Gold — A closer release partnership
For artists who want help shaping how a release is positioned, presented and developed.
Recording partnership terms
These are default recording-partnership terms, not subscriptions or store commissions. Signed agreement terms take precedence. Publishing, live income, merchandise and unrelated income remain separate. Accepted standard releases have no upfront base distribution fee; additional expenses require explicit agreement.
Public percentage disclosure
Default commercial allocations are approved internally. Public percentage disclosure remains pending legal/accounting review. A partnership preference is not acceptance or an agreement.
Build the release together
Gold adds a defined release plan to the Silver base: positioning, timing, lead times, sequencing, release narrative, biography review, profile readiness, an asset checklist and a post-release review. The agreed plan identifies deliverables and responsibilities rather than promising an unlimited service.
Preparation with purpose
The marketing scope can include an audience assessment, organic campaign plan, announcement copy, content guidance, link strategy and pitch preparation. Legitimate DSP pitching is available only where the project and mechanism are eligible. Label-owned channel consideration does not guarantee publication or placement; paid media and external PR are separately agreed.
A home beyond the release
Gold artists are eligible for a scoped standalone website covering biography, discography, listening links and contact or press information, with responsive and accessible presentation. Eligibility is not unlimited custom development. Domain ownership, funding, renewal, hosting, maintenance and handover are agreed before work begins.
Understand what comes next
Priority coordination and a review of available release performance help inform the next step. We interpret only data we actually receive; geographic, playlist or audience information is not promised where unavailable. Studio analytics remain dependent on an operational backend.
What we agree before work begins
Each accepted project receives a written service schedule. It identifies the deliverable, owner, artist inputs, approval, target date, revision limit, expense treatment and completion evidence. A target date is not confirmed until both sides agree it. Scope changes need written approval; no tier includes unlimited support or development.
Silver foundations plus a release plan
An agreed release brief, asset checklist, responsibilities and campaign calendar.
A versioned plan with named owners, agreed milestones and a post-release review of available data.
The schedule and number of reviews are agreed per project. Paid advertising and external PR require a separate budget.
Presentation and website eligibility
Approved positioning and organic campaign guidance; an eligible website receives a separate scope before work starts.
Approved copy and asset records; website acceptance checklist and handover if a website is commissioned.
Website eligibility is not an automatic build. Pages, revisions, hosting, domains, maintenance and renewal costs must be agreed.
Included
Part of the accepted scope; delivery still requires the agreed artist inputs and approvals.
Eligible
May be offered after review of project fit, available services and capacity; not an automatic entitlement.
Priority
Higher coordination priority within an agreed schedule, not immediate access or a guaranteed response time.
Project-specific
Requires its own brief, budget, approvals and written allocation of costs.
Optional
An additional service that the artist may decline without changing an existing agreement.
Not included
Outside the base scope. Any separate engagement must be expressly agreed.
Upfront base distribution fee
None for accepted standard releases
Accepted standard releases do not carry an upfront base distribution fee. You supply finished, release-ready masters, artwork, metadata, credits and the necessary rights and clearances. Sending music for review does not itself create an agreement or acceptance.
This does not mean every service or external expense is free. Additional production, advertising, artwork, websites or other services require an agreed scope and a clear decision about whether costs are included, artist-paid or recoupable. Those decisions belong in the project agreement before costs are incurred.
Master ownership stays with the artist
Limited licence agreed separately
The partnership model leaves ownership of your master recordings with you. The label's permission to administer or distribute a recording comes from a separately agreed licence, not from uploading a file or choosing a tier.
The agreement must define the recordings covered, permitted uses, term, territory, responsibilities and financial allocation. Publishing, songwriting, merchandise, live income and unrelated recordings are not automatically included. Review the licence and departure arrangements before accepting an agreement.
Paid advertising and external PR
Project-specific approval and budget
Media spending and third-party public-relations services are separate from general release guidance. No advertising budget, press campaign or external agency retainer is automatically committed by selecting a partnership.
