A 360 deal lets a label take a percentage of everything: recordings, touring, merch, endorsements, sometimes even acting income. Labels pitch it as partnership. The math tells a different story. When one company takes a cut of every revenue stream, the artist carries all the creative risk while the label collects from every direction.
Running the Real Numbers
Add up every percentage the label takes across every income source and compare it to what they actually invest and deliver. A 360 deal can make sense if the label provides genuine tour support, marketing muscle, and real advances across the board. It is a disaster when the label does little beyond distribution. Negotiate carve-outs for income streams the label does not touch, and cap the deal’s reach and term.
Partnership means shared risk and shared reward. If only one side shares the reward, it is not a partnership. Run the math before you sign your name.
If you are considering a 360 deal, the negotiation is all about boundaries. Carve out income streams the label does not touch — your pre-existing business ventures, acting income unrelated to music, and any catalog you owned before signing. Cap the commission percentages per stream and put a hard term on how long post-deal commissions run. Demand transparency: quarterly accounting across every income source, not just recordings. And tie the label’s 360 rights to actual investment — if they want a cut of touring, they should be funding tour support. A 360 deal without reciprocal investment is just a tax on your career disguised as a partnership.
About the Author – Ruben Burgos: Ruben Burgos brings over 25 years of music expertise and more than 15 years of model guidance to the table. He is the indie major pinnacle to retaining credits for musicians and helping them navigate this wicked industry without the fuckery.