Below is an outline of the key points in our recording contract. Once we accept your music submission and want to sign you on our Recording Label, we'll send you our recording contract, which expresses (in legalese, unfortunately) these key points.

• Non-exclusive license: you're giving us a license to sell your music, but you can sign agreements with others. This means you can sell your own CDs at concerts, as well as sign with another label.

• You own your rights: we only sign contracts with musicians or their management, and the musician must own the rights to their own music. We do not sign contracts with labels or licensing companies.

• Contract is limited to music you submit: our contract extends only to the music you submit to us. There is no future obligation to send us your music.

• 50/50 gross revenue split on music: our main sources of revenue are our download memberships and licensing. We split the amount we collect 50/50 with you. Note that most record companies split the profits: we split what we receive, no deductions.

• Creative Commons license: Your music will under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. This allows people who pay for your music to get more value out of it than major label music. They can legally copy it many computers and iPod, make noncommercial mix tapes for their friends and remix it for personal use, and more (as long as they don't make money from it).

• No advance: we split revenue with our artists, but we do not provide any advances upon signing.

• No samples or copyrighted cover songs: we cannot release any music that has copyrighted samples in it (please make all your own samples) or is from a copyrighted song someone else has written. Songs in the public domain (i.e.: classical) are fine.

• You own your music: if you've been previously signed, or are currently signed, to another record label, you may not be able to sign with Magnatune. Many recording contracts have exclusivity provisions in them, even if the record label goes under. You should consult a lawyer to see how your current recording contract limits you. Note that after signing with Magnatune, you will still 100% own the copyright to your music: you are simply granting us a non-exclusive license to it.

• Twice yearly payment: we pay your royalties at least twice a year (in early July and early January). If your royalties are less than $100, we hold onto them until they reach at least $100.

• Transparent bookkeeping: as a Magnatune musician, you can view every sale of your music in detail. What they paid, who they are, and what VISA or Paypal charged us are all available to you. We provide reports in HTML, Acrobat PDF, Text and as a spreadsheet download. Your royalty is calculated by taking 50% of the money we collect for your music.

• PR materials: you will supply us with album art, group photographs (high quality, suitable for posters and press kits), and a biography. You give us the right to use your likeness for promotional purposes.