Why indie labels need contracts as part of their bolt-on strategy
Artists are more business-savvy than ever. They expect more from their labels, not just distribution, but partnership, protection, and professionalism.
In a crowded market, independent labels and distribution companies are adding bolt-on services to differentiate their offers. These include sync pitching, mastering, funding, playlist support, and digital marketing – all designed to give artists more control and choice.
And yet, one of the most essential services is still missing from most bolt-on menus: contract support.
For Labels: The Missed Opportunity
You want to give your artists more, but without inflating your costs and decreasing your margins. Bolt-ons are a smart way to offer value without increasing headcount.
But contract support is where most labels hit a wall.
Even in-house at Major labels, many teams don’t have enough lawyers to meet demand. Business affairs staff are stretched thin, and they’re often focused on high-priority deals or top-tier artists. For everything else – splits, productions, collaborations – there’s rarely time or capacity to get involved.
Most labels also can’t share templates because of liability concerns. If something goes wrong and a template was supplied by the label, the fallout could land on them. That leaves artists unprotected and labels exposed.
Songpact removes that risk while delivering the support your artists are asking for.
For Artists: Why This Matters
You’re building a career, not just uploading tracks. You work with producers, writers, vocalists, and managers. Everyone has a stake in your success.
But without agreements in place, your rights, splits, royalties, and livelihood, are always at risk.
Songpact allows your label or distributor to offer you something that truly builds trust: clear, fair, industry-standard contracts that are easy to use and free for your collaborators to review.
You don’t need a lawyer on call. You just need tools you can trust.
The Pain Points We Hear
From Labels:
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“We don’t have enough in-house legal staff to support every deal.”
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“Our business affairs team is overstretched with priority projects.”
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“We’re worried about liability if we provide contract templates.”
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“We want to offer legal support, but can’t scale it.”
From Artists:
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“I don’t understand contracts, but I know I need one.”
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“I just want to protect myself without paying hundreds.”
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“I’ve had deals go wrong and tracks taken down because nothing was written down.”
How Songpact Fixes It
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Legally-sound agreements for production, features, remixes, session musicians and more
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Pay-as-you-go pricing, or affordable subscriptions
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Free for recipients to review, negotiate, and e-sign
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Custom-built for music, not generic templates
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No legal liability for the label – it’s self-serve for the artist
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Easy for labels to offer as a bolt-on alongside sync, funding, or marketing
It’s the simplest way to build trust, clarity, and retention into your artist relationships.
Contracts = Confidence = Loyalty
An artist is far more likely to stay with a label that helps them feel secure and protected. If you’re not providing that, someone else will.
Offering legal agreements through Songpact is a low-cost, low-risk bolt-on that:
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Makes your offer stand out
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Reduces internal strain on legal teams
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Helps prevent disputes
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Builds longer-term artist relationships
Try Songpact Today – Free
If you’re a label looking to expand your artist offering, you can subscribe to Songpact on behalf of your roster, building the cost into your deal – giving artists access to professional contracts without increasing your legal overhead.
No hassle. Just clear, ready-to-use contracts built for real-world music collaborations.
👉 Sign up and give your next release the protection it deserves.