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No. 01Deal Structure
Also called exclusive deal, exclusive recording contract, exclusive services
You can only record and release music through this label for the duration of the deal.
Watch closely
Exclusivity is standard, but its scope and carve-outs define how restrictive it really is.
An exclusivity clause prevents you from recording for any other label, releasing music independently, or licensing your recordings to third parties without the label's consent during the contract term. It is the defining feature of a traditional recording agreement.
Exclusivity locks your creative output to one company. If the relationship sours (the label loses interest, key staff leave, or the company is sold), you cannot simply walk away and release elsewhere. Every recording you make during the term belongs to the deal.
The same clause is drafted three ways. These are the positions we see, worst first, so you can tell at a glance which one is in front of you.
The drafting language and the negotiation moves for this clause are part of the workspace.
You have read what the clause means and where the risk sits. The rest is the side-by-side of how it reads when it is against you and when it is not, plus the specific moves that get it there.