Face The Music:

5 Ways To Protect Yourself As A Musician

Ready to share your music with the world? Here are 5 ways to protect yourself as a musician. The music industry can be a tricky place, especially if you’re independent. Consider taking these steps to set yourself up for a successful release.

Keep your music safe.

As soon as you record a song or pen a composition, you own the copyright for that work and are entitled to certain rights. Filing a copyright gives you the tools to enforce those rights. Consider filing a Trademark for your artist or brand name, especially if you plan to also produce merch or expand your practice into other creative realms. Check here for more to know the difference between Copyrights and Trademarks and which might be right for you.

Clean up your business.

When the time is right, set up a Limited Liability Company (“LLC”) for yourself as a performing artist and as songwriter or composer. An accountant and lawyer can help you decide when it is a right time for you to organize your intellectual property and revenue streams. For more on when is the right time to start a company, check here.

Put it in writing.

Before you release music, get contracts in place with any collaborators. Even if something came from being in the studio with friends, set yourself all up for things to go the best way possible. If a great licensing deal comes in or a track goes viral, putting a Featured Artist Agreement, Producer Agreement, Composer Agreement, or Session Artist Agreement in place with your collaborator helps make sure everybody sees their share of the potential pie.  For an intro to common Agreements for creatives, take a peek here.

Build a strong team.

You’re only as strong as your team. Choose wisely and consider where you are at creatively and financially before signing with anyone. Do your research on the difference between these roles and who the best are in your realm: accountant, manager, booking agent, lawyer, and record label.

Run the numbers

Making a living in the music industry is no easy feat. There’s never been a better time to approach music as a profession in a creative way. There are many affordable and accessible ways to distribute your music and emerging alternatives to old models for funding creative development. Familiarize yourself with standard rates (performance, streaming, licensing, record deals, brand sponsorship). Be sure to explore your options to make every move in your release strategy the most optimal.