Record labels: the other rapists

[Faust|]

Record labels provide to artists recording, production, exposure, and distribution. But what are the ways the label takes advantage of the artist? What sort of leverage, if any, does the artist have who is aware of the label's game?

What is the bargaining position, or prognosis if you will, of an unsigned, unproven artist with potential commercial hits? What are the differences in operation of small and large record labels when dealing with them? Would it ever be better to sign with a smaller label given a choice?

[doc_bean]

The best is doing the Mariah Carey: sign a multi million dollar deal, make terrible music, get paid to NOT fullfil your contract, make a comeback, sign another multi million dollar deal.

[GoreBag]

Well, I know that the artists rarely see much of the money from sales or touring. Often, a label will 'own' the music that an artist writes (if they write it at all...) and, therefore, the artist is prohibited from re-releasing or performing these songs once they switch labels (unless they pay royalties). As well, artists often lose creative control over their work, and the label reserves the right to manipulate it as much as they want in order to sell albums. The typical recording contract lasts for six albums, and once a new artist begins to lose steam and doesn't sell as well, the artist will lose the attention they once had from their label and will no longer see any real promotion or touring, but are still required to produce an album every 12 months.

[Vladimir]

They can rape me (as Nirvana put it).

[yesdachi]

Prince turned himself into a symbol to avoid getting screwed further.

[Lord Godfrey]

The contacts that the artist signed when they were nobody's looked good to them at that time, that's why they signed them. Only after becoming famous, does the contract in hindsight look bad.

If you don't like the contract, then don't sign it.

[doc_bean]

Prince turned himself into a symbol to avoid getting screwed further.

He wrote "slave" on his face while he lived in a castle...

[_Martyr_]

Plus, things are changing fast. Artists are begining to cut out the middleman, using the internet instead. Look at the Artic Monkeys for a good example. A large internet underground following can at least be a strong bargining tool when negotiating a contract, or it can be used as a springboard to establishing your own label.