Music Glossary
Music production, distribution, artist management, and industry business terms
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A
A&R
Artists and Repertoire — the division of a record label responsible for discovering talent and overseeing artistic development.
A&R
Artists and Repertoire, the label division responsible for discovering talent and overseeing releases.
A&R (Artists and Repertoire)
The record label division responsible for discovering talent and overseeing artistic development.
A3E (Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange)
Conference connecting music technology innovators with audio professionals at the intersection of audio and technology.
AI Music Generation
Artificial intelligence systems that compose, produce, or assist in creating music from text prompts or other inputs.
AI Music Tools
Software using artificial intelligence to assist with music creation and production.
ASCAP
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers - a performing rights organization that licenses and collects royalties for public performances.
ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
Performance rights organization collecting royalties when members' music is publicly performed.
Advance
An upfront payment made by a label or publisher to an artist or songwriter, recouped from future earnings before royalties are paid.
Advance
Upfront payment from a label or publisher against future royalties, recouped from earnings before the artist receives additional payments.
Album Cycle
The coordinated release and promotion period around a major project.
Algorithmic Playlist Targeting
Strategic optimization of song metadata and release timing to increase chances of algorithmic playlist inclusion on streaming platforms.
All-In Deal
A recording contract where the artist's royalty must cover producer fees and other costs.
Amazon Music
Amazon's music streaming service available in free, Prime, and Unlimited tiers with Alexa voice integration.
Anghami
The leading music streaming platform in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Apple Music
Apple's subscription music streaming service with 100+ million subscribers and deep integration across Apple devices.
Artist Advance
Upfront payment to an artist recoupable from future royalty earnings.
Artist Branding
Strategic development of an artist visual identity, story, and market positioning.
Artist Development
The comprehensive process of nurturing an artist's creative growth, brand identity, and career trajectory.
Artist Manager
A professional who guides the career development and business affairs of musicians.
Artist Royalty Split
Division of earnings between collaborators on a musical work or recording.
Audio Interface
Hardware connecting microphones and instruments to computers for digital recording and playback.
Audiomack
Free music streaming platform popular in hip-hop and African music communities with no paywall barriers.
B
BMI
Broadcast Music, Inc. - a major performing rights organization that collects and distributes royalties for songwriters and publishers.
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
Performance rights organization collecting and distributing royalties for public performance of music.
Bandcamp
Artist-direct platform where fans purchase music and merchandise with artists receiving 80-85% of sales.
Beatmaker
A producer who specializes in creating instrumental beats and backing tracks for artists.
Beatmaking
The craft of creating instrumental musical compositions, typically using digital audio workstations, samplers, and synthesizers.
Billboard
The authoritative music industry publication tracking charts, news, and business developments since 1894.
Billboard Music Conference
Annual music industry conference covering trends, business strategies, and networking hosted by Billboard.
Blanket License
A license granting permission to use any song in a PRO's catalog for a set period.
Booking Agent
A licensed professional who secures live performance opportunities for artists.
Boomplay
Africa's largest music streaming platform with 80+ million users across the continent.
Brand Partnership Integration
Strategic collaboration between artists and brands that authentically integrates commercial messaging with artistic content and fan experiences.
Breakage
Contract deductions originally for damaged records, now often applied to digital sales.
Bus Processing
Audio processing technique that applies effects to grouped channels simultaneously, creating cohesive sound character across multiple elements.
Buyout Fee
A flat payment structure for live performances that replaces percentage-based revenue sharing, providing guaranteed compensation regardless of ticket sales.
Buyout Negotiation Structure
Strategic approach to negotiating contract termination or rights acquisition deals that balance immediate payment with long-term value considerations.
C
Career Arc Planning
Long-term strategic planning that maps an artist's career progression across multiple phases, from development to legacy monetization.
Catalog
The complete collection of recorded works owned or controlled by an artist, label, or publisher.
Catalog Acquisition
Purchasing the ownership rights to an artist's or publisher's existing music catalog as an investment asset.
