MUSIC-15: Music Business Final Review
What concert venue offers one of the highest potential profit margin?
outdoor festivals
If a local producer wants to put on a Broadway play in another city, the producer needs to _______________.
pay a fee for the grand rights
The first million-unit seller in the U.S. music business was _______________.
sheet music for "After the Ball" in 1892
The royalty pool of payments for the writer, composer, lyricist, director, choreographer, and designers who create a musical is usually ___________________.
6% to 9% of box office gross
Accoding to radio ratings service Nielsen Audio, what percentage of persons ages 12 and older in the United States tune into radio each week?
91.3%
The musical that originated in the formative years of the off-Broadway movement and became one of the gratest hits of all time on Broadway was ____________.
A Chorus Line (1975)
When using popular hit music in video games, the video game company usually insists on what in the recording licensing deal?
A fixed-sum buyout of rights.
The phrase terrestrial radio describes which delivery technology?
AM and FM stations
The music video website Vevo is supported primarily by what kind of revenue?
Advertising
The production budgets for making music videos spiral higher every year.
False.
(T/F) The temp (temporary) score used as a placeholder as work starts on a film is always discarded and never becomes the music used in the final version of the film.
False. 2001 Space Odyssey is an example of temp scores being used as the final product.
(T/F) Because of a desire for warm and authentic analog sounds, electronic music equipment is seldom employed in scoring for films, TV programs,. and other visual works.
False. Digital recording artists are highly in demand.
(T/F) A nonprofit arts organization can cover costs by ticket sales if well run.
False. Nonprofit organizations rely on other sources such as donations.
In 1934, this U.S. agency that regulates broadcasting was opened and still exists today.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
(T/F) One of the reasons that local musical instrument stores cater specifically to music professionals and semiprofessionals (musicians who are paid for performing) is that they frequently teach on the side as well, so they make recommendations to their pupils where to shop.
True
Besides keeping audiences happy, the general manager of a performing arts organization must also cater to local politicians, the board of directors, and volunteer workers.
True
Even through video game action is dynamic and unpredictable, the fundamentals of scoring video games are much like those in TV and film.
True
Well-known classical music artists have agents and manager who negotiate heir deals for performing, much like pop music artists.
True
(T/F) Awards sows are increasing on TV ad represent platforms for music performances.
True.
(T/F) Country music is a more listened-to format than classic rock.
True.
(T/F) Despite the audience fragmentation initiated by cable TV networks, over-the-air broadcast TV is still considered a powerful force on the TV landscape.
True.
(T/F) In the early days of TV, The Ed Sullivan Show was he most important U.S. variety show to break new acts such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
True.
(T/F) Music scored for film, TV, or a video game can sometimes save a week scene.`
True.
(T/F) The tend in staffing radio stations is to eliminate jobs at individual stations and combine management responsibilities for a group of stations.
True.
(T/F) Ad campaigns tend o utilize the same look, feel, and sounds across all media, whether TV, radio, or online.
True. Your business card should look like our website.
What party is customarily responsible for licensing performance rights for music used at a concert?
Venue
When a producer of a commercial agrees to a "package deal," the producer agrees to __________________.
deliver a commercial for a specified fee
Union singers working on a national broadcast commercial are usually paid additional fees when the spot airs __________________________.
more than 13 weeks
A national tour of a hit Broadway musical is mounted _____________________.
once investors believe that word of the musical's Broadway success will draw an audience in other cities
The Songwriters Guild of America argues that if a publisher fails to et a commercial recording of a song within a year, the contract shoudld terminate unless the publisher _______________.
pays the writer an additional advance
The RIAA strategy of suing copyright infringers for illegal downloading was __________________.
successful in winning civil judgement against some infringers
The largest audience for serious music in the arts sector is for _______________.
symphonic orchestras
A promoter in the concert business is defined as ________________.
the party responsible for generating fan interest and ticket sales
The biggest reason corporate sponsors pay to be part of a concert tour is __________________.
visibility in advertising and promotional material, including at the concert
In what period did audiences in the United States and Europe begin accepting that they would need to pay to see a musical performance?
1800s
Compact discs (CDs) were first introduced commercially in what decade?
1980s
For planning a concert at a college venue, how long before a concert date should orders be placed for printing tickets and promotional materials such as banners and posters?
6 weeks. Best to wait later in the planning process to avoid printing errors.
