Tips on getting a record deal

Let’s assume that you have completed your promotional package and have finished a really good record, whether it’s a demo tape or a demo CD. Now what are you going to do with it? You should set up meetings with as many managers and attorneys as you can, as well as any contacts or prospective contacts at record labels. You need to hit the ground running to get your product out there. At the very least, you will learn what the labels are looking for. Always remember, you will never know unless you ask.

You can bet that if you get any type of deal, you’ll be working extremely long hours with no end in sight. To give you some idea of what it takes, let’s say you get a major record deal. What will your typical day be like? In some instances, just signing a deal doesn’t mean that you go directly into the studio to record your first album and then hit the tour bus to promote it. Some artists go straight into development and pre-promotion. This means that their day is filled with writing appointments, or poring over thousands of songs to find the right material to record. They work on their music constantly. They make demo after demo, only to have them rejected by their record label. They may even go out across the United States and Europe to make radio appearances before their record is out, so that their songs will get airplay. They have appointments with the different department heads at the label to work on their marketing and promotional plans. They play as many engagements as they can to hone their act, along with lots of long rehearsals between gigs. They have lunch appointments and dinner engagements, attend showcases, make appearances on radio and television, and so on. In short, they are busy as they can possibly be and eighteen-hour days are very common.

One of the most important things I looked for when clients wanted me to pitch them for a major recording or publishing deal was depth of material. No matter how good their songs were, if there was any interest at all, I usually heard, “This is really good, but what else do you have?” If a writer has only a few good songs, he is less likely to get a publishing deal. In many cases, the publisher wants the writer’s prior compositions as part of the publishing deal. The more depth of material the writer has before entering into a publishing deal, the more confidence the publisher will have of the writer’s ability to turn in commercially exploitable material during the term of the publishing contract. If you are looking for an artist deal or your band wants a record deal, you should have two to three albums worth of material either recorded (e.g. music demos) or ready to record. This doesn’t mean a couple of really good songs and 20 mediocre ones. You need at least enough for the record company to choose up to two full CDs of material. Record companies can go through thousands of songs just to find one that is right for a particular artist.

If you are lucky enough to get your first record deal, you will most likely be offered a “one and six” deal. This means you’re guaranteed that the record company will put out one record with you, and then if they want to continue, they have the option to put out six more. If your first record is successful, you will have to top it with new material, which you’ll need to come up with while you’re touring in support of your fi rst record. Depending on the timing and the record company’s needs, your deadline could come pretty quickly. That’s a lot of pressure. If you don’t come through with a really good record, you could fall prey to the sophomore jinx. Your second record will be less than memorable, and you will end up getting dropped like a hot potato. Then you will have to go back to the rank and fi le of all other artists out there without a record deal. If you’re really lucky, you may get signed by another label, but that almost never happens. On the other hand, if you have enough material for two really strong albums right out of the gate, you won’t have to worry about the sophomore jinx, and you will have even more time to come up with your third record. Furthermore, if you have enough really strong material for at least two to three CDs, you may be able to negotiate a “two and six” deal, which guarantees that the label will put out two records for you.