Catalog Reversion Rights
Contractual provision allowing artists or songwriters to reclaim ownership of their music catalog after specified time periods or conditions are met.
Catalog Value
The financial worth of a songwriter's or artist's body of work, increasingly important as music rights become an investment asset class.
Catalogue
The complete collection of musical works or recordings owned or controlled by an artist, songwriter, label, or publisher.
Clearance
The legal process of obtaining permission to use copyrighted material like samples or compositions.
Co-Publishing
A publishing deal where the songwriter and publisher share ownership of the copyright.
Coachella
Iconic annual music festival in California's Coachella Valley, known for trendsetting lineups and cultural influence.
Collaborator Split
The agreed percentage of royalties each contributor receives from a song.
Collection Society
An organization that collects and distributes royalties to rights holders when their music is performed or reproduced.
Commission Structure
The percentage and terms defining how a manager's payment is calculated from artist income.
Compressor
Audio processing device that reduces dynamic range by automatically lowering volume levels above a set threshold, creating more consistent audio levels.
Controlled Composition
A song written or co-written by the artist under contract with a record label.
Cross-Collateralization
Contractual arrangement where losses from one revenue stream offset profits from another, affecting how artists recoup advances across multiple income sources.
Cross-Platform Content Strategy
Coordinated approach to creating and distributing varied content across multiple digital platforms to maximize audience reach and engagement.
Cue Sheet
A document listing all music used in a film, TV show, or video production for royalty tracking.
D
DSP
Digital Service Provider—streaming platforms and download stores that deliver music to consumers.
Day Rate
A flat fee paid to musicians, crew, or producers for a single day of work.
Deezer
French-origin global music streaming platform with strong presence in Europe, Latin America, and emerging markets.
Demo
A rough recording of a song used to showcase material to labels, publishers, or collaborators.
Demo Deal
Agreement where a label funds recording demos before a full record deal.
Digital Aggregator
A service that distributes music from independent artists to streaming platforms.
Digital Service Provider Fee
Commission percentage taken by streaming platforms and digital retailers from gross revenue before distributing payments to rights holders.
Direct-to-Fan
Sales and engagement channels controlled by artists rather than intermediaries.
Direct-to-Fan Platform
Services enabling artists to sell music, merchandise, and experiences directly to fans without intermediaries.
Distribution Deal
An agreement between an artist or label and a distributor to deliver music to streaming platforms.
Distribution Waterfall
The sequential order in which streaming and sales revenues are distributed among various stakeholders including platforms, distributors, labels, and artists.
Dolby Atmos Music
An immersive, spatial audio format that places sounds in a three-dimensional space around the listener for a more enveloping experience.
Drop
The climactic moment in a song where the main beat, bass, or hook hits after a buildup, creating maximum energy and impact.
Drop
The release of new music, often with strategic timing and promotion.
Dynamic Range Control
Production technique managing the difference between loud and quiet portions of music to optimize impact while maintaining musical dynamics.
E
F
FOH (Front of House)
The audio mixing position typically located in the audience area where the sound engineer controls what everyone hears.
Fan Data Platform
Tools that help artists collect, analyze, and activate fan data directly.
Fan Funding
Direct financial support from fans for music creation and artist activities.
Fan Monetization
Converting fan engagement into revenue through direct purchases, subscriptions, experiences, and community access.
Fan Token
Digital assets that give holders voting rights, access, or perks tied to an artist, team, or entertainment property.
Feature
A guest appearance by another artist on a track, credited as "featuring" in the song title.
Festival Production Scaling
Process of adapting touring productions to festival constraints while maintaining artistic impact within shared infrastructure and time limitations.
Four Walls
A venue rental arrangement where the artist pays for the space and keeps all revenue.
Front of House
Audio mixing position and equipment located in the audience area, responsible for controlling the sound that audiences hear during live performances.
Frontline Release
A new release receiving active marketing and promotion from a label.
G
Gaana
Major Indian music streaming service owned by Times Internet with extensive Bollywood and regional content.
