Musilock Blog
Stories and tools for musicians who get paid what they're owed.
Recording Contracts: What You Sign Away and What You Keep
Before you sign with a label, you need to understand masters, advances, recoupment, and cross-collateralization — or you could earn nothing for years.
14 min read·May 16, 2026Co-Publishing Agreements: What You Actually Give Up and Get Back
Before you sign a co-pub deal, understand exactly which 25% of your song you're handing over, how advances get recouped, and how to negotiate your songs back.
14 min read·May 16, 2026Artist Collaboration Agreements: What Every Musician Needs to Know
Before you drop that feature or co-release, here is everything that needs to be in writing — ownership, credit, name rights, and what happens when things go sideways.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Music Management Contracts: What Every Artist Must Know
Before you sign with a manager, understand commissions, sunset clauses, and key-person rights — the terms that follow your career for years.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Master License Agreements: What Every Independent Artist Needs to Know
A music supervisor has 48 hours to clear your track — here is exactly what a master license covers, what it costs, and what happens if you skip it.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Work for Hire in Music: What You Give Up When You Sign
A session fee feels simple — but the work-for-hire doctrine strips rights you may not realize you had, including the right to ever reclaim them.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Producer Deals Explained: Points, Fees, and Who Pays Whom
Before you book the session, know how producer royalties, advances, and the letter of direction actually work — or the hit record could cost you money.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Digital Distribution Deals: What You Sign and What You Keep
Before you hand your catalog to a distributor, you need to understand what you are actually signing — because the fine print decides whether you keep your masters, your money, and your freedom.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Publishing Admin Deals: Keep Your Songs, Get Paid Worldwide
An admin deal lets you keep 100% ownership of your songs while a professional collects royalties everywhere — here is exactly how it works and what to watch.
14 min read·May 16, 2026Split Sheets: What They Are and Why Every Co-Writer Needs One
A nine-year legal battle that cost the equivalent of five million dollars — all because two bandmates never signed a simple ownership agreement.
13 min read·May 16, 2026Exclusive Publishing Deals: What You Actually Sign Away
Before you accept that advance, understand exactly what an exclusive publishing deal costs you — your songs, your time, and your future royalties.
14 min read·May 16, 2026Live Performance Contracts: What Every Musician Needs to Know
From a $250 club night to a festival slot, the gap between getting paid and getting burned comes down to what you put in writing before you plug in.
14 min read·May 16, 2026The $400 Lesson: Why Session Musicians Need Written Gig Contracts
A six-week Andes tour ended with a promoter ghosting four musicians out of $400 each — all because every deal in the chain was verbal.
13 min read·May 14, 2026