5 IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A LAWYER AS AN A&R

lawyer

Introduction

Having a lawyer on your side as an A&R is a good idea. So, why is that? I will let you know about its importance here in this blog by highlighting some of the excerpts:

As an A&R (or any other member of a record label), you will likely be exposed to thousands of pieces of music every month. You will want to make sure that everything you are working with is legally cleared and that your company has the ability to use it freely.

To do this, you need to make sure that you have a lawyer on hand who understands how the music industry works. Here are some examples:

As an A&R, you will likely be exposed to thousands of pieces of music every month. You will want to make sure that everything you are working with is legally cleared and that your company has the ability to use it freely.

As an A&R, you will likely be exposed to thousands of pieces of music every month. You will want to make sure that everything you are working with is legally cleared and that your company has the ability to use it freely.

LEGALLY CLEAR

You must understand what it means when a piece of music is “legally clear” or “cleared”. This simply means that the rights have been obtained in order for your company to use it commercially without receiving any legal backlash from any individuals or organizations who own rights to the piece (e.g., the actual musician/band who created it). It also means knowing who owns those rights so you can contact them directly if needed. In other words, this step prevents any legal action against your company for copyright infringement which could result in expensive litigation fees and/or penalties being imposed on you personally as well as on your employer should they choose not to take adequate precautions before using someone else’s creative work (music) within their business operations (recording studios).

PROPER DRAFTING OF A CONTRACT

What is the most important thing to remember when you are working on a contract?

  • Be sure you get it right the first time.
  • Make sure that you understand all of the terms, including what happens if something goes wrong and how long it will take before you can expect your money to be paid out. This is why it’s so important to have an attorney who is an expert in this field.”

The last thing you want to do is sign yourself or your company into a bad deal. Make sure the contracts you sign are airtight and protect the interests of all parties involved.

A contract is a legal document, and as such, it should be clear and concise. The contract should also be fair to both parties involved in the deal. A good contract will specify exactly what you’re agreeing to do, by when, and for how much. It should also specify which party will pay for what costs (for example, if someone wants you to travel somewhere for a meeting or performance, who’s paying for your flight?)

Once all of this has been agreed upon in writing, make sure that both parties sign the document!

COLLECTING ROYALTIES AND MONETIZING YOUR TALENT’S WORK

As an A&R, you know how difficult it can be to make money in the music industry. Royalty collection is no different. In fact, it may be even more difficult because there are so many entities that are entitled to royalties for your artists’ work. You need to know how to collect royalties from:

  • Artists (writers and performers)
  • Producers
  • Songwriters
  • Labels

Your label needs to make money, so make sure you know how to collect from all possible sources.

You must know how to collect royalties from all sources.

streaming services, digital downloads, physical sales, and sync licensing are the main ways that artists make money from their music these days. If you’re not collecting from these sources then you’re missing out on a huge chunk of your income.

The foundation of any record label is its talent and its legal rights to the talent’s music.

The foundation of any record label is its talent and its legal rights to the talent’s music.

Make sure you know how to collect from all possible sources. The last thing you want to do is sign yourself or your company into a bad deal that may cost you money, power, or time down the road.

Conclusion

If you’re working with music and talent, it’s critical that you have legal representation. A good lawyer will help ensure that you are protected from mistakes and theft, as well as make sure that your label is able to collect royalties and monetize its talent. This is an investment well worth making!