Ghost Producer
A producer who creates music that is credited to and released under another artist's name.
Grammy Awards
Annual awards ceremony honoring achievements in the music industry, presented by the Recording Academy.
Guarantee vs Door
Payment structures for live performances—fixed fee versus percentage of ticket sales.
H
I
ISRC (International Standard Recording Code)
A unique 12-character code that identifies individual sound recordings.
In-Ear Monitor (IEM)
Custom earpieces that allow performers to hear themselves and their band during live shows.
Input List
A detailed document listing every audio source requiring a microphone or direct input during a performance.
Interpolation
Recreating a portion of an existing song rather than using the original recording.
J
K
Key Man Clause
Contract provision that allows artists to terminate agreements if specific essential personnel leave the management company, label, or agency.
Key Person Clause
A contract provision allowing an artist to exit if a specific manager or executive leaves the company.
L
Label Services
A la carte record label functions offered to independent artists who retain ownership of their music.
Listening Party
An exclusive event where fans and industry gather to hear new music before public release.
Load-In/Load-Out
The process of moving equipment into and out of a venue before and after a live performance, including setup and breakdown time requirements.
Load-in Schedule Optimization
Strategic planning of equipment setup timing and crew coordination to maximize efficiency and minimize venue rental costs during load-in periods.
Lock Out
Exclusive studio booking that blocks all other clients for a period of time.
M
MIDEM
International music industry conference and market connecting labels, publishers, and music professionals globally.
Master Recording
The original, final recording of a song from which all copies are made.
Mastering
The final step of audio post-production that prepares a recording for distribution.
Mechanical Royalty
Payment to songwriters and publishers when their composition is reproduced on physical media or as a digital download.
Merch
Branded merchandise sold by artists as a revenue stream and fan engagement tool.
Metadata
Digital information tags attached to music files containing credits, rights, and identification data essential for streaming and royalty distribution.
Mix
The process of blending individual recorded tracks into a cohesive stereo or surround sound recording.
Mixing
The process of combining multiple audio tracks into a final stereo or multichannel sound.
Mixing Console
Audio equipment used to combine, balance, and process multiple audio signals during recording or performance.
Monitor Engineer
Audio specialist responsible for creating custom monitor mixes for each performer, ensuring they can hear themselves and other musicians clearly on stage.
Monitor Mix
The customized audio blend each performer hears on stage to stay in time and tune during live performance.
Music Bed
Background instrumental music designed to support vocals, dialogue, or visual content.
Music Brief
Specification document describing music needed for a sync opportunity.
Music Business Association
Trade organization advancing music commerce through networking, education, and industry collaboration.
Music Catalog
The complete collection of musical compositions and recordings owned or controlled by an artist, publisher, or label.
Music Copyright
Legal rights protecting original musical works and recordings from unauthorized use.
Music Distributor
A company that delivers music to streaming platforms and digital stores.
Music Library
Catalog of pre-cleared music available for licensing in productions.
Music Licensing
Legal authorization to use copyrighted music in various contexts.
Music Licensing Collective
Organization that collects and distributes royalties on behalf of rights holders.
Music Manager
A professional who guides and oversees an artist's career development and business affairs.
Music Marketing Campaign
Coordinated promotional activities supporting a music release or tour.
Music Metadata
The descriptive information attached to music files including credits, rights ownership, and catalog identifiers.
Music Metadata Standards
Standardized formats for encoding song information that enables proper royalty tracking.
Music NFT
Blockchain-based digital ownership of music-related assets and experiences.
Music Promotion
Marketing activities to increase awareness and consumption of musical releases.
Music Publishing
The business of acquiring, protecting, and monetizing rights to musical compositions.
Music Royalty
Payments made to rights holders when music is used, including mechanical, performance, and sync royalties.
Music Streaming Analytics
Data and metrics tracking music performance across streaming platforms.
Music Supervision
Selecting and licensing music for film, TV, commercials, and other visual media.
Music Supervisor
Professional who selects and licenses music for film, TV, games, and advertising.
