Legal Aspects of the Music Industry: An Insider's View

When my Entertainment Law professor told his partners that he was going to start practicing Entertainment Law they weren't quite sure exactly what it was he was doing. They called it "Voo Doo Law", and honestly, it's not entirely untrue. As in any business, agreements are necessary to hold parties accountable, define rights and responsibilities, and to give all parties terms they can reasonably rely on so that business can move forward. The Music Business is no different, but it has its own peculiar quirks, traditions, and problems. This book takes all kinds of agreements between the many parties required to make a profitable, creative musical endeavor. The Author goes through band incorporation agreements, management contracts, recording and publishing agreements and explains them in ways that will benefit everyone from the aspiring 'band manager' to the experienced attorney looking to get a grasp on a new field of law. Mr. Schulenberg examines every area of music contracts and gives plenty of demonstrations of contract language benefiting the Artist or the parties with whom the Artist is dealing. This book also does an excellent job of addressing copyright and trademark law applicable to the music industry and giving thoughtful examination of how the digital download phenomenon is affecting the business in general.

This is (for the most part), clearly written in a straightforward manner, but you'll waste a lot of time if you don't already have a foundation. Prerequisites: 1. "Everything You Need To Know About The Music Business" (Donald Passman) 2. "Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business" (Richard Stim)

This is a great, in depth book. It's almost impossible to absorb everything without being a lawyer but still, a great primer for anyone interested in the legal side of the music business.

In the beginning there was music as a form of communication. Next it became an art limited by a composers own imagination. Now it is a multi-billion dollar a year industry governed by more legal aspects than one could possibly imagine. Wading through the exceptional amount of contractually paperwork and legal jargon defining the complexity of the music business is Legal Aspects of the Music Industry. From lawyers looking for a simplified explanation for a client, to artists looking to better arm themselves to all the label reps, producers, managers, agents and so on in-between Legal Aspects... leaves no one out and no stone unturned. The wide ranging overview includes contractual explanations for royalty administration, publishing, distribution, master ownership, performance rights, management, booking, production, recording, videos, soundtracks, licensing, copyright and more. The presentation of these contracts and legal explanations is what makes Legal Aspects...so valuable. Their original forms, including all the jargon and legalese is included and then broken down point by point, explaining the finer parts in the text and including full translations of terms and phrases. Alternate provisions are included as well as explanations as to what they entail and how they change the original textual concepts presented. All of this is then enlivened by personal experience and a range of real world examples. Legal Aspects... helps to break down the barriers between the legal, artistic and business worlds in such a way that it works both as a basic educational tool in the way it reads and a valuable reference manual in the way it is laid out. The explanations are clear and concise covering with wit and wisdom a wide array of legal ideas which present themselves on a daily basis in the music industry. It is easy to see after even just glancing through the pages that Legal Aspects... can prove invaluable for anyone even threatening to try and become a part of the business of bringing the art of music to the masses. It is not, however, meant to be a replacement for a qualified attorney who can work with the specifics of situations that are only presented as a boiler plate ideas in the book. Intellectual property and relationship contracts are very complex and dynamic legal ideas and require more than just words on a page in a single book to comprehend even partially. Legal Aspects... works as an excellent starting point to understanding their intricacy. The degree to which Legal Aspects... is written it is easy to follow and provides enough detail to be incredibly informative without bogging down the reader. It allows anyone with legal questions in the music industry to obtain the expert-type advice and beginning legal direction to better prepare them for the obsticals which still lie ahead.

A friend in the entertainment business gave me Legal Aspects of the Music Industry as an early Christmas present when I told him I was thinking of handling my cousin's band. There are other books on the "music industry" but this one gives you a step by step run down of how to avoid being ripped off and how to get things done right...from the start. Schulenberg knows his stuff particularly contracts and rights. Even if you are contemplating a career in the music business, get this book, it's worth every penny!