A U.S. copyright in a composition created in 2016, and not a work for hire, extends for how many years after the last surviving author's death?
70
Which of the following statements is most likely applicable when licensing live music at a major hotel?
A blanket license is needed.
Which of the following statements is most applicable for a local radio station broadcast of a hit record not provided by a radio indicator?
A census technique (actual logging) is used.
Which of the following statements is most applicable for a new opera debuting at the Met?
A grand rights license is needed.
Which of the following statements is most applicable for a motion picture film score for a movie shown in U.S. theaters?
A synchronization license is needed.
Which of the following statements is most applicable for Muzak programming heard in a supermarket.
A transcription license is needed.
A magician who performs at a major theme park is probably working under the jurisdiction of what labor union?
AGVA. AGVA consists of variety artists. It stands for American Guild of Variety Artists.
What is a part of what some companies call the "administration" department for a record label?
Accounting
Te union known informally by the name "Equity" represents which kind of worker?
Actors in live theater
When may a songwriter register a copyright for a song?
After the song is written
The overall music business today is worth how much?
Billions of dollars
What is a promoter's best option in dealing with a scheduled concert experiencing sharply disappointing sales?
Cancel the date. Stop the bleeding.
(T/F) When the cost to manufacture a CD was cut in half, record companies quickly passed this savings along to the consumer in order to gain market share.
False
When a song is played on AM or FM radio, the writer's performance royalty is paid to the songwriter by the publisher.
False
In ASCAP's early history, its membership largely excluded composers and authors of Broadway musicals and pop songs.
False. ASCAP stands for American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
(T/F) When a record bomb in the marketplace, artist royalty contracts typically require the artist to return he production money advanced by the label.
False. Advances don't have to be returned.
T/F: The rise if the Internet and P2P file sharing presented the music industry with its first major challenge from changing technology.
False. Jukeboxes, synthesizers, and print-to recorded-music devices were technological advances that existed before the Internet and P2P file sharing.
(T/F) The rise of streaming as a delivery mechanism is more lucrative for artists than the download business model because royalty rates (per listening experience) are proportionally higher.
False. Spotify for example pays a penny for every 100 streams. It's much more advantageous for famous artists.
(T/F) Because of its unique nature, the different systems and subsystems of the music industry are so self-sufficient that success or failure in one part of the system has little impact on other parts of the system.
False. Success or failure in one part of the system DOES have a BIG impact on other parts of the system.
(T/F) Contractually obligated to achieve maximum income for the artist, a personal manager is well-advised to accept every possible gig when the guaranteed fee is attractive.
False. The artist can become exhausted and should rest when necessary.
(T/F) Personal managers, as the name implies, are primarily responsible for he personal well-being of their clients, leaving most of the business decisions to attorneys and booking agents.
False. The artist can make business decisions.
What is not typlically a planned expense for a concert?
Gratuities to safety inspectors. It's basically bribing the inspectors.
A stagehand for a major concert hall and a motion picture camera operator may both be working under the jurisdiction of what labor organization?
IATSE. IATSE stands for International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
The American style of music first became a world style at what time?
In the 1940s, as World War II spread U.S. culture
In 2012, Clear Channel (later named iHeart Media) and record label Big Machine cut a deal that was significant for what reason?
It was the first time a label would directly collect negotiated performance royalties from a U.S. broadcaster.
In the Great Depression of the 1930s, what emerging music delivery platform helped the struggling record business?
Jukeboxes
(T/F) Large publishers may buy out other publishers' whole catalogs if the price is right.
True
(T/F) Of the many factors that those aspiring for careers in music can control, three of the most important are motivation, talent, and perseverance.
True
(T/F) The advent of digital recording equipment allowed high-end recordings to be made without incurring high-end production costs.
True
(T/F) The going rate for a personal manager's commission is usually in the range of 10% to 25%
True
(T/F) The industry usually refers to a publishing company as "independent" if it is unaffiliated with a big record label or large publishing "group."
True
(T/F) Though vital to the fan experience, the performing artist is just one category of participant in an industry involving many distinct elements and systems.
True
(T/F) Typically, it is only after a song is in commercial release (in other words, "popular) that there is a demand to license it for other uses, such as ringtones and merchandise.
True
(T/F) Although the music business has shed some of its mystique and glamour, it has become a viable career choice in more ways and for more people than ever.
True.
(T/F) It is commonplace for songwriters to spend as much time promoting their works as creating them.
True.
(T/F) The human element in the music industry is as vital as ever in the industry today, despite the rise of disruptive technologies and business models.
True.
(T/F) Unions negotiate wages and working conditions.
True.
BMI's first affiliates included songwriters from many genres of music that had not been previously represented by performance rights organizations, including jazz, R&B, country, gospel, and folk.
True. BMI stands for Broadcast Music, Inc.
(T/F) The artist generally appoints a manager as his or her exclusive personal manager, while the manager's services to the artist are nonexclusive.
True. Managers can have more than one clients. Clients however cannot have more than one manager.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which is best known for issuing certifications for big-selling records, does not concern itself with ________________.
disputes over individual artist royalty payments
The common length of a contract with a music performer for licensed merchandise is _________________.
for the duration of a multi-city tour or a specified number of album releases.=
The most effective way to impress a publisher to sign a songwriter's work is to ________________.
get a referral from an industry professional who knows the publisher
In 2014, the number of leegal music downloads in the United States was ________________.
greater than 1 billion
The big advantage of advertising an upcoming concert via alternative publications, such as local arts weeklies, versus mainstream daily newspaper is ____________.
it is less expensive and more demographically focused.
Under U.S. copyright law, a phonorecord would be the best term to describe a __________________.
material object containing a sound recording
The chief executives in charge of record labels tend to have risen from which work background?
Lawyer or producer
A lavish new Broadway musical today costs approximately how much to produce?
$10 million or more
MTV: Music Television launched in which decade, when cable channels with specialized programming emerged as a potent force?
1980s. MTV debuted in 1981.
The economics of a Broadway musical are daunting because the audience attendance for a single performance in a theater may top out at about ___________ persons, while, in comparison, the audience for a TV program reaches into the millions of persons for a single telecast.
1,000
The first U.S. copyright law was enacted in what year?
1790, when the U.S. Congress implemented a principle of copyright enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
Public opera houses that anyone could attend first appeared during the ____________________.
17th century
The first commercial radio station was launched in _____________________.
1920
When did radio stations largely abandon live music and turn to recordings, as TV cut into its audience?
1950s
SAG-AFTRA might often represent many employees performing what kind of work?
Announcers. SAG-AFTRA stands for the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
In addition to the personal manager, who should approve the selection of a business manager, accountant, or auditor?
Artist
Who is the ultimate authority in making decisions for a major musical artist?
Artist
The leading countries and regions of origin for imported musical instruments sold in the United States are
Asia, Mexico, and Canada
OTT (over-the-top) video distribution (such as Netflix) threatens the legacy economics of the media industry for what reason?
Cable TV operators see threats to their business model.
What worker is not covered in the contract of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) labor union?
Composers
In the first decade of the 21st century, global recorded music sales changed by approximately how much?
Declined by half
Once a personal manager manages to nail a deal with a record label for the artist, which of these is likely to be most important?
Encourage label executives to live up to the terms of the contact.
What imported material used in the manufacture of musical instruments in the United States has been at issue in this century?
Exotic Wood
(T/F) Although the digital age revolutionized the recording process, ultimately it had little impact on the processes if distribution and promotion.
False
(T/F) Arts organizations are booking rock bands to attract younger audiences.
False
(T/F) As the music business grew rapidly in size in the 1960s, the historical roles of singer and songwriter shifted. Before that time, most popular songs were written by singer-songwriters.
False
(T/F) Because of the right of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment, the Federal Communications Commission has no authority to regulate or even comment on what some claim are indecent performances on broadcast television or radio.
False
(T/F) Even a strong manager cannot expect to earn, over the long term, an income comparable to one of their successful clients.
False
(T/F) New artists usually pay personal managers lower percentage representation fees at the beginning of their careers because they simply can't afford to pay the percentages charged superstars.
False
(T/F) Since a personal manager works at the pleasure of the artist, an artist will fins relatively simple he termination of the artist's financial obligations to the departing manager.
False
A single musical instruments store typically generates how much in annual revenue?
Hundreds of thousands of dollars to $10 million
Which of the following is not recommended in scripting TV commercials?
Make various versions, each with a different look and feel. Your business card should look like our website.
What is the very high end of fees that advertisers pay to license hit songs?
Millions of dollars
The largest music publishing companies today administer at least how many songs?
More than 1,000,000
What trade associations are serving the musical instruments industry?