Music Sync Agent
Representative who secures placement of music in film, TV, advertising, and games.
Music Video
Visual content created to accompany and promote musical recordings.
N
NAMM Show
Annual music products trade show where musical instrument and technology manufacturers showcase new gear.
NFT (Music)
Blockchain-based digital collectibles that can represent unique or limited music assets.
Neighboring Rights
Performance royalties paid to recording artists and record labels when their recordings are played publicly, separate from songwriter performance royalties.
O
P
PRO (Performance Rights Organization)
Organizations that collect and distribute performance royalties to songwriters and publishers.
Pandora
Internet radio pioneer offering personalized stations based on the Music Genome Project algorithm.
Parallel Processing
Mixing technique that blends a dry signal with a heavily processed version of the same signal to maintain natural character while adding impact.
Performance Royalty
Payment to songwriters and publishers when their composition is publicly performed or broadcast.
Phantom Power
Electrical power supplied through microphone cables to operate condenser microphones and active DI boxes during recording and live performance.
Platform Exclusivity Window
Limited-time period where new releases are available exclusively on one streaming platform before wider distribution.
Playlist Curator
Individual or algorithm responsible for selecting and organizing music for streaming platform playlists, significantly influencing artist exposure and streaming numbers.
Playlist Pitching
Process of submitting music to streaming platform curators for playlist consideration and promotion.
Playlist Placement
Getting songs added to curated playlists on streaming platforms.
Pre-Save Campaign
A marketing initiative that lets fans save unreleased music to their streaming libraries.
Production Rider
Technical specifications document outlining all audio, lighting, and stage production requirements for an artist's live performance.
Publishing Administration Deal
Agreement where a company handles copyright administration, royalty collection, and licensing for songwriters while they retain ownership of their compositions.
Publishing Rights
The legal rights to a musical composition, as distinct from the recording.
Publishing Split
The agreed-upon percentage division of songwriting copyright ownership and royalties among all contributors to a musical composition.
Publishing Split Memorandum
Legal document detailing ownership percentages among songwriters and publishers for a composition.
Q
R
RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America - trade organization representing US record labels and distributors.
Record Deal
A contractual agreement between an artist and record label defining terms for recording, releasing, and profiting from music.
Record Label
A company that produces, markets, and distributes recorded music and manages artist careers.
Recording Academy
Organization of music professionals that produces the Grammy Awards and advocates for music creators.
Recoupment
The process of recovering advances and costs from an artist's royalties before paying additional income.
Regional Distribution Strategy
Targeted release approach that customizes distribution timing, platforms, and marketing for specific geographic markets and cultural preferences.
Release Radar
Personalized Spotify playlist featuring new music from artists a user follows.
Release Strategy
Coordinated plan for timing and sequencing music releases for maximum impact.
Revenue Share Agreement
Contract structure where parties split income from music projects based on predetermined percentages rather than fixed fees.
Rider
A list of requirements that must be provided for an artist at a performance.
Rights Clearance Pipeline
Systematic process for identifying, securing, and managing all necessary legal permissions for music use in various commercial applications.
Rolling Stone
Iconic music and culture magazine covering artists, albums, and the intersection of music with society since 1967.
Royalties
Payments made to rights holders for the use of their intellectual property, particularly musical works.
Royalty Statement
Periodic accounting document detailing music earnings and deductions.
S
SESAC
Performing rights organization representing songwriters and publishers with a selective, invitation-based membership model.
SXSW
South by Southwest - annual convergence of film, music, and interactive festivals in Austin, Texas each March.
Sample Clearance
Legal process of obtaining permission and negotiating payment terms to use portions of existing recordings in new musical works.
Sample Library
Collection of pre-recorded sounds and loops licensed for use in music production.
Sampling
The practice of incorporating portions of existing recordings into new music.
Session File
Digital project files containing all audio tracks, edits, effects, and mixing settings for a recording, preserving the complete production for future access.
Session Musician
A professional musician hired to perform on recordings or live performances without being a permanent member of the band or artist's group.
