"360 Degree" Deals: The Recording Industry's Recent '180'

It's no secret that the music business has undergone tremendous changes in the last decade, particularly due to file sharing and illegal downloading, which has caused a drastic shift in the record companies' traditional business models.

One of the most significant, resultant legal developments has been the evolution of so-called "360 Degree Deals" which are used now by literally every major company and many of the smaller ones, as well.

In the past, an artist-label recording agreement covered primarily the artist's recordings with occasional additional provisions. Now, because record sale income has decreased, record companies have turned to "ancillary revenue sources." The resulting "360 Degree" contracts now include provisions relating to the artists' activities such as "live" performances, fan clubs, product placements, product endorsements, and musical and non-musical acting in TV, theater, and motion pictures.

In this course, Music Attorney Paul Ungar  familiarizes viewers with “360 Deals,” a brave, new form of music contract so as to prepare you for your representation of either the corporate or talent side of business.

Learning Objectives:

I.    Recognize appropriate application for  “360 deals”

II.   Distinguish between the “360” and the more traditional, focused agreement

III.  Address “360” issues associated with products, rights, advances, funding, royalties, etc.,

IV.  Implement negotiation strategies for maximizing use of available leverage

V.   Draft strong contracts for either side of the “360” deal

VI.  Re-negotiate a contractual obligation that isn’t working for your client