Music contracts and the related legal matters are a cornerstone of our firm. We handle the reviewing, drafting, and negotiation of all music and entertainment contracts including for creators, artists, musicians, DJs, producers, songwriters, vocalists, and bands. We also assist with the drafting, review, and negotiation of all music and entertainment related documents including record deals, music publishing agreements, content distribution licenses, media, streaming, and broadcasting rights agreements, advertising, marketing, and promotional deals, endorsement, sponsorship, marketing, and appearance contracts, agency and management contracts, event and live performance agreements as well as music contracts for digital and physical merchandise manufacturing.
Our firm’s music contract services also include the review, analysis, drafting, negotiation, and revision of all music and entertainment talent agreements, including entertainment law and music contracts and all music and digital media content licenses as well as provides assistance with music “sampling” clearance, music royalty and accounting retrieval, and “loan-out” company formation and formalities including the filing, drafting, and revising of LLCs and corporation charter and operational documents.
More information on music contracts and music law can be found below.
- The Artist & Recording Label Relationship – A Look At Standard Record “Deal” or Recording Contract
- Music Publishing Deals – An Examination of the Songwriter and Music Publisher Relationship
- “Multiple Rights Deals” – A Look At 360 Agreements
- Why A Band Member Agreement?
- Are You Co-Writing Songs? Why A “Split Sheet” Just Isn’t Enough
- The Artist & Manager Relationship – A Look At Recording Industry Management Agreements
- Live Performance and Appearance Agreements for Musicians, DJs, Bands and Musical Acts
- Brand Sponsorship and Endorsement Agreements For Musicians, DJs and Bands
Why a music attorney?
An attorney practicing in the music and entertainment field frequently handles all legal matters for its client, including managing and advising on music trademarks and copyrights as well as the drafting and negotiating of all industry related music and entertainment contracts, such as record deals, music publishing agreements, remix contracts, licensing agreements, concert and live appearance agreements, and “NIL” and sponsorship agreements. A music lawyer may also handle business entity formation and the associated formalities, the securing of music visas for artists, as well as possibly advising and drafting wills and other estate/trust documents to preserve their client’s wealth. These services can coincide with others offered by the talent’s other representatives as a music attorney can act as corporate and outside counsel to record labels and music publishing organizations including drafting music contracts and advising on music and digital media streaming deals, corporate formation, fundraising, sponsorships, IP licensing, and merchandising.
As a result of their previous experience, veteran music attorneys negotiate, review, and draft music contracts including those agreements signed by songwriters, rappers, DJs, producers, musical content creators, podcasters, and any other individual or company operating within the music and entertainment spaces.
Why is a written agreement important in music?
Written music contracts and agreements are important to ensure that any individual or company that a musician works is aware of their duties and obligations, including when contracting with other musicians, record labels, music publishers, and sponsoring brands. With such large amounts of money at stake, it is essential for all musicians, DJs, producers, and other creative artists to have formal written music contracts prepared, reviewed, and negotiated by competent and experienced legal professionals in music space before signing them.
What contracts do musicians need?
While every situation is different, there could be a music contract created for a vocalist, a “beat” or instrumental producer, a remixer, a DJ, an engineer, or the designers of a musician’s website, logo, album cover, tour and digital and physical merchandise as well as documents created for any videographers, video editors, thumbnail creators, and photographers that a musician works with.