What are master rights in music?
Master rights are the rights to the master — the finished sound recording of a song that gets streamed, sold and licensed; whoever owns them decides how the recording is used and collects the master royalties it earns. That makes the master the most valuable asset of your career: whoever holds the master holds the income.
What are master royalties?
Master royalties are the money a recording earns whenever it is streamed, downloaded, sold or licensed — paid out via your distributor or label to whoever owns the master. They are separate from publishing royalties, which pay the songwriters for the composition. “Master copyright” is simply the copyright in that recording, shown on the release as the P-line.
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.
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