Most Artists Don’t Understand Their Record Deal, Do You?

Musicians need to understand the contracts they sign and their implications, but most don't. Michael Brandvold and Jay Gilbert are joined on the Music Biz Weekly Podcast by manager and educator Mark Tavern to explore why that is and what to do about.

Signing a record deal is a major accomplishment. As an artist, having company support can make your career. But “getting signed” is not as simple as it sounds, and leaves out a lot of details about how the business actually works. Without a solid understanding of this, artists can get themselves into trouble.

Tavern wrote a piece about it recently that's been getting a lot of attention, Blueface Doesn't Understand His Record Deal. Do You?

Mark Tavern is an artist manager, consultant, educator, administrator, and arts advocate with more than twenty years of music business experience. In addition to running his own management company, Tavern currently teaches music business at LaGuardia Community College and before that, at the Institute of Audio Research. Prior to 2012, he worked at major record companies including Universal Music Group, SONY Music Entertainment, and BMG Entertainment, taking part in more than 200 recordings, a dozen Broadway cast albums, and numerous reissue projects, including the GRAMMY winning 24-CD box set The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition.