Careers in Music
If someone is a beatmaker, what type of job do they have?
Music Producer
What path in the music industry do artists belong to?
Artist & Creator
What path in the music industry do producers belong to?
Recording & Production
What path in the music industry do songwriters belong to?
Recording & Production
Dan Nigro won the Grammy for producer of the year for his work with who?
Chappell Roan (and Olivia Rodrigo)
Name 3 jobs in the Recording & Production path.
music producer, audio engineer, songwriter, lyricist, mastering engineer, mixing engineer etc.
What is an advance?
An advance is a sum of money given to an artist when signing a record deal. Advances can range from thousands to millions of dollars.
All advances are recoupable, meaning the record label must make that money back before the artist will make any additional money.
Artists can get stuck in bad deals because their advance hasn’t been recouped.
Who is considered to be the first "home studio producer"?
Joe Meek
What is a music publisher?
Companies that own and control the copyright of song compositions
Usually have more connections & money and do the heavy lifting to ensure songs get exposure
Responsible for promotion, placements, licencing and distribution and payment
Publishers can get songwriters into rooms with other writers and producers, songwriting camps and secure syncs & artist cuts for songwriters.
Like record deals, publishing deals involve recoupable advances and require exclusivity
What does "getting shelved" mean?
When a record label does not commit time, money or resources to promoting an artist. This often leaves them in debt with an unrecouped advance.
What are the 3 C's?
Competence, Community & Character
Name 3 of the top selling artists of all time.
The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Queen, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra, Taylor Swift, Eminem
Explain how producer points work.
A percentage of revenue a producer earns from an artist’s album sales, streaming, and licensing of the sound recording (master)
Typically, producers get 1-5 points (or 1-5% of an album’s revenue)
Points are negotiated in contracts before production begins
If a producer is also a songwriter, they earn separate publishing royalties from songwriting splits.
Producer points are paid AFTER advances are recouped
What are PRO's (Performance Rights Organizations)? Give an example
Organizations that protect the rights of songwriters and publishers to ensure they are paid royalties for the usage of their songs
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Mechanical Licensing Collective, Harry Fox Agency, Music Reports
What are 3 kinds of royalties?
Performance Royalties: generated when the song is performed publicly (streaming, radio, concerts, TV, stores)
Mechanical Royalties: Generated whenever a song is reproduced (vinyl, CD’s, streams)
Sync Royalties: fees paid to publishers and writers for usage of music for visual media (TV, Movies, Advertisements)
Character is who you are as a person, and what sets you apart from others. Examples of good character include but are not limited to: being a supportive colleague, easy to work with, humble, thorough, direct, punctual, professional etc.
How do artists make money?
Sales and Streaming
Social Media
Concerts & Tours
Royalties
Sync Licencing
Merch
Brand Deals/Product Endorsements
Side Hustles
How do producers make money?
Points
Royalties
Production Fees/Advances
Sample packs
Beat licencing
Sampling fees
Sync & Licensing
Side Hustles!
How do songwriters make money?
Royalties!!
Publishing Deals/Advances
Commissions/Work for Hire
Residual/Passive Income
Side Hustles
What is a single-song agreement?
Instead of signing an exclusive publishing deal, you can sign a single-song agreement.
These contracts assign copyright to the publisher for a single song
These are a good way to get started in the industry and test out publishers without signing an exclusive deal
What are the 6 career paths in the music industry?
Artist & Creator, Recording & Production, Sync & Scoring, Startup & Tech, Music Business, and Education, Nonprofit & Therapeutic
What are the pros and cons of having a record label?
PROs: budget, industry connections, playlisting, prestige, marketing, dedicated team
CONs: loss of ownership & creative control, low royalties and strict recoupment, complex contracts with little flexibility, risk of being “shelved”
Explain how producer fees work.
Fees paid up front to producers for work on a song or album
Producer fees are guaranteed income while points are not
Residual points can be negotiated, but not common for smaller producers
Producer fees range from $0-$1 million+
Explain the 2 parts of song copyright and who controls each one.
Song Composition (lyrics & melody) - controlled by songwriters & publishers
Sound Recording (Master) - controlled by record labels, artists & producers
What are the pros and cons of being an independent artist?
PROs: Complete creative and musical control, ownership of music, closer connection to fans, higher potential to earn $$
CONs: limited budget and resources, limited time, having to wear many different hats with no guaranteed success