When The Music Stops: Best Practices For Band Agreements

The American journalist and cultural gadfly Hunter S. Thompson once described the music business as "a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." That's anything but a ringing endorsement, to be certain. As a writer for Rolling Stone, Thompson echoed the sentiments of artists that resented the power of the record companies and distrusted the kingmaker-businessmen ("suits") that accompanied them. Fast forward to 2022 and the landscape has substantially changed. The term "sell out" mostly applies to ticket sales, and artists such as Taylor Swift are cheered for demonstrating savvy business acumen. Today, important matters, including liability shields, insurance, tax-planning, and brand protection, are prioritized by the business-focused artist. At the same time, Page Six and TMZ are littered with stories concerning fights and lawsuits among band members