Deals & Your Rights
Advances & Recoupment
An advance is prepaid royalties — you earn nothing more until it's paid back (recouped) from your share. It's why an artist can have a hit and still see no money.
An advance is money paid up front against your future royalties. It isn't a bonus — it's recoupable, so the label, distributor, or publisher keeps your royalties until the advance is paid back from your share. Until you 'recoup,' you see no further money even as the music earns.
Watch for cross-collateralization — recouping one project's advance from another's earnings — which can keep you unrecouped for years. Notes takes no advance and no percentage: a flat subscription, so every royalty is yours from the first dollar. See where that sits among music deal types.
Good to know
Advances & Recoupment: common questions
- What does 'recouped' mean?
- Your advance has been fully paid back out of your royalty share. Before that you're 'unrecouped' and receive no additional royalties, even though your music is earning.
- Does Notes give advances?
- No — and that's the point. Notes is a flat subscription with no advance and no percentage, so your royalties are paid to you in full from day one.