Sidechain
Audio processing technique where one signal controls effects applied to another signal, commonly used for pumping effects and frequency management.
Social Audio
Short-form music content created for social media platforms.
Sony Music Entertainment
Major record label conglomerate including Columbia Records, RCA Records, Epic Records, and Sony Music Nashville.
SoundCloud
User-upload audio platform where independent artists share music directly with fans and industry discovers emerging talent.
Soundcheck
Pre-show technical rehearsal where performers and engineers test and adjust sound equipment and levels.
Split Agreement
Contract defining how royalties and ownership are divided among collaborators.
Split Sheet
Document detailing ownership percentages and songwriting credits for a musical composition.
Splits
The agreed-upon division of songwriting credits and royalties among collaborators.
Spotify
The world's largest music streaming platform with over 600 million users and 230+ million premium subscribers.
Stem
A grouped audio track containing multiple individual elements, used for mixing, mastering, and licensing purposes.
Stem
An individual audio track or group of tracks isolated from a full mix, used for remixing, mastering, sync licensing, or live performance.
Stem Distribution
Releasing individual component tracks of a song separately, enabling remixing, sync licensing, and fan creativity.
Stem Master
A final mixed version of a song separated into component groups like drums, bass, vocals, and instruments for flexible use.
Stem Mastering
A mastering approach where the final mix is divided into groups (stems) of related instruments, allowing the mastering engineer more control than traditional stereo mastering.
Stems
Individual audio tracks or grouped elements of a song that can be mixed independently for remixes, licensing, or live performance.
Streaming Fraud
Artificial inflation of streaming numbers through bot farms, fake accounts, or manipulation schemes to increase royalties.
Streaming Manipulation
Artificial inflation of streaming numbers through fraudulent or deceptive practices.
Streaming Royalties
Payments artists receive when their music is played on streaming platforms.
Studio Time
Hours booked at a professional recording facility for music creation and production.
Sunset Clause
A provision that reduces or eliminates a manager's commission on deals after their contract ends.
Superfan
A highly engaged fan willing to spend significantly on merchandise, experiences, and exclusive content beyond typical consumption.
Superfan Monetization
Strategies for generating revenue from an artist most dedicated supporters.
Sync Fee
One-time payment for the right to synchronize music with visual media.
Sync License
Permission to use music synchronized with visual media like film, TV, or ads.
Sync Licensing
Permission to use music synchronized with visual media like film, TV, or advertisements.
Sync Pitch
Targeted submission of music to supervisors for specific media projects, including customized presentations highlighting relevant tracks for placement opportunities.
Sync Placement
Licensing music for use in film, TV, ads, or games.
T
Territorial Rights
Geographic boundaries defining where music rights apply and who controls them.
Tidal
Artist-owned high-fidelity streaming service known for lossless audio quality and exclusive content.
Tour Accounting
Financial management and reporting for live performance touring activities.
Tour Advance Recoupment
Process of repaying upfront tour funding through live performance revenues before artists receive additional tour profits.
Tour Rider
Contract addendum specifying technical, hospitality, and security requirements for live performances.
Tour Routing
Strategic planning of tour dates and locations to maximize revenue while minimizing travel costs and logistical complications across multiple markets.
Tour Settlement
Post-show accounting reconciling actual expenses against guaranteed fees.
Tour Support
Financial assistance provided by record labels to offset touring losses during artist development, typically recoupable against future royalty earnings.
Trailer Music
Music composed specifically for use in film and game promotional trailers.
U
Universal Music Group
The world's largest music company, home to labels including Interscope, Republic, Capitol, Def Jam, and Island Records.
User-Generated Content
In music context, fan-created videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram that use licensed music, generating royalties through new licensing frameworks.
V
Vevo
Music video hosting platform powering official artist channels on YouTube and connected TV.
Virtual Concert
Live performances delivered to remote audiences through digital platforms.
Virtual Concert Platform
Technology platforms that enable artists to perform live for remote audiences through streaming, VR, or interactive digital environments.
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