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Record Clubs

by Ben McLane, Esq.

To the consumer, joining a record club might seem like an inexpensive way to obtain some music. However, the recording artist that creates the music should understand how record club sales influence that artist's bottom line.

Record clubs first became popular long ago when there were no major record chain stores. To some in remote areas, a record club would be the only way to buy a certain record. There are now two major record clubs: Columbia House and BMG ("clubs"). These clubs generally license the entire product catalog (i.e., records) of various record companies. The clubs then manufacture and distribute these records to their club members. Unlike product sold at retail stores, clubs have the right to give away one free good for every one sold. They must have the right to do this; otherwise, they would not be able to make offers such as eleven CDs for a penny. This is problematic because an artist receives no royalty on free records distributed by clubs. Also, there is no way for the record club to limit how may copies of one particular artist's records are given away. Hence, a popular artist would be negatively affected. Today, record club sales amount to about 30% of all record sales and have significantly cut into retail sales. There is a growing segment of the population that does not want to trek down to the record store when they can order from a catalog. The low price offered by the club is also an incentive.

The club giveaway offers can have a dramatic impact on an artist. First, the artist will only receive about 50% of their usual royalty rate on sales through clubs. This is because the royalty payable by the club to the label is about 9 1/2% of the club's regular price (less a container deduction), based on 85% of sales. The rationale for the lower royalty is that the marketing costs are higher for record clubs and there are a lot of people who never pay for the records ordered. Moreover, the mechanical royalty to the songwriters is also reduced (usually 75% of 75% of the statutory rate). Finally, there is the unseen factor that the clubs' special offers devalue the product in the eyes of the public. If the public can buy eleven CDs for a penny, how can an artist be worth $25 for a concert? Because of the low monetary rate of return to the labels and acts, some major record companies such as Virgin, MCA and Geffen are no longer licensing their catalogs to the clubs.

When an artist signs a record contract, there is always language that allows for the label to license the artist's product to record clubs, for a reduced royalty to the artist. However, the artist can attempt to negotiate certain provisions into the contract that will lessen the financial hit to the artist from record clubs sales. First, the act can try to exclude record club sales entirely. Second, the artist can ask that the record company agree that the number of royalty free records distributed by the clubs will not exceed the number of records sold. Hence, even if the number of free goods exceeds the number sold, the label still has to pay a royalty on that excess. Third, the act can request to be paid a straight 50% of the company's net licensing receipts.

Record clubs will probably always be around in some form. Although they can provide exposure and sales to an artist, it is important for the artist to try and maximize the royalty payable on such club sales.

Copyright 1998, Ben McLane
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