Getting good advice

The music industry can be a legal minefield, so it always pays to get good advice before walking into any deal that could have financial implications.

If you don't know what you’re doing you could potentially be putting your livelihood and the music you love at risk, so it's important to seek legal advice whenever you deal with record labels, agents or publishers.

“My experience of getting signed was very weird because I didn't have a manager so was doing all the meetings by myself... You usually get a lawyer before you start dealing with labels and the lawyers are usually on it more than the labels are scouting wise - I got contacted by lawyers before labels. When it comes to signing a deal you have to go with your instincts and you have to do as much research as you possibly can - your lawyer can help you a lot with that. I just asked as many people as I could in the industry about anything I wanted to know” - 

Marina from Marina and the Diamonds

The Law Society should be able to put you in touch with a lawyer with previous experience in the industry, while the BPI, The Prince’s Trust, and Association for Independent Music can all be contacted for career advice.

The simplest bit of advice we can give you is to never sign anything you're unsure about or that could leave you in a tricky situation later on.

In your recording career you're likely to deal with a number of contracts with a number of people including ones with your band, record company and your publisher. Every contract is different. It should be drawn up by a team of solicitors specifically for you and the company with whom you’re entering into an agreement.

Contracts are invariably cause for compromise in some areas, but by knowing where your priorities lie and what you want out of the agreement, you should be able to avoid being taken advantage of.

You don't really need to sort out a contract with your band mates until you've decided to start selling your music or signed a publishing deal. As soon as you do though, it's vital you put the personal aside and do it properly. Sorting this out at the start of your career will help to ensure that, in the long run, everyone is happy and knows where they stand when certain issues raise their head (which they inevitably will).

Remember too that signing on the dotted line doesn't mean a smooth ride from then on, no matter how strong your contract may be. Plenty of artists have happily signed a record deal, only for things to get a bit rocky later on. Wiley recently got into a dispute with his record label over money and his musical direction, and artists as big as Prince have fallen out with their labels over the terms of their deals.

Just because you've released records and had some success there's no guarantee you'll stay signed either. Established acts like The Futureheads, Kelly Rowland and The Zutons have parted company with their labels despite having a fanbase and decent sales behind them. A good debut record and plenty of hype doesn't guarantee a label will hold on to you.