What are:

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Recording
Contracts
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What are Recording Contracts?
 A record contract is a legal contract between the artist and the record
company.

 It states all of the rules that both the artist and company must abide by
when both parties agree to the production and release of the artist’s
music.

 Put simply – a recording contract states how many songs the artist
must make for the company, and how much the artist gets paid for
recording those songs.
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Why have a recording contract?

 It can be a great way for an artist to generate income as well as

increase their profile and audience.

 Signing deals with large record labels like Universal Music, Sony
Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Group can
drastically change a musician/bands career, for the better OR
worse.
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Artists signed to major record labels:

UNIVERSAL MUSIC: SONY MUSIC: EMI:

Taylor Swift Michael Jackson The Beatles

Rihanna Beyonce David Bowie
Lady Gaga Prince Paul McCartney
Queen Calvin Harris AC/DC
Kanye West Pink Floyd Snoop Dogg
Metallica System of A Down Red Hot Chili Peppers
Coldplay John Mayer Arctic Monkeys
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Prince vs Warner Brothers

 In August 1992, Prince and Warner resigned – a six album extension

worth $100 million - the largest recording contract signed by a solo
artist up until that time.

 A clause in the contract granted Warner ownership of all master

recordings, and not just for the future recordings, but for all recordings
dating back to 1978.

 The contract also limited the number of concerts Prince was able to
perform.
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 Prince was in no position to argue with the contract,

as his spending spiraled out of control on lavish
concert tours and vast entourages – he needed the
money.

 Prince wanted to release at least 2 albums per year,

however Warner wanted one album every 2 years.

 The tipping point came when Prince named his

fourteenth album a confusing, unpronounceable
amalgamation of the male/female ’love’ symbols.
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Prince Vs Warner
 On 27th April 1993, despite having only released the first of the 6
albums he was contracted to deliver, Prince stunned Warner Brothers
by announcing his intention to retire from recording.

 On his birthday, 7th June 1993, Prince declared his former self ‘dead’
and changed his name to the same unpronounceable name of his
previous album. (Which is why he is referred to as ‘the artist formerly
known as Prince’)

 Prince thought that if he changed his name it would somehow void or

at least highlight his protest over the contract.

 Prince now refused to write any music for Warner Brothers – so in

response Warner Brother’s turned to the Master Tapes they had
access to and released an album ‘Black Album’.

 At every public appearance and in all of his music videos, Prince

began penciling the words ‘slave’ on his face to represent his protest.
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 John Fogerty v John Fogerty???
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 John Fogerty was the lead singer of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

 In April 1970, CCR released “Run Through the Jungle” which was written by Fogerty.

 Fast forward 15 years – John Fogerty released a solo track called “The Old Man Down
The Road”.

 Saul Zaentz, the owner of CCR record label ‘Fantasy Records’, who also owned the
copyright to “Run Through the Jungle”, felt that “The Old Man Down The Road” was
simply “Run Through The Jungle” with different words. In other words, John Fogerty had
plagiarised a John Fogerty song to which he didn’t own the copyright to.

 Zaentz sued Fogerty in fedaral court for copyright.

 This later led to a lawsuit between Fogerty and Fantasy Records.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbI0cMyyw_M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDBBwXWeS7w
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Damien Leith v Australian Idol

 Australian Idol winner Damien Leith sold more than $5 million worth of records when
he won the crown in 2006, but had to sell his car to pay the rent!

 Leith was the victim of the fine print in the contract signed by contestants which
specifies that the Idol creators and local producers own the rights to their
performances on the show.

 The debut album that the winners release are compiled of those performances,
meaning Leith did not earn any money from his debut record.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEkRXjC7K-A