What's an artist's cut?

[abZ]

good read...

been asked recently how much i want for an advance for the first time ever, pretty big label, still no contract tho, which is the last time im gona do anything without one coz theres seemed to be no deadlines or anything ive really been told about tbh, i spose the reason i havent been told about % of net sales is because im getting just an upfront amount, ive made my offer etc... but its been left a bit in the open, not knowing how many vinyls are being pressed, and its up for digital soon, i think ive asked for a fair amount but will have to wait and see whats said, bit hard to judge given the situation.

contracts are definatly necessary!

another label im working with at the moment tho is running things really nicely, even getting me more work which is cool!

is anyone from here signed up to prs/mcps at all?

What you are talking about probably isn't technically an advance. An advance is pretty much just a loan that would be paid back with your percentage of the profits. Big labels do this. Not big dubstep labels, BIG labels. But like what excision is talking about you are just selling ALL the rights to your tune for a flat fee. In that case you have some cash in your hand so it can be nice in that regard but that is all you will ever get for the tune, keep that in mind you don't own the tune anymore. 100% of all licensing will go to the label. IMO it is a gamble by both parties. If it becomes a really popular release then the label makes out. If it doesn't sell shit then it favors the artist.

[ohmydays]

3 tingz:

1) Get it in writing.
2) Get it in writing.
3) Get it in writing.

That way they can't say shit when you go to collect your agreed-upon cut. There is no such thing as a gentleman's agreement or handshake-deal. If they balk, walk.

i have no experience with any of these things but you can't deny that this seems very sensible. i think you could apply this to most things.

really though, it makes sod all difference. it's such a small world, what are you gonna do, even if it is all in writing? Sue them for the 150 quid they owe you? Just chalk it up to experience, try not to deal with them again, and believe next time believe your mate Producer XYZ when he tells you someone's a dodgy tnuc....

Small claims courts means it wouldn't be hard to get back your cash if it is in writing, obviously some people would bother for £150, but for £400 standing up in court and representing yourself free of charge is not bad for a days work.

People have this view of the legal system like it is Totally useless, not true, just Relatively useless compared to an ideal.

If it is in writing it is pretty hard for them to shaft you.

[alphacat]

You'd think that'd be true, but I've heard of more than one instance where a team of corporate douchebag lawyers managed to weasel out of something that was in black & white. Hell, I experienced it when I used to do bookings at a club. And this is on the American side... I'm not sure if the same holds true in the UK or not.

In the end I'd say you shouldn't even fuck with a major because they're not in it for the music at all - they just exploit another natural resource like oil, timber, etc.: in this case, that resource is angry young men & women with guitars or samplers. But to each their own.

I also strongly recommend (again, my opinion only) that you should never, ever give away licensing or merch rights because that's about the only place an artist can still make any money in many cases. Another friend in a punk band did a world tour for a year, played places like Madagascar (!) - and all of it was funded by the merchandise sales from their Japan dates ALONE.

[ohmydays]

Yeah man UK legal system is a world away from the US one. Trust me i should know

[gravious]

18% of gross sales (not profit) is what used to be standard in some genres it isn't as bad as it sounds - doesn't work out that different from 50/50 profit split as its done b4 costs are added - that might be 16% now times are hard I don't know. Dubstep & DNB is usually just 50/50 profit split

Yeah, 18% gross is a safer option in many cases, although in my experience 50/50 profit share (or a share of 50% between the artists on the release) has been more or less standard.

This is good if the release sells well and quickly covers costs - e.g. if it runs thru 500 copies, then a few more get repressed you're for a few hundred quid minimum on vinyl sales alone.

On the other hand, if it doesn't sell so well, 50% of not-a-lot is even less than not-a-lot. Not so good if music is your breadwinner!

[setspeed]

3 tingz:

1) Get it in writing.
2) Get it in writing.
3) Get it in writing.

That way they can't say shit when you go to collect your agreed-upon cut. There is no such thing as a gentleman's agreement or handshake-deal. If they balk, walk.

i have no experience with any of these things but you can't deny that this seems very sensible. i think you could apply this to most things.

really though, it makes sod all difference. it's such a small world, what are you gonna do, even if it is all in writing? Sue them for the 150 quid they owe you? Just chalk it up to experience, try not to deal with them again, and believe next time believe your mate Producer XYZ when he tells you someone's a dodgy tnuc....

Small claims courts means it wouldn't be hard to get back your cash if it is in writing, obviously some people would bother for £150, but for £400 standing up in court and representing yourself free of charge is not bad for a days work.

People have this view of the legal system like it is Totally useless, not true, just Relatively useless compared to an ideal.

If it is in writing it is pretty hard for them to shaft you.

yeah it's not just that though - hence my comment about it being 'a small world'.

i.e. the guy who has just shafted you out of your 150 quid - probably runs a night where he books you occasionally for 250 quid a time. or is well in with half the people you work with and you don't want to balls things up with them. or also works at the distro where you were planning to run your new label through. or....

[ohmydays]

yeah it's not just that though - hence my comment about it being 'a small world'.

i.e. the guy who has just shafted you out of your 150 quid - probably runs a night where he books you occasionally for 250 quid a time. or is well in with half the people you work with and you don't want to balls things up with them. or also works at the distro where you were planning to run your new label through. or....

That is fair enough man, i was just advising people on the fact they can use the legal system to their advantage without too much difficulty.

Personally i would not want to work for this guy who shafted me, so i would run his name into the ground and warn everybody i know in the area not to give him the time of day as he just wants the cash out your wallet. Then start my own night.

. . . Of course this is hypothetical and no doubt there would be a lot more complexities to it. Either way though i would warn everybody dealing with him that he is a shark. That is a must.

[warmdata]

100% on my (digital-only) label goes to the artists minus the cut that the mp3 stores take.
All I ask is the artists chip in with their own promotion.
You can't argue with that!

http://soundcloud.com/warmdata/dropbox

[♫♪♫]

100% goes to you if you use Bandcamp, sans the Paypal fees (which are something ilke 2.9% + 30 cents on every transaction). Highly recommended.

[Caski]

good read...

been asked recently how much i want for an advance for the first time ever, pretty big label, still no contract tho, which is the last time im gona do anything without one coz theres seemed to be no deadlines or anything ive really been told about tbh, i spose the reason i havent been told about % of net sales is because im getting just an upfront amount, ive made my offer etc... but its been left a bit in the open, not knowing how many vinyls are being pressed, and its up for digital soon, i think ive asked for a fair amount but will have to wait and see whats said, bit hard to judge given the situation.

contracts are definatly necessary!

another label im working with at the moment tho is running things really nicely, even getting me more work which is cool!

is anyone from here signed up to prs/mcps at all?

What you are talking about probably isn't technically an advance. An advance is pretty much just a loan that would be paid back with your percentage of the profits. Big labels do this. Not big dubstep labels, BIG labels. But like what excision is talking about you are just selling ALL the rights to your tune for a flat fee. In that case you have some cash in your hand so it can be nice in that regard but that is all you will ever get for the tune, keep that in mind you don't own the tune anymore. 100% of all licensing will go to the label. IMO it is a gamble by both parties. If it becomes a really popular release then the label makes out. If it doesn't sell shit then it favors the artist.

yea im aware of the fact that im signing the rights over, i dint know how else to word an upfrot sum of money (spose i could have just sed an upfront sum of money lol) but its an old riddim, they put an acapella on it, selling it as "remix" so not too fussed, but its just the way the labels been working the whole release...if im honest im STILL waiting to find out 100% wots going on...but its good to know theres some knowledgable (sp) people on here!

good reads all round!