Key Music Industry Terms: 5 Every Artist Should Know (Pt. 1)

Industry-specific language and specialist terminology is commonplace within particular fields and can include technical terms, acronyms and other forms of jargon that is unique to that industry.

The music industry is no different, it has a language of its own and whether you’re an industry veteran or a newbie, an artist or an executive, the CEO or the intern, it is important to have some basic understanding of industry terms that are commonly used in day-to-day business.

To help you get started on that journey of discovery and lifelong learning, here are 5 key music industry terms that every artist should know or be aware of:

#1 - Advance

This is essentially an upfront/pre-payment given to an artist or other musical/creative contributor – usually by a record label, publisher, distributor or other music company involved in signing musical talent to record music for them or to commission the services of a producer etc to create music.

These are usually recoupable, meaning the artist won’t receive any more money (in the form of royalties) from the label or publisher until they’ve earned enough income from their music to cover the original advance amount + any additionally incurred costs.

#2 - A&R

Perhaps one of the more commonly heard terms but also one of the most misunderstood. It stands for Artists and Repertoire – the artists and their musical repertoire – and is the department in a record label or publisher tasked with the responsibility of discovering and developing new talent.

"It stands for 'Artists and Repertoire' - the artists and their musical repertoire..."

The most notable A&R role people generally understand is that of the Scout, however, A&R actually has 3 strands to it:

the Scout: as mentioned, tasked with discovering new talent to sign to a record label or publisher.
the Project Manager: the main executive responsible for guiding an artist through their career and working with them throughout the recording process.
the Administrator: responsible for the pieces in between such as budgets, audio deliverables, studio bookings, metadata/label copy and other administrative functions.

#3 - Copyright

This is a type of intellectual property that gives the creator of an original work (or another right holder) the exclusive right to copy, distribute, display and perform a creative work.

Whilst copyright exists essentially from the moment someone creates a work, the right can be assigned to a 3rd party such as a record label in order for them to maximise all commercial opportunities for that work for a specified and limited period of time, although this can also be in perpetuity (forever) in some cases.

#4 - EP / LP

EP: Is an abbreviation of “extended play’, it is basically a ‘mini-album’ that is shorter than a full-length, but longer than a single. EP’s are usually made up of around 4 to 6 songs and can be up to 30 minutes long.

LP: Is an abbreviation of “long play” (i.e.: a full-length album). It usually contains more than 6 songs or is over 30 minutes long.

#5 - Single

An audio recording released commercially by an artist or other rights holder. It is usually one of the strongest songs from a larger body of work and used for promotion in advance of a larger project, or as a standalone recording.

Whilst a single release is usually between 2 and 3 minutes long and comprised of 1 track, a single release can actually contain up to 3 tracks but should normally have an overall running time of less than 10 minutes.

Summary

As is the case with pretty much all industries ranging from Film & TV, to Agriculture, to Construction and more, in order to function confidently and have a chance at success, it’s a good idea to equip yourself with some basic knowledge of the terminology used by people within that industry.

Whilst it is of course important for executives on the business side of music to understand these terms and more, contrary to popular belief, it is also essential for artists (including producers, musicians and other creative talents) to be aware of at least some of these terms.

This information will help you to make better and more informed choices that can have a massive impact on the trajectory of your career – even if you have an amazingly trustworthy management team to take care of things, be sure to stay up-to-date on industry changes and developments so you can stay at the forefront and be ahead of the game.

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