Terms from A to Z

A

A&R

Artists and repertoire. The person at a label who finds new artists and guides their music. Read more

Advance

Money from the label up front. If the song flops, you don't have to pay it back. Read more

B

Booking agency

Sells your shows to clubs, festivals and promoters, usually for a 10 to 20 percent commission. Read more

C

Composition

Melody and lyrics of a song, protected by copyright. Read more

Copyright

Protects the composition. In Germany it always stays with the songwriter, until 70 years after death. Read more

D

DAW

Digital audio workstation: software for making music, for example FL Studio, Ableton or Logic. Read more

Distribution deal

You're your own label, the distributor only gets the music into stores. You keep the master. Read more

Distributor

Digital distribution that gets your music onto Spotify, Apple Music and the rest. Read more

Door deal

Instead of a fixed fee you get a share of ticket income. Read more

E

Exclusive artist deal

The label pays for everything and gets the recording in return. You record only for this label. Read more

G

GEMA

Germany's collecting society for composers, lyricists and music publishers. Read more

GVL

Germany's collecting society for recordings: pays labels, singers and musicians. Read more

I

ISRC

International Standard Recording Code, the ID number of every recording. Read more

K

Künstlersozialkasse (KSK)

German fund that covers about half of social insurance for self-employed artists. Read more

L

Lease

Cheap, limited licence for a beat. Others may use it too. Read more

Licence deal (Bandübernahmevertrag)

You pay for the recording yourself, the label takes the finished master for distribution and marketing. Read more

M

Major label

One of the three big music corporations: Universal, Sony and Warner. Read more

Manager

Plans your career and negotiates your deals, usually for 15 to 20 percent. Read more

Master

The finished recording of a song. Read more

Metadata

All the information about a song: title, artist, songwriters, producers and more. Read more

N

Neighbouring rights

Protect the recording. Held by whoever paid for it (usually the label) and by the performers. Read more

O

Option

The label's right to make further albums with you. The label may, but doesn't have to. Read more

P

Pre-save

Fans save a song before it's released. Read more

Print on demand

Merch is only printed after it's ordered. No stock, no risk. Read more

Publisher

Looks after your songs as compositions, for example with GEMA and for sync. Read more

R

Recoupment

Your share of income first pays off your advance before you receive new money. Read more

S

Sample clearance

Permission from label and publisher to use a sample. Read more

Split sheet

Records who owns what percentage of a song. Read more

Sync

Music in film, series, games or advertising. Read more

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360 deal

The label also earns from shows, merch, publishing and brand deals. Read more