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To: DallasBiff

I’ve heard that record contracts in the music industry are written mainly to benefit the corporate record labels, and that artists/musicians make most of their income from live shows.


23 posted on 04/24/2025 10:03:52 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("The gallows wait for martyrs whose papers are in order.")
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To: Alberta's Child

Live shows and merchandise (t-shirts, etc.). The albums and song royalties do not produce but a pittance for the musicians nowadays. Friend of mine in the Rock biz once showed me his royalty check for a whole quarter - $7.42. The particular band he is in does “guarantees” for live shows, for example they might get $3000 to divvy up if 1000 tickets are sold, if only 500 tickets are sold, they only get $1500. Some smaller bands even do beer sale guarantees now.


38 posted on 04/24/2025 10:27:21 AM PDT by jpp113
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To: Alberta's Child

The FIRST record contract the artist typically does not make much at all. The record company makes all the money.
The artist make money on touring and Merch(t shirts, etc).

When they get to be an established artist the contracts change. Then the artist gets more because the record company knows they will sell and they have to give them a percentage.

A lot of this came out with John Fogerty. Creedence Clearwater Revival did not make squat even though the had several huge hits off of their first album. Fogerty did not make any money until years later when he came out as a single artist.


44 posted on 04/24/2025 10:46:01 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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