2 CD Recording Contracts: Any reason to sign one?

[Spaznetz]

I'm looking for my second recording contract and I keep getting offered 2 CD deals among the rest. Is it just me or are these a terrible deal? I'm 6 months into the playthrough and looking to release my second CD already. Why in the world would I sign a contract that says I have to wait a YEAR before releasing the second CD? I could put out 2 or 3 in that dead time.

Also, better to go with higher royalty percentage or bigger marketing budget?

EDIT: Okay, so I sign my second CD contract and they want me to wait until next year (10 months) to release it anyway.

NEW QUESTION: Is it better to just work on songs for a year or should I release a CD independently?

[Bohemian Rap City]

Originally posted by Spaznetz:

I'm looking for my second recording contract and I keep getting offered 2 CD deals among the rest. Is it just me or are these a terrible deal? I'm 6 months into the playthrough and looking to release my second CD already. Why in the world would I sign a contract that says I have to wait a YEAR before releasing the second CD? I could put out 2 or 3 in that dead time.

Also, better to go with higher royalty percentage or bigger marketing budget?

EDIT: Okay, so I sign my second CD contract and they want me to wait until next year (10 months) to release it anyway.

NEW QUESTION: Is it better to just work on songs for a year or should I release a CD independently?

NO.

The only reason I can think of, is if you are already a headlining act with multiple hit records under your belt, and the terms are VERY generous. Even then I would probably not sign it.

Remember, unless you are already cranking out 100 quality songs with 100 quality studio support, the next contract will always be better than the last one.

[katzowy90]

In game, there are even 4CD contracts : D

Depens on where you are. If you finished 70/80 contract (? tier 3 right under 100/100), and got same quality multi-contract offer, but you're able to create 5x100/100 album then I would like to wait for that offer, who blast you in the charts instead of be stuck with two or more albums with quality you already achieved.

better marketing = better sales

about waiting a year or independed release. You want to do good quality album which you personally be proud or making fast written ♥♥♥♥♥ with outtakes being unpopular previously. It's your choice : D

[Bohemian Rap City]

Unless you are planning to spend half your time on vacation (using rest) and only playing gigs on release tour for each album, it would get very boring stuck with the same record company for a 4 year commitment. I once made the mistake of accepting a 2 year contract....I was so bored I almost wiped my band and started over.

One of the dull parts of the game is when you have an album in top 50, another one completed but you cannot release it for 8+ months, and a ton of ready to record material waiting for you to put on an album.

[Spaznetz]

Originally posted by Bohemian Rap City:

Unless you are planning to spend half your time on vacation (using rest) and only playing gigs on release tour for each album, it would get very boring stuck with the same record company for a 4 year commitment. I once made the mistake of accepting a 2 year contract....I was so bored I almost wiped my band and started over.

One of the dull parts of the game is when you have an album in top 50, another one completed but you cannot release it for 8+ months, and a ton of ready to record material waiting for you to put on an album.

Yeah, I can see the game getting really grindy without being able to keep releasing CDs on my own schedule. Write, practice, test audience reaction, salvage, rinse, repeat until you have a CD worth of hits, release, tour, and then start again.

[Bohemian Rap City]

Originally posted by Spaznetz:

Yeah, I can see the game getting really grindy without being able to keep releasing CDs on my own schedule. Write, practice, test audience reaction, salvage, rinse, repeat until you have a CD worth of hits, release, tour, and then start again.

Like many things in life, the journey is more fun than the destination.

[jerry.wawak]

You still have to wait a year between CDs even if you sign one year deals.

[Bohemian Rap City]

Originally posted by jerry.wawak:

You still have to wait a year between CDs even if you sign one year deals.

You can release new albums earlier than the 12 month deadline, but the Studio will penalize you by demanding a partial refund of any advance money they gave you when you signed the contract.

[Eeyore Donkey Donk]

At the risk of being castigated as necroposting, my current band has actually hit a sweet spot where a Multiple CD Contract is desirable.
This is due to a probably rare conjunction of self-imposed limitations and goals that I have been using for this bands raison d'etre.
1. They are an instrumentals only band, which means they only have three tiles to work with per song, and at their current skill levels most songs are in the 70-75 range. A tile at 35 is necessary for any sniff at creating an 80, and at their current level (all are around level 40ish and only one actual songwriter), the 35's are not very commonplace.
2. I wanted to see how many Contract CDs the band can produce if they were on a release a CD as soon as they had enough material recorded to make a release. Of course that means I take the 80%+ promotion hit by releasing early.

When negotiating for their 7th album the opportunities for a bog standard 2 songs of 40, recording at 20 and 10 gigs dried up, and I was looking at a floor of songs of 60, recording at 40 and 20 gigs. Not a problem, however the next tier is wanting songs over 80 and the gig requirement goes up as well (