By now I'm sure you've heard and/or read about the '360' record deal.  There are at least two approaches to this type of deal.  One is where the Record Company will not only control and profit from the sale of the artist's recordings and related products, but will also participate to a greater or lesser degree in the Artist's non-record income streams (e.g., touring income, merchandise sales, endorsements, songwriting, publishing, etc.).  The label's non-record income participation in the more modest type of deal is usually relatively small.  The Label simply gets an override percentage from all artist income streams.  The argument is that it is primarily the Label's marketing and promotion efforts that are driving the upward value of all income streams and that they are taking the biggest financial risk.  The Labels argue that they will be able to put more development and marketing money behind the new artists.

However, there are "360 deals" and there are "360 DEALS"!  The latter is the second type where the record company not only participates in non-record income as much as allowed, it "partners" with the Artist both in sharing the profits and in the decision making in as many areas of the Artist's career as it can get the Artist to agree to.  The Record Company's share of non-record profits might run the range from 5% or 10% of the Artist's Net income to as high as 50%.  Most beginning Artists will have no real strength when it comes to this type of deal.  The Label will have all the negotiating power.  The Label has the money and is taking the biggest risk -- and can therefore pretty well have its way with the new artists.  But there is really nothing new about that is there now?  Artist lawyers and managers who find themselves in this weak bargaining position can only do the best job they can, in the back of their minds only hoping for that their Artist will experience success so phenomenal that the deal can be renegotiated later.

I and a major manager just finished negotiating one of the power 360 Deals with a Major Label.  We certainly have the experience and reputation to take this on, the manager with over 30 years in the business and me with over 25.  It took over 2 months of almost daily negotiations, both by telephone and email, just to come to an agreement on the major deal points.  I'm afraid part of that might have been because of the newness of this type deal to all of us.  And by "us" I mean not only the Artist representatives but also the Label.

2): What's The Best Way To  Get Your Music On The Radio?

We All want out music on the Radio, Huh. There is a system with this, At Alander Talent & Artist Management, We work With many Radio Stations, Our Approach is always the same, We get the best project, Material or Package Send it to the Radio Station With a Coverletter and a Photo. But first make sure you're registered with BDS, Make sure That You have Radio Material, Mixed and Mastered.  And it's that easy. No, it's not that easy, But those are the most important ways to go by doing it.

3) Who is B.M.I. and Why is it important to Be Registered With Them?

BMI is a performing right organization: It collects license fees on behalf of its songwriters, composers and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed.

As a performing right organization, BMI issues licenses to various users of music, including television and radio stations and networks; new media, including the Internet and mobile technologies such as ringtones and ringbacks; satellite audio services like XM and Sirius; nightclubs, discos, hotels, bars, restaurants and other venues; digital jukeboxes; and live concerts. It then tracks public performances of its members' music, and collects and distributes licensing revenues for those performances as royalties to the more than 375,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers it represents, as well as the thousands of creators from around the world who have chosen BMI for representation in the U.S.

BMI currently represents some more than 6.5 million compositions — a number that is constantly growing. As a result, BMI has, over the years, sought out and implemented a number of technological innovations in its continuing effort to gather the most accurate information available about where, when and how its members' compositions are used as well as ensuring that payment to those whose works have been performed is made in as precise and timely a manner as possible.

4): What Do A&R's Do?