The ultimate guide to understanding and avoiding, in the author's words, sneaky lawyer tricks, "Secrets of Negotiating a Record Contract" helps artists recognise hidden agendas by exposing the multi-layered language of recording agreements crafted by major label lawyers. Clause by clause, the newly updated book deconstructs actual contracts and translates them into real English, presenting the original and decoded versions side by side. Focusing on artists' issues, such as advances, royalties, and distribution, this revealing handbook explains the need for each clause, offers advice on negotiating fine points, and outlines alternatives for developing new contracts. User-friendly and offering entertaining inside stories, Secrets of Negotiating a Record Contract clarifies common terms uniquely redefined by the music industry to put power back into the hands of those who make the music. The book explains the entire recording contract line by line in plain English, reveals over 100 key loopholes and double-dips that will cost artists money, and, includes a glossary of major label recording-contract jargon.