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Featured Artist Agreement

For a lead artist bringing on a featured artist for a track — covers the featured artist's recording contribution, how they're credited, royalty share, publishing splits, and any label clearance needed.

Drafted by a Harvard Law entertainment attorney.

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Is this the right contract for your feature?

This contract is built for one artist appearing on another artist's recording. It fits situations where a guest performs on a track and the parties want to set credit, any fee or royalty, publishing splits for any writing, and the label clearances needed before the track is released.

Good fit for

  • Artists adding a featured guest to a track
  • Guest artists appearing on someone else's song
  • Features paid a fee, a royalty, or both
  • Guests who helped write the song
  • Deals needing a guest's label clearance

You may also need

Before you start

It helps to have these details on hand before you create your contract:

  • Host artist name and featured artist name
  • The track the guest appears on
  • How the feature is credited
  • Whether the guest is paid a fee, a royalty, or both
  • Any publishing share for the guest's writing
  • What clearances the guest's label requires
  • How the track may be promoted
  • Who owns the recording

What's Inside This Contract

Guest's performance or contribution

Describes what the featured artist will perform or contribute.

Compensation

Sets any fee or royalty paid to the guest.

Grant of rights

Covers the rights granted, ownership, and any label clearance.

Hospitality and cancellation

Addresses any hospitality terms and what happens on cancellation.

Representations and warranties

Each side confirms it has the right to enter the deal.

Disputes and general provisions

Covers standard terms such as notices, how disputes are handled, and signatures.

Points Worth Negotiating

  • How the feature is credited
  • Whether the guest is paid a fee, a royalty, or both
  • Any publishing share for the guest's contribution
  • What clearances the guest's label requires
  • How the track may be promoted

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a featured artist agreement?
It is an agreement covering a guest appearance on a recording, including credit, payment, any publishing share, and the clearances needed to release it.
Who should sign it?
The host artist and the featured guest both sign. When the guest is signed to a label, that label may also need to clear the appearance.
What is label clearance?
When a featured artist is signed to a label, that label must approve the appearance. The agreement addresses this clearance.
Is a feature paid a fee or a royalty?
Either or both. Some features are paid a flat fee, while others receive a royalty share, set out clearly in the agreement.
Does a featured artist get publishing?
Yes, when the guest helped write the song. They receive a writing share, recorded on a split sheet.
What should I have ready before creating it?
Have the artist names, the track, the credit, any fee or royalty, any publishing share, and what clearances the guest's label requires.
Should I choose the custom contract or the editable template?
Choose the custom contract to answer a few questions and have it filled in for you. Choose the editable template if you prefer a blank version with labeled fields to complete yourself.
What are common warning signs in a featured artist agreement?

These are common issues to watch for in any featured artist agreement:

  • No label clearance where one is needed
  • Unclear credit terms
  • Vague payment or royalty terms
  • No publishing split where the guest contributed writing
  • No approval over how the feature is used
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