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Music Industry Terminology
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Billboard Charts
A set of lists published by Billboard magazine that rank songs and albums in various categories, based on sales data, radio play, and online streaming.
Market Share
The percentage of total sales in an industry generated by a particular company over a specific time period; a measure of a company's size in the marketplace.
Music Catalog
A collection of musical works owned or controlled by a company or artist, including all the songs and recordings.
Booking Agent
An individual or agency responsible for arranging live performances for artists, including setting the terms and negotiating deals.
Publishing Rights
Rights related to the composition and lyrics of a song, different from the recording rights, often held by composers or songwriters or their publishers.
360 Deal
A contract between an artist and a record label where the label participates in various revenue streams beyond just music sales, such as touring and merchandising.
Record Producer
An individual responsible for overseeing and managing the production and recording of an artist's music.
DIY Musician
An independent artist who creates, produces, distributes, and markets their music without the backing of a record label.
Liner Notes
Information included with physical copies of music recordings that may include lyrics, credits, artwork, and messages from the artist.
A&R
Artists and Repertoire - the division of a record label or music company that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic and commercial development of the recording artist.
Major Label
A large and powerful record label that has a substantial share of the market and usually part of an international conglomerate.
Breakout Single
A song that leads to the artist's widespread recognition and often commercial success, sometimes defining their future career.
Streaming
A method of delivering and consuming music in real-time over the internet, without the need to download or own the physical or digital copy.
Sync Placement
The use of a specific piece of music in a television show, movie, commercial, video game, or other visual media.
Tour Manager
An individual responsible for managing logistics, travel, schedules, and other day-to-day affairs while an artist is on tour.
Master Rights
The exclusive ownership rights to the original recording of a song or piece of music, typically held by the record company or the artist.
Demo
A song or group of songs recorded for limited circulation or reference, used to give an example of an artist's or songwriter’s work.
Sound Engineer
A professional who works with the technical aspects of sound during the recording, mixing, and reproduction process.
Top-line
The melody and lyrics written over a pre-existing beat or instrumental track, commonly used in electronic music and pop production.
Ghost Producer
An individual who produces music for another artist who then releases the music under their own name.
Side Artist Agreement
A contract between a featured artist and the primary artist, outlining the terms under which the featured artist’s contributions will be used.
Royalty
A payment made to a songwriter or composer for the authorized use of their music, often calculated as a percentage of the revenue generated.
EP
Extended Play - a music recording that contains more tracks than a single, but is usually too short to qualify as a full studio album.
LP
Long Play - a format for phonograph records, an older term for a full album, typically referring to vinyl records.
Remix
An alternative version of a song, different from the original version by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the original composition.
Producer Points
A percentage of royalties awarded to the producer of a record, typically negotiated before the production begins.
Radio Promotion
The process of getting an artist's music played on radio stations, often involving a promotional team or specialist.
Tour Support
Financial and logistical assistance provided by a record label to an artist for promoting their music through live performances and tours.
Recoupable
Describes an advance or expense that will be paid back to the record label from the artist's future earnings before they receive any royalties.
Soundcheck
The process before a live performance where musicians and technicians check the setup and sound levels of the instruments and equipment.
Sync License
A legal agreement granting permission to synchronize music with visual media, such as advertising, films, TV shows, or video games.
Independent Label
A record label that operates without the funding of or association with the major record labels.
Split Sheet
A document that outlines the percentage of ownership for each contributor to a song, ensuring proper credit and revenue distribution.
Merchandising
The creation and sale of branded goods related to an artist or band, like t-shirts, hats, and posters, as an additional revenue stream.
Backline
The equipment, such as amplifiers and drums, set up on stage for a performance, not including the PA system or the instruments themselves.
Music Video Treatment
A written proposal for a music video that outlines the concept, style, and storyline of the video as envisioned by a director or creative team.
Crossfade
A technique where the sound volume from one song decreases while another increases; often used by DJs to create a seamless transition between tracks.
Music Licensing
The process by which music rights holders grant permissions for others to use their music in various forms of media or live performance.
Mechanical Royalties
Royalties paid to songwriters and publishers when copies of their work are reproduced, such as CDs, vinyl, or digital downloads.
Performance Rights Organization (PRO)
An organization that tracks the use of a songwriter's work and collects performance royalties on their behalf.
White Label
A vinyl record with plain white labels typically used to test market a new track or to create promotional copies before official release.
Buy-On Tour
A scenario where an artist pays a sum of money to a headlining act to secure a spot as an opening act on their tour.
Music Publisher
A company or individual responsible for ensuring that songwriters and composers receive payment for the use of their music.
Cover Song
A new performance or recording of a previously recorded, commercially released song by someone other than the original artist or composer.
Advance
An upfront payment made to an artist by a record label, against future royalties from album sales, performances, etc.
Music Supervisor
A professional responsible for selecting and licensing music to be used in film, TV, and other visual media.
Venue Capacity
The maximum number of people that a venue can legally and safely accommodate for a concert or event.
Digital Service Provider (DSP)
A company that offers users the legal access and consumption of digital media content, such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Distribution Deal
An agreement between an artist or record label and a distribution company to get music into stores and online platforms.
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