The decision tool
Should you sign that record deal?
Labels in your DMs? A deal memo on the table? Answer four questions and get your path — stay independent, hold your leverage, or sign with guardrails that protect you. Honest either way: signing can be the right call, if the contract earns it.
1. Where are you right now?
Why a decision tool and not just advice
“Never sign” is as lazy as “always sign.” The right answer depends on what’s actually on the table, what you want, and what the contract says — which is why this tool branches instead of preaching. Behind every recommendation is the same documented record: the recoupment math, the contract red flags, and the cases of artists who learned these terms the expensive way.
Frequently asked
Should I sign a record deal if my song is going viral?
Not immediately — a viral moment is your maximum leverage, and interest in your DMs costs a label nothing. Get your music distributed independently first, capture the audience you own (email list, claimed artist profiles), ask for any offer in writing, and have a music attorney review it. A real offer survives two weeks of review; pressure to sign fast is itself a red flag.
What's the difference between a record deal and a distribution deal?
In a traditional record deal the label funds your project and owns or controls your master recordings, paying you a royalty after recouping its costs. In a distribution or license deal you keep ownership of your masters and the company distributes your music for a fee, a percentage, or a fixed-term license. Distribution deals are generally the safer way to work with a company while staying independent.
What should be in a record contract before I sign?
The key protections: masters that revert to you (or a license instead of ownership transfer), a written release commitment so you can't be shelved, clearly bounded recoupment with no cross-collateralization, a short term with limited options, audit rights, and — if it's a 360 deal — caps and carve-outs on non-recording income. And independent legal review before signature.
Before any signature: run your streams through the royalty calculator and read the questions to ask out loud.