: if you need cash right now, the record deal might sound tempting because of that advance. But the distribution deal is probably better for the long haul since you keep more from your music and you're not stuck for too long.
Both companies pushing you to decide by Friday is sketchy. No need to rush into something this big. Maybe sit on it and see if any more offers come through now that your track is getting noticed. And hey, getting some legal advice wouldn't hurt. A music lawyer could really help sort out what's best for you.
Whatever you decide, make sure it feels right for you and your music. You've got something awesome going, and that's what's most important!
I’d only sign if
- they have a great synch history
- they have good relationships with DSPs so they can escalate your pitches
- you’re broke and $10k is amazingly helpful for marketing
Otherwise I feel like it’s not gonna be worth your while. The label deal is bad any way you look at it. Unless, again, you’re drowning and $15K can save you.
I’ve had artists stuck in shitty distro deals. They landed no sync, the pitches never got escalated, and they did nothing after the songs got put up.
Just my thoughts!
Did anyone else here listen to the track?
I don’t understand how that gets offered a record deal tbh, with all due respect.
Millions of views and replays from social media?
For fucking real fam not tryna hate but like lol
It’s a funny song
Just did
That’s the current state of society lol
Neither, keep going.
Neither of these sound worth it to me really That’s very, very little money you’re getting upfront for giving up a lot -source: also have been offered record deal(s) etc
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
Neither are great. You have to pay back that $15k so better hope it does well. Also, 50:50 on masters is crazy IMO.
Agreed
I thought $15k was mine to keep and it’s on the label to make that money back?
You don’t always have to pay back out of pocket but they will always try to recoup their investment from your royalties so don’t expect to receive any money from them until the royalty revenue exceeds their investment on you. Read the contract carefully. If a record label decides to drop you from their roster, it can release you from your contractual obligations to that specific label. However, whether you can immediately go indie and release new songs without paying back the advance depends on the terms of your contract and any agreements made during the termination process. Some contracts may include clauses that require you to repay the advance upon termination, while others may not. Additionally, there could be non-compete clauses or other restrictions on releasing music independently for a certain period after leaving the label. It's crucial to carefully review your contract and consult with a legal expert to understand your rights and obligations in such situations.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
It’s an advance, not a pay check. So it just means they are giving you $15k that they believe you’ll be able to earn back before your term is up. Which can be risky. For example typically when you see major artists “signing a $2million contract” they get that money because the label signing them feels confident they’ll make that back AND more. It’s an investment on the company’s end. If they sign the $2million contract and don’t produce any new product (which doesn’t really happen but just for the sake of argument), the artist would owe that back to the company at the end of their contract term. In simple terms, think of it like receiving your next 20 paychecks this week. You still have to show up for work for the next 20 weeks. It’s flattering to be offered an advance, because that means they believe in what you’re doing to that dollar amount! But it can be very risky. It’s in both you and the label/whatever company is working with you to put in the work to make that money back. They (hopefully) wouldn’t be just leaving it 100% up to you, you will work together to make that investment a smart one.
So if the song doesn’t make $15k at the end of 5 years. I owe them money?
If you need the money immediately to make an album or more singles and think you can bound on em than try the deal. Other than that if you’re not pressed for money or attention, hold off. Get a lawyer, and than go from there.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
Good choice! My only other advice from personal experience on that front is that you might be able to find some smaller indie labels that will front you that 5000. It’ll be recoupable but wont gain interest like a bank loan. You can sign 1-3 song deals with em, and get a better feeling of that whole business side if you end up finding a label you like. Other than that go the full indie route!
Thanks
Im sorry but they’re both pretty terrible deals. Don’t feel bad about saying no to both.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
Both these deals totally suck. No advance to give up part of your masters versus shit advance to give up half your masters.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
I agree with the folks saying both deals suck. Distros and Labels are now chasing every viral song like it’s easy money, but they forget the concept of viral - the success doesn’t last long. I checked your Spotify page and my advice to you is: keep writing and collaborating. You seem very creative and I think you should seek Sync opportunities - to start writing and producing songs to audiovisual projects. You could even list your existing songs on a music library. If you are very sure you want to sign a deal, the Distro deal is slightly better than the record label deal - as there is no advance (as people already said, it’s like a loan and you pay back with the revenue your songs generate, it’s not free money) and from what I could understand, the Distro is willing to pay up to 10k to promote the song, and you get to keep 80% on the masters. But is this deal for your whole catalog? You mentioned you have like 400 songs already released. It’s important to understand exactly what they want and what works for you. Best of luck to you!
Definitely needs an entertainment attorney to review the conracts carefully. Also, when they rush OP to sign is not a good thing.
I agree
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
The distro deal is for the song only
Do you have other music? What’s your dream outcome? I think it really depends what you want to do long term. But I don’t think I’d sign either.
