S****y contract?

jermmusic

jermmusic

New member
Yo,

I was offered to be signed on a label recently, and I was into it obviously. I went through the process until they sent me the contract, and it seems like a rip off tbh.

It said I got 50% of all royalties on every platform except youtube (after admin fees) and 20% of all remix royalties (after admin fees). I also had 30% taken off of my total because I am from canada (label's based in the USA). PLUS, I'd get paid every quarter (4 times a year) only if I would receive $250 or more after all the deductions. Based on the size of the label, I don't think that I'd ever see a cent from them.

I'm not trying to diss, but I really don't think this is a good contract. Let me know your thoughts?

Cheers,
JerMUZIK
 
doesn't sound good. I want to start a label that the artist keeps 90%, and the label gets 10% (for the little bit of label expenses), and bullshit about $250 thresholds wont be there. Labels are just a "team name". They meaningless without artists. The artists are make it what it is, and should earn at least 90%.

With today's computer systems, distribution costs next to nothing.
 
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Contracts are negotiable. If someone says they aren't, then that's a good indicator that you should avoid doing business with them. Minimums like $250
(an arbitrary number, obviously), are there so that the office staff (or the one guy there, whatever) don't have to write a check every time you earn 20 cents, although with PayPal that provision may seem a little outdated. Quarterly payments have been standard in the industry since the dawn of record royalties. The Canada/US thing is based on currency exchange rates (and probably taxes, which I understand a lot less up there, due to all of the VAT tax issues).

So, some bad provisions (like percentages), some not so bad. Always remember, the initial memo or contract is negotiable and should be treated as such.

GJ
 
if you are doing all the work and they are collecting the dough, then whats the point in signing?

is this a contract for your production or you as a performing artist?
either way, you need to retain publishing rights to your material. if you are that serious, i would say consult a legitimate lawyer who won't charge you a fukload up front just to look at the contract for you. if you are dope and know it, then i would say get a reputable agent to negotiate all that for you, because it doesnt seem like these guys are treating you as an equal.
 
jermmusic said:
Yo,

I was offered to be signed on a label recently, and I was into it obviously. I went through the process until they sent me the contract, and it seems like a rip off tbh.

It said I got 50% of all royalties on every platform except youtube (after admin fees) and 20% of all remix royalties (after admin fees). I also had 30% taken off of my total because I am from canada (label's based in the USA). PLUS, I'd get paid every quarter (4 times a year) only if I would receive $250 or more after all the deductions. Based on the size of the label, I don't think that I'd ever see a cent from them.

I'm not trying to diss, but I really don't think this is a good contract. Let me know your thoughts?

Cheers,
JerMUZIK
Click to expand...

Honestly,

that doesn't sound like a rip off at all, but we're missing a huge piece of the pie here...

the full contract Also, you haven't outlined what they're doing for you.
 
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