Any proposed campaign needs a project-specific brief, budget, approval and allocation of costs. The agreement should identify who commissions the work, who pays and whether an approved expense is recoupable. Press coverage, advertising performance and audience growth are not guaranteed.
Custom domains and renewals
Separate ownership and funding agreement
A custom domain has registration, renewal and administration responsibilities separate from designing a website. A partnership does not automatically fund or transfer a domain.
Before a domain is commissioned, agree its registrant, account access, renewal funding and handover arrangements. Hosting, maintenance and external subscriptions also need a defined owner and budget. Record these decisions so your public identity can continue if the service relationship changes.
Publishing administration
Separate rights and terms required
The recording partnership does not automatically administer your compositions or publishing rights. A master recording and the underlying musical work can involve different owners, contributors, registrations and income streams.
Any publishing-administration service requires a separate, expressly agreed mandate and financial terms. Do not assume that recording distribution includes songwriter registration, publishing collection or representation of every contributor. Existing publishing commitments and permissions must be reviewed before a separate service is agreed.
Guaranteed streams or placements
Never guaranteed
No tier guarantees streams, editorial playlists, press coverage, chart positions or income. Streaming services, editors and listeners make independent decisions, and campaign outcomes depend on factors outside the label's control.
Release planning and eligible pitching are services, not promises of selection. An agreed campaign must be described through its actual work, responsibilities and approved costs rather than a guaranteed audience result. A higher tier does not change this limitation.
Base release administration
Included
Base administration provides the agreed operational framework around an accepted release, using the assets and information you supply. It is distinct from creating or finishing the recording itself.
The release scope should identify required materials, responsibilities and approval steps. Missing rights, incomplete credits or non-compliant assets may need correction before the release can move forward. Choosing a tier does not create an automatic delivery commitment or a guaranteed release date.
Metadata and technical checks
Included
Checks help review release information and supplied assets against the agreed release requirements. Titles, artist attribution, contributor credits, identifiers and technical asset requirements need to be accurate before delivery.
You remain responsible for truthful information and the rights and permissions behind your work. A technical check is not a legal clearance, a replacement for mastering or proof that a recording was made without AI. Corrections and unresolved questions should be settled before delivery.
Artist and release catalogue pages
Included after approval
Approved artists and releases may receive public catalogue pages within the label's presentation system. Published names, artwork, biographies, credits and listening links require suitable assets and approval.
A catalogue page is not a standalone artist website and is not created automatically by opening a Studio account. The information shown, publication timing and any later changes depend on the accepted release and approved material. Search engines control their own indexing and ranking.
Release strategy
Defined release plan
Release strategy defines how the agreed work is prepared and presented. Silver centres on a release checklist, Gold on a defined release plan, and Platinum on a label-led project plan within the agreed scope.
The plan should identify priorities, dependencies, required assets and decisions before a release date is confirmed. Greater label involvement does not guarantee distribution acceptance, a particular audience response or a fixed campaign result. Paid production and external expenses still require approval.
Marketing
Planning and pitch preparation
Marketing involvement increases with the agreed partnership: basic release guidance in Silver, planning and pitch preparation in Gold, and custom strategy and coordination in Platinum. The actual work must be defined around the project.
Guidance and coordination do not automatically include advertising spend, third-party PR, production services or guaranteed placements. Campaign materials, responsibilities, budgets and approvals should be established before work starts. Audience or financial results are not promised.
DSP pitching
Where eligible and available
Pitch preparation and submission are considered only where a release is eligible and the relevant service or delivery route makes the opportunity available. Gold includes this consideration; Platinum gives it priority within the agreed project scope.
Eligibility, lead times, assets and platform rules can limit what is possible. Editors and platforms make their own decisions. Pitching must never be read as a guaranteed playlist, editorial feature, number of streams or placement date.
Standalone website
Eligible, subject to scope
A dedicated artist website is separate from a label catalogue page. Silver treats website work as a separately agreed service, Gold considers eligible projects subject to scope, and Platinum gives eligible website work priority.