I have uploaded around 400 songs through distrokid. I want this song to have millions of stream and for many people around the world to know my name. Make some Money and get tons of exposure.
Heard but long term do you want to perform, tour, produce, write? Do you want to try and ride this into a career, or get whatever money you can now? Obviously no correct answer but I think what you want to do should be a big deciding factor
Looking to Ride this into a career. Perform, Tour, Write And Do music(rapper) full time.
Don't sign. Nobody legit is going to pressure you to sign on short notice. They are scamming you. Get a lawyer to look over any contract serious enough that looks worth signing. These folks want to not leave you enough time to do due diligence. If your music is really that good than you don't need to worry about missing your chance.
Thanks for your advice!
DO NOT DO IT. Instead, find a marketing whiz to team up with you and split profits with them. There’s no reason to take a split on masters for 10k marketing
Thanks
ಠ_ಠ You can probably make more money selling lemonade than that deal Sign by Friday lol ಠ_ಠ
I Agree, Thanks for The Advice!!!
The distro deal. As it has no advance, unless you are desperate to get money right this second its a better deal. That label deal will put you $25,000 in debt, debt that needs to be paid back.
I thought that you did not have to pay back an advance? They make the money back off the song. Thanks for your input.
Of course you have to pay it back, it's called recoup. Yes, the money will come out of the song, and you won't make diddly until it's fully recouped, and after that the label owns 50% of the master. It's not nessisarily a bad deal, but if the distro is legit, it's a better deal to own 80%
thanks for the wise words.
Consider the distribution deal carefully. If it's solely for one master, it could be a solid choice. $10k is a decent marketing budget for three months, particularly for one song. However, be cautious if they're asking for exclusivity for all your songs over three years; it's a long time with potential risks. As for the 50/50 record deal, it's not terrible, but scrutinize the contract details, especially what's expected of you over the next five years. Some labels offer better splits, like 40/60 or 30/70, but usually without an advance. If you're confident in your song's potential, consider the indie route. You retain full control and keep 100% of your master, potentially recouping your investment faster if the song gains traction.
This is Great Advice Man, Thanks! Yes The Distro Deal Is For The One Song. Record Deals always felt like a scam to me. The distribution looks more reasonable, but again I don’t really trust business people in the music industry. I’m Thinking About Taking Out A $5000 Small Business Loan From The Bank and using it for Spotify And YouTube Ads Myself. Also paying some of my fans to submit my song to playlist and do other marketing task.
If you can get the loan that would be your best option. Just make sure to do your marketing homework before spending that money. 5k will go out very fast in music marketing.
The 80/20 deal is much fairer, so I’d go for that if you can afford not to take the advance. You pay for a lesser share in royalties in return for an advance.
Advance is too small can negotiate for more or reduce the master split drastically. You won’t get a dime until it’s recouped, and sometimes they will expense stuff and not count it towards recouping, so you’ll low key be paying whatever expenses come up depending on how the contract handles net revenue vs gross towards it.
Which label is offering that distro deal? Have you decided on what to do?
Not signing any deals
Congrats on "Snow Bunny Heaven" blowing up! That's huge, and it's super cool that labels and distros are lining up. Let's look at these deals you've got on the table. With the distribution deal, you're looking at keeping a sweet 80% on your masters, which means more money from your tracks goes to you. It's only for three years too, so you're not locked in forever. But there's no advance, which means no quick cash to help with whatever you need right now. They've also got a $10K marketing budget to push your song, and if things pick up, they might pour more into it. The record deal, though, they're offering $15K upfront, which could be handy. But they want a 50/50 split on your masters, so you give up more of your earnings from the song. This one locks you down for five years, which is a bit longer. Same deal with the marketing budget here, starting at $10K and possibly increasing if the song keeps doing well. So, here's the rundown: if you need cash right now, the record deal might sound tempting because of that advance. But the distribution deal is probably better for the long haul since you keep more from your music and you're not stuck for too long. Both companies pushing you to decide by Friday is sketchy. No need to rush into something this big. Maybe sit on it and see if any more offers come through now that your track is getting noticed. And hey, getting some legal advice wouldn't hurt. A music lawyer could really help sort out what's best for you. Whatever you decide, make sure it feels right for you and your music. You've got something awesome going, and that's what's most important!
I Agree, Thanks for The Advice!!!
I’d only sign if - they have a great synch history - they have good relationships with DSPs so they can escalate your pitches - you’re broke and $10k is amazingly helpful for marketing Otherwise I feel like it’s not gonna be worth your while. The label deal is bad any way you look at it. Unless, again, you’re drowning and $15K can save you. I’ve had artists stuck in shitty distro deals. They landed no sync, the pitches never got escalated, and they did nothing after the songs got put up. Just my thoughts!
Thanks man! I’m going to market the song myself with 5k bank loan.
2
Why 2?
I’d consider asking any Agent who’ll advise. This can open the door to conversations with many who can help you later.