What are master rights?
The master is the concrete sound recording of your song — the finished audio file that gets streamed, sold and licensed. Master rights determine who decides about this recording and who earns from it. They are the most valuable asset of your career: whoever holds the master holds the income.
Master vs. composition — the most important split in music rights
Every song has two rights layers: the recording (master) and the work behind it (composition — melody, lyrics). A cover uses the same composition with a new master; a sample uses someone else’s master. Streaming pays both layers separately: master royalties via your distributor, composition royalties via collecting societies and publishers — see mechanical royalties.
Why ownership makes the difference
In the classic record deal the artist assigns the masters to the label — often for decades. Every streaming payout, every sync license, every use then runs through the label and its share. Keep the masters and you decide: which distributor, which license, which price. At OGRECORDS™, 100% of master rights stay with you — the agreement is non-exclusive and cancellable any time.
Frequently asked questions
Does a distribution deal give up master rights?
With a serious distribution deal, no: the distributor gets a non-exclusive delivery license, the rights stay with you. At OGRECORDS™ you keep 100% of your masters — unlike the classic record deal.
What does “selling your masters” mean?
Transferring the catalog (the recordings and their income) to an investor or label — for a one-time payment. That can be worth it, but it is irreversible: afterwards, streaming income and licensing decisions belong to the buyer.
Enough theory — get going.
You now know what happens between upload and stream. The release wizard handles the rest.
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