Before commissioning, define the pages, content, design, maintenance and handover responsibilities. Domain registration, renewals, hosting and third-party services need their own ownership and funding decisions. A tier does not automatically include unlimited development or permanent third-party subscriptions.
Reporting
Interpretation and review
Reporting starts from the release records and statements actually available to the label. Silver covers available release records, Gold adds interpretation and review, and Platinum adds campaign and catalogue review within the agreed scope.
Listening statistics are not the same as royalty statements, reconciled receipts or payable earnings. Sources, periods, currencies and deductions must be explained in the applicable agreement and reports. Studio does not currently provide live royalty or payout reporting.
Creative direction
Selected guidance
Creative direction can help align the visual and narrative presentation around a release. It is separately agreed in Silver, considered for eligible Gold projects, and expanded within the agreed Platinum scope.
The project brief should state the assets, review process, contributor roles and approval responsibilities. Direction does not automatically include every production cost, ownership of external assets or unlimited revisions. Artwork rights and permissions remain subject to review.
Artist development
Selected guidance
Artist development is not a standard Silver inclusion. Gold may receive selected guidance where eligible, while Platinum includes scheduled strategic reviews within the agreed project relationship.
Development priorities should be specific to the artist's work and stage, with the frequency and responsibilities recorded in the scope. This is not a guarantee of representation, an advance, a particular career outcome or access to every label resource. Additional services require separate approval.
Support
Priority coordination
Support relates to the accepted release and agreed services. Silver receives standard coordination, Gold receives priority coordination, and Platinum receives higher-touch coordination within the project scope.
The practical contact route, responsibilities and any planned reviews should be clear before onboarding. Priority does not mean round-the-clock availability or an unstated response-time guarantee. Questions about rights, payments or additional work still need the appropriate review and agreement.
Opportunities
Consideration
An accepted partnership may lead to consideration for suitable opportunities connected to the artist and project. Silver and Gold are considered where appropriate, while Platinum receives priority consideration where an opportunity is available.
Consideration is not a promise of a collaboration, commission, placement, performance or financial return. Availability, eligibility, consent and any separate commercial terms must be assessed for each opportunity. No artist must assume an offer exists solely because it appears in this comparison.
Studio reporting and payouts
When operational
Studio account access and private artist-profile management are available through the shared Artan Store sign-in identity. These account functions are separate from artist approval and from the financial services described by a release agreement.
Streaming reports, royalty statements and payouts are not active in Studio. The table does not promise a live balance, withdrawal facility or payment date. Those functions require separate verified data, access controls and service activation before they can be offered.
Studio access
Studio Pro included while the partnership is active
Included platform access is a benefit of a verified active partnership, not the price of that recording partnership. It does not change public software list prices or authorize a separate subscription charge. A requested or approved tier alone is not a signed agreement, and continuation after expiry requires an approved policy.
What zero upfront means
Accepted standard releases carry no upfront base distribution fee. You provide finished release-ready masters, artwork, metadata, credits, contributor information and the necessary rights and clearances. Additional services and expenses must be agreed in advance as included, artist-paid or recoupable. Nothing is added silently.
Your masters remain yours
Our partnership model leaves master ownership with the artist. The agreement defines the licence, term, territory and share of eligible recording-side Net Receipts. Publishing, songwriting, live income, merchandise and unrelated recordings are separate unless expressly agreed.
From introduction to agreement
A preference is not acceptance or an automatic contract. After review, we may propose the requested partnership, recommend another scope or decline. Services, revenue allocation, approved expenses, reporting and departure arrangements are confirmed before onboarding.
Can you recommend a partnership?
Yes. Share your music and what you want to build. We can recommend a scope after reviewing the project. No preference creates an entitlement or agreement.
What happens when the agreement ends?
The agreement must define notice, licence expiry, final reporting, outstanding amounts, catalogue changes and any website or domain handover. Distribution migration needs coordination; continuity of service data or playlists cannot be guaranteed.
Are marketing results guaranteed?
No. Pitching, promotion and opportunity consideration cannot guarantee streams, editorial placement, press, growth or earnings. Publishing and other rights administration require separate terms.