DEAL PHILOSOPHY

Amelia Recordings offers two types of deals: enhanced distribution or full record deals. We have a mission to be artist-friendly and transparent, and therefore we include information about our standard deals here on our website:

1. Enhanced Distribution

Along with our distribution partner Symphonic, we offer enhanced distribution services with a focus on playlist pitching and artist consulting. In an enhanced distribution deal we do not provide recording or marketing budgets, we simply focus on helping with basic release mechanics and playlisting. The Artist continues to control all rights to their music. Our basic terms typically are:

Type of deal: Enhanced distribution 

Territory: World

Royalty: 75/25 in favor of Artist

Retention: 2 years

Amelia core responsibilities: Track uploading, release calendar cadence, playlist pitching, and consulting with Artist to offer support and advice.

Add-on services available: 1) Paid media/digital advertising coordination. 2) TikTok strategy and consulting.

2. Full Record Deals

In a full record deal we help fund and direct the overall recording and release campaign, including providing recording and marketing budgets. We leave master ownership with our artists and we do not tie up future recording rights via Options. Our record deals only affect an artist’s recording rights for an agreed-on term, typically as follows:

Type of deal: Exclusive licensing agreement  

Territory: World

Delivery commitment: 1-3 singles, or 1 EP, or 1 album

Royalty: 50% of net receipts 

Options: None 

Retention: 10 years

Recording and marketing budget: To be mutually agreed

If you are a developing artist and have never done a record deal before, it’s important to understand the major silos of income in the music industry, and how income flow would be affected by a given deal. 

Specifically what income and rights would a record deal with Amelia Recordings affect?

Music streaming and download income from Digital Service Providers aka DSPs (ie Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music), the maker’s share of so-called neighboring rights, and the master side of syncs. A sync (aka synchronization license) refers to uses of an artist’s music in TV, film, and/or advertising. 

What rights and income streams remain with the artist?

Live shows - 100% artist control

Merchandising - 100% artist control

Publishing - 100% artist control 

Personality/likeness rights - 100% artist control

What is an Option and why is it noteworthy that Amelia Recordings doesn’t require Options?

An Option is a contractual right, typically controlled unilaterally by record labels, that obligates artists to record more material in future for the record label – typically between 2 and 4 future albums. Most record labels require artists to sign for future Options, whereas we take the philosophy that the decision to continue working together should be mutual, especially in the case of younger developing artists.