National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT), Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA)
What is not typically a responsibility of a marketing department for a record label?
Royalties
The Harry Fox Agency (HFA) was acquired by which entity in 2015?
SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers)
What are sources of revenue owners of musicals?
Original cast recordings, performance licensing and national tours, and movie rights.
When it comes to promotion of popular music compositions, a publisher's main approach is what?
Persuading artists and producers to record songs
What job fuction is least likely handled by union workers in unionized performing facilities?
Publicity
What viable genres did the big labels overlook, leaving them independent labels in the 1950s?
R&B and C&W (Country & Western)
A "development officer" (or director) handles what function at a performing arts organization?
Raises moneys from donors
For several decades, music labels pursued _____________ as the best promotional tool to spur record sales.
Record airplay
Which three segments of the U.S. music industry are the biggest, in terms of annual revenue?
Recorded music, instruments/equipment, and concert tickets
What is a key factor (or factors) for a promoter in selecting an opening act to perform before a headliner?
Selecting compatible music and not overshadowing the headliner.
What does a venue not usually supply to major touring acts?
Stage equipment setup crew
The film that ended the era of silent movies by adding synchronized music was ____________________.
The Jazz Singer (1927)
A "key man" clause in a contract between an artist and booking agency typically proclivities what kind of protection?
The artist is protected against an agency substituting a new agent in place of the one with whom the artist has established a working relationship.
What most irks the promoters and venues about scalpers, who are unauthorized resellers of concert tickets?
They don't share their profits.
(T/F) Nielsen Music electronically compiles lists of music via automated sensors that recognize music on radio and cable channels.
True
In the case of a hit song from the 1960s, who would receive a royalty if it were played on an FM radio station in Chicago today?
The composer
Who owns the U.S. copyright in a new arrangement of a copyrighted work?
The original copyright holder
Under U.S. copyright law, if there are two composers and three lyricists for a song, they must share the royalties according to which formula?
There is no specific allocation dictated by law. In this group, it's up to an agreement between the members.
The music industry is "almost unique" because of what characteristic?
There is rapid change in product.
What is a big concern for general admission seating (first come-first served) because seats are not reserved?
Ticket holders might scuffle in the venue over the best seats.
(T/F) Almost every orchestral instrument has an associated organization to develop performance, encourage member networking, and undertake research/preservation.
True
(T/F) As a practical matter, successful booking agents serve the interests of two different parties, the artist and the talent buyers.
True
(T/F) Because advertisers are most attuned to the words in commercials, background music is arranged to be muted to "stay out of the way of the words."
True
(T/F) California laws limit activities of people representing artists more than do the laws of most other states.
True
(T/F) Classical music publishers sometimes rent music out to customers.
True
(T/F) Commercial production companies offer an assortment of music types to fit various formats of radio stations and the various mood-setting needs of advertisers.
True
(T/F) Composers are typically paid in three installments - spread outover he work process - when working on movies.
True
(T/F) For most music business attorneys, the majority of their time is spent with "transaction" work as opposed to litigation.
True
(T/F) In an open shop, employees who are not members of a union are subject to the same wages and conditions as those employees whose union negotiated a collective bargaining agreement.
True
(T/F) In recent years, publisher royalties from performances have grown in importance relative to mechanical royalties paid by other companies.
True
(T/F) In the music business, songwriters want their work to be exploited by others.
True
(T/F) Internet radio has become a sizeable business.
True
(T/F) It is estimated that 1 in 10 elementary school students joins a band or orchestra.
True
(T/F) Musical instrument makers share the cost of approved retailer-specific paid advertising, such as local cable TV commercials, promotions, and email blasts. Thus, local stores are not completely on their own for paying for local marketing.
True
What is not normal among the duties of a music supervisor?
Write music to plug small, unexpected gaps as they arise. That's what a composer does.
Musical instrument stores view offering music instructions lessons as ______________.
a good idea to generate foot-traffic and blunt the appeal of online competitors
Under U.S. copyright law, a musical work is "created" when ____________.
it is fixed in musical notation or recorded on a phonorecord
The phrase back sell in reference to music in a TV show refers to ___________.
telling viewers at show's end what music was presented
The contrac governing commercials for the SAG-AFTRA labor unions, whose members include singers and dancers, provides different minimum pay scales for singers based on __________________.
whether performing in a solo, duo. or group (three or more singers).SAG-AFTRA stands for Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
