Contracts and rights strategy for artists, songwriters, producers, and music businesses
U2U Law advises musicians, songwriters, producers, labels, publishers, managers, creators, and music companies on agreements, ownership, licensing, royalties, brand rights, digital uses, and disputes.
California music counsel for songs, recordings, performances, and revenue
A song and a particular sound recording are separate copyright-protected works that may have different authors, owners, administrators, licenses, and revenue streams. Music deals also involve name and brand rights, services, recoupment, accounting, credits, samples, approvals, platform distribution, neighboring rights, and increasingly voice and digital-replica provisions. U2U Law helps clients identify which rights and documents control.
Music-law services
Artist, producer, and recording agreements
Services, exclusivity, options, recording commitments, delivery, advances, budgets, recoupment, royalties, ownership, release commitments, and termination.
Songwriter and collaboration agreements
Split sheets, joint ownership, administration, approvals, expenses, registrations, credits, samples, withdrawals, and dispute procedures.
Publishing and administration
Publishing, co-publishing, administration, collection, term, territory, rights granted, advances, accounting, audit, reversion, and catalog controls.
Licensing and clearances
Synchronization, master use, mechanical, performance, samples, interpolations, beats, remixes, podcasts, audiovisual uses, and brand campaigns.
Distribution and platform agreements
Delivery, metadata, territories, takedowns, fees, reserves, statements, royalties, exclusivity, marketing, content policies, and termination.
Catalog, royalty, and ownership disputes
Authorship, splits, producer points, unpaid royalties, accounting, infringement, sampling, licensing, management, and catalog-sale conflicts.
Issues that should be addressed before signing or releasing content
- Whether the musical composition, lyrics, and sound recording have the same or different authors and owners.
- Whether every collaborator agreed to accurate splits, credits, approvals, registration responsibility, and administration rights.
- Who owns masters, session files, stems, artwork, videos, social assets, trademarks, stage names, and project accounts.
- How advances, recording costs, producer fees, points, royalties, reserves, deductions, recoupment, statements, and audit rights are calculated.
- Whether a beat, sample, interpolation, loop, remix, cover, or other preexisting material requires clearance or a specific statutory license.
- Which party may grant synchronization, master-use, mechanical, performance, merchandising, sponsorship, and promotional permissions.
- Whether a manager, agent, label, publisher, administrator, distributor, or collection entity has exclusive or conflicting authority.
- How voice models, training data, digital replicas, synthetic performances, and AI-assisted music may be created, authorized, credited, and monetized.
How U2U Law approaches the matter
- Inventory compositions, recordings, contributors, agreements, registrations, identifiers, splits, accounts, licenses, and existing revenue sources.
- Separate composition rights from master rights and identify who can approve, register, administer, license, transfer, or enforce each asset.
- Review economic definitions and accounting mechanics, not only headline percentages or advance amounts.
- Draft or negotiate agreements with clear ownership, scope, credits, approval, delivery, audit, termination, and digital-replica protections.
- Organize executed documents and follow-up filings so collaborators, platforms, licensees, and transaction counterparties receive consistent ownership information.
Connected entertainment, business, and IP services
Entertainment lawEntertainment contractsFilm & televisionMusic lawCreators & influencersPublicity & digital replicasMinor performersEntertainment disputesBusiness & IP counsel
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a song and a sound recording?
The musical composition includes music and any lyrics. A sound recording is the recorded performance or production of sounds. They are separate works and may be owned, licensed, registered, and paid separately.
Do collaborators need a split sheet?
A signed split record can reduce later disputes over authorship, ownership, percentages, credits, and registration. It should be consistent with any producer, featured-artist, publishing, administration, or label agreements.
What rights are needed to place an existing song in a film or advertisement?
A user commonly needs permission for the composition and, when using a particular recording, permission for that master. The specific licenses, approvals, fees, media, territory, and term depend on the proposed use.
Can a producer or artist audit royalty statements?
Audit rights depend on the agreement. The contract should address access, timing, records, professional requirements, costs, underpayment thresholds, confidentiality, and the period after which statements become final.
Official legal resources
- U.S. Copyright Office: What Musicians Should Know
- U.S. Copyright Office: Performing Arts Registration
- U.S. Copyright Office: Musical Compositions and Sound Recordings
- U.S. Copyright Office: Group Registration for Works on an Album
This page provides general information, not legal advice. Outcomes and available remedies depend on the agreement, facts, parties, forum, and applicable law. Prior matters do not predict future results.
Discuss your California entertainment matter
Call (424) 600-7167 or send U2U Law a confidential consultation request.
