Dear Record Label: What's a 360 Deal?

In a band? Have no idea how to go about getting a label to take you seriously? We've got the answers you're looking for.

In our new series, "Dear Record Label," we went to Roadrunner Records -- home of Slipknot, Rob Zombie, Opeth, Megadeth, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Trivium and more -- and asked them the tough questions that young bands should know the answers to. Each week, we'll be bringing you advice from members of the Roadrunner staff to try and get you on track to get noticed.

This week, the advice comes from Roadrunner Records Senior Director of New Business Development, Dan Goldberg.

I’ve heard of something called a “360 deal”, but I’m not totally up to speed on what exactly comprises one. What should I know about them, and are they now an industry standard?

Dan Goldberg, Senior Director of New Business Development: An extended rights, or 360, deal is a business relationship between an Artist and Recording company whereby the Recording Company is involved in every facet of the Artists business. Traditionally, most record companies only acquired rights to an artist’s sound recordings. Under an extended rights deal, the record company now also participates in an artist’s merchandising, ticketing, touring, endorsements, publishing, sponsorships, name & likeness and other revenue streams. By doing so the record company becomes more fully aligned with their artists’ interests and more invested in their long term career growth.

Want to get noticed by a record label? Be sure to check out Roadrunner's Sign Me To website, which allows unsigned bands to display their music, move up charts based on fan ratings, get reviewed by Roadrunner staff and maybe even get signed!