Music Business Questions and Answers
| Latest Version | 2024/2025 | Already
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What is the role of a music producer?
✔✔ A music producer oversees the recording process, manages the sound, and helps shape the
final version of a song or album.
What is a music copyright?
✔✔ Music copyright is a legal right that protects the original work of a songwriter or composer,
giving them control over how their music is used and distributed.
What is meant by a royalty in the music industry?
✔✔ A royalty is a payment made to a songwriter, artist, or copyright holder when their music is
sold, performed, or played publicly.
What is a record label?
✔✔ A record label is a company that signs artists, funds recordings, markets music, and helps
distribute an artist’s work to the public.
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,What does an A&R (Artist and Repertoire) do?
✔✔ An A&R is responsible for scouting new talent, helping artists develop their sound, and
overseeing the recording process for a record label.
What is a music publisher?
✔✔ A music publisher manages the rights to a songwriter’s music, ensuring that they get paid
when their songs are used in media or performed.
What is synchronization (sync) licensing?
✔✔ Sync licensing is the process of granting permission for music to be used in films, TV
shows, commercials, or video games.
What is meant by distribution in the music business?
✔✔ Distribution is the process of getting music from the artist or record label to the public,
whether through physical sales or digital streaming platforms.
What is streaming in the music industry?
✔✔ Streaming is the method of listening to music online without downloading it, through
platforms like Spotify or Apple Music.
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,What is a manager's role in the music business?
✔✔ A music manager helps guide an artist’s career by handling business decisions, negotiating
deals, and organizing tours and releases.
What is a music agent?
✔✔ A music agent books live performances for artists, such as concerts, tours, and festival
appearances, and negotiates contracts for these events.
What is a performance rights organization (PRO)?
✔✔ A PRO is an organization that collects royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers
when their music is played publicly, such as on the radio or in concerts.
What is an advance in the music industry?
✔✔ An advance is a payment made by a record label or publisher to an artist or songwriter
before their music generates revenue, often recouped from future earnings.
What is a 360 deal in the music business?
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, ✔✔ A 360 deal is a contract where the record label takes a share of all an artist's income streams,
including music sales, tours, merchandise, and sponsorships.
What is meant by 'tour support'?
✔✔ Tour support is financial backing provided by a record label to help cover the costs of an
artist’s tour, such as travel, lodging, and equipment.
What is a recording contract?
✔✔ A recording contract is a legal agreement between an artist and a record label that outlines
the terms of recording, releasing, and promoting music.
What is meant by ‘mechanical royalties’?
✔✔ Mechanical royalties are payments made to songwriters or composers when their music is
reproduced, such as through sales of CDs, downloads, or streams.
What is a sound engineer?
✔✔ A sound engineer is responsible for recording, mixing, and mastering music to ensure it has
the highest quality sound.
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