Indie Record Label Starter Kit - Legal Bundle for New Labels
Indie Record Label Starter Kit - Legal Bundle for New Labels
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Starting a record label without the right legal foundation is how you lose artists, lose masters, and lose money. The Indie Record Label Starter Kit is the first set of agreements a new independent label signs: the artist recording agreement that puts an artist under contract, a producer agreement for the people making the records, a featured artist agreement for guest performances, and an NDA for everyone who hears the music early. Four documents, $65, drafted to industry standard.
Written by Adam Freedman, a music attorney with more than 10 years of experience, admitted in New York. Built for founders who intend to run a label properly rather than upload tracks and call it one.
Which bundle fits you?
The short answer: this kit if you are launching a label and want exactly what you need on day one, the Vault if you expect to be clearing samples and licensing sync as well. The row highlighted below is this page.
| Bundle | What is in it | Buy it when |
|---|---|---|
|
Indie Record Label Starter Kit $65 (this page) |
Recording agreement, producer agreement, featured artist agreement, NDA | You are signing your first artists and need label paper immediately |
|
Producer Agreement Bundle $75 |
All five producer agreement structures, and nothing else | Production deals are the only paper you sign |
|
Complete Music Contract Vault $75 |
Every deal type: producer, featured artist, songwriter, remix, sample clearance, label, sync, and crew | You expect to clear samples and license sync as well as sign artists |
Bought one at a time, the four documents in this kit come to $90. The kit is $65.
What's included
Artist recording agreement
The core label deal. Sold separately as the Artist Recording Agreement.
- Exclusive recording commitment: artist delivers masters exclusively to your label for the contract period
- Option periods: structured album cycles with label options to extend the relationship
- Advance and recoupment: advance structure with clear recoupment mechanics tied to royalty earnings
- Royalty rates: defined percentages for streaming, downloads, physical, and synchronization
- Delivery requirements: minimum recording obligations and album delivery specifications
- Ownership of masters: label retains ownership of all recordings delivered during the term
Producer agreement
Covers the same ground as the standalone Producer Agreement with Advance, Royalty & Publishing. Producer royalties at the independent level typically run 3 to 5% of net master receipts.
- Producer royalties: defined backend percentage for each record produced
- Advance structure: upfront payment recoupable from producer royalties
- Publishing rights: the producer's share of the composition copyright, where applicable
- Credit requirements: production credit in liner notes and digital metadata
Featured artist agreement
The guest performance document. Sold separately as the Featured Artist Agreement with a Royalty & Publishing Split.
- Master license: license to use the featured artist's performance on your release
- Royalty or flat fee structure: backend participation, usually 5 to 20% depending on the guest, or a one-time payment
- Credit and approval rights: how the guest is credited and whether they approve the final record
Non-disclosure agreement
Sold separately as the Non-Disclosure Agreement.
- Protects unreleased music: keeps early-access recipients (managers, promoters, press) from sharing unreleased material
- Business terms confidentiality: keeps deal terms, advance figures, and royalty structures private
- Mutual or one-way options: configurable for an artist, vendor, or investor conversation
Common mistakes this kit helps you avoid
No written agreement with your signed artists: without paper, an artist can walk and keep their masters, and everything you spent developing them goes with them.
Unclear ownership of masters: if the recording agreement does not explicitly assign master ownership to the label, the question is open, and open questions get resolved against whoever drafted the silence.
No recoupment language for producer advances: paying a producer without written recoupment terms means no mechanism to recover it from royalties.
Sharing unreleased music with no NDA: a leak before release kills the rollout and is close to impossible to remedy afterward.
Missing option period structure: without defined options you have no mechanism to keep a breaking artist past their first album.
Who this is for
- New indie label founders signing their first artists and needing professional paper immediately.
- Artist-run labels signing collaborators to an imprint and needing clear ownership structures.
- Music managers launching a label arm for a management roster.
- Production companies releasing through a label structure and needing the matching legal infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
Should I be signing artists to a record deal or offering a distribution deal?
They are different businesses. A distribution deal leaves the artist owning the masters and paying you a fee; a recording agreement moves ownership to the label in exchange for investment and risk. This breakdown of record deal versus distribution deal covers which one fits a new label, and it is worth reading before you send anyone a contract.
Do I need an LLC before using these agreements?
Not to use the templates, but strongly recommended before you sign artists or execute significant deals. Whatever entity you form should be the contracting party. Entity formation is something we handle for music businesses, and a CPA can advise on the tax side.
Are these suitable for major label-style deals?
These are indie-market agreements: professional, industry-standard, and scoped for the independent space. Major label structures such as 360 deals and heavily negotiated controlled composition terms are beyond what a template does.
Do I need both a producer agreement and a featured artist agreement for every release?
Only when both people are involved. A solo release with a hired producer needs the recording agreement and the producer agreement. Add the featured artist agreement when a guest performs.
What if I need all five producer structures rather than one?
Then add the Producer Agreement Bundle, or take the Complete Music Contract Vault, which includes all five plus everything in this kit.
What format are the files delivered in?
Microsoft Word (.docx), editable immediately in Word, Google Docs, or Pages.
What happens after purchase
Instant download: all templates delivered immediately via email and your order confirmation
Editable .docx format: customize every clause for your label's deal terms
Attorney-drafted: built for independent label economics, not retrofitted from major label boilerplate
No subscription required: one-time purchase, use the templates as many times as you need
Have a deal in front of you right now? Bring it to a consult.
Want it handled for you instead? See the flat-fee producer package.
*DISCLAIMER: These templates are provided for informational and general business purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by jurisdiction and individual circumstances differ. Consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation before entering into any legally binding agreement.
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