Artist approvals
With
Judge JulesJudge Jules explains the approval rights artists can negotiate over how their music is used, from videos and remixes to key changes and sync licensing.
What's in the course
46 lessons (1h 6m) · 1 free
01. Accounting
Free lesson1:16
02. Termination
1:29
03. Collection societies and letter of direction
0:26
04. Commission structure
2:32
05. Cross platform-multimedia aspects
0:39
06. Expenses
1:10
07. Key man provisions
1:01
08. A manager's obligations
2:33
09. Post term commission
1:30
10. Should a manager be involved in all aspects of an artist's income?
1:40
11. Term
1:46
12. Should a manager manage more than one artist?
1:24
01. Accounting payments and auditing
2:18
02. Ancillary shares
1:58
03. Artist approvals
You are here1:51
04. Artist promotional obligations
1:50
05. Assignment or licence - what's the difference?
3:17
06. Interplay with publishing
0:51
07. Options
1:39
08. Release commitment
1:26
09. Rights in the artist's name and brand
1:26
10. Royalty types
1:20
11. Territory of agreement
1:54
12. Warranties and indemnities
1:37
01. What are the most important areas of a contract for a new artist?
2:11
02. Is it normal that a music lawyer would meet me and listen to my case before charging me?
1:15
03. If a label, publisher or manager approaches me to sign a contract but I dont have the funds to pay for a lawyer, who should pay the legal fees?
1:20
04. Are 360 degree deals good value for an artist?
1:14
05. Am I still protected when it comes to copyright in the NFT or the crypto world?
0:26
06. Should I be wary of a publishing deal?
1:02
07. What protection exists for artists releasing their own music that don't have access to a lawyer?
1:03
Lesson transcript
Understanding Approval Rights in Music Contracts
First and foremost, it's important to understand that artists have a number of different rights of approval over the ways in which their music is exploited.
Key Points on Approval Rights
-
Record Contracts: Many record contracts don't contain any approvals unless you ask them to be there.
-
Videos:
- Videos are one such example.
- It's reasonable that the cost factor of videos includes an approval right on behalf of the artist.
- Considerations include:
- Who produces the video
- The content of the video
-
Remixes:
- Artists may not want anyone remixing their record if it takes their track into a completely different musical space that feels uncomfortable.
-
Key Changes:
- You don't want your record company making changes to your music without your permission, which a contract might otherwise allow.
- Thus, an approval right is crucial.
-
Synchronization:
- Consider whether you want your record used in contexts like:
- A TV advert for pet food when you see yourself as a cool act
- A rom-com movie when your music is dark and serious
- Consider whether you want your record used in contexts like:
Additional Considerations
- Sample Use:
- Do you want a third-party artist to sample your work without your permission? This is another important area for approval rights.
Contractual Obligations
Normally speaking, the record contract makes the approval rights a bit narrower, in that the record company is obliged to ask for your approval for these and a few other categories of uses of your record.
- Response Timeframe:
- If you don't respond to their request (typically within three to five days), most record contracts will state that those uses are deemed to be approved.
In summary, it is very important to look out for an approval right in your record deal in general.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Jules O'Riordan has over 30 years of experience across the entire spectrum of the music industry. This includes nearly a decade as an A&R for the Universal umbrella of labels, 15 years as a presenter on BBC Radio 1, over 150 record releases and remixes in his own capacity as a recording artist, plus a 30-year career as one of Britain's best-known, globally-travelled DJs (Judge Jules), with over 5000 gigs under his belt, plus extensive experience as an event promoter and artist manager at the highest level.
Suffice to say, Jules knows the music industry inside-out, and his clients regard him as a trusted advisor for whom no legal or business affairs challenge or problem is too large or small.
Jules has been a lawyer for 10 years. His practice takes in the entire breadth of the music-focused entertainment industry. His legal and deal expertise includes management, recording, publishing, distribution and label services, music-based apps, games and tech projects, production deals, producers, featured artists, endorsements, merchandising, neighbouring rights, TV/film scores, live performance, events and venue agreements, plus copyright and rights infringement and many other disputes.
Jules's clients include artists, management companies, record labels, songwriters, event promoters, producers, music tech businesses, production companies, live agents, music publishers and DJs. He has spoken on many panels and seminars including ADE, Brighton Music Conference and AIM events, and has been a guest speaker on legal issues across a number of on and off-line media outlets, including BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Introducing, Financial Times, The Sun, The Times and Mixmag.
Jules speaks fluent Spanish.
Who better to demystify the contracts and deals every musician eventually faces? In his course, Jules turns three decades of hard-won industry knowledge into plain-English guidance, so you can understand the business side of music and protect your work long before you sign on the dotted line.
