Introduction

Despite the difficulties facing the recording industry, and the falling sales figures, the recording contract remains the principal means by which most recording artists earn their living. Many established but still active recording artists now earn more from touring than from record sales but, nevertheless, without a record deal the artist’s ability to exploit his or her talent is limited. The recording contract is also the principal means by which a record company acquires its stockintrade. Record companies may also buy “catalogues” of recordings made by other record companies under their own recording contracts. Without recording contracts there would be few recordings and without recordings there would be limited opportunities for songwriters and music publishers to exploit their songs.

In Part I of this chapter we look briefly at how a recording artist might find a record deal, and at the different types of deal which might be available. In Part II we then look more closely at the component parts of a typical recording contract. In Part III we examine the financial aspects of recording contracts. Finally, in Part IV we deal with some of the more general considerations which apply once a recording artist has secured a record deal.  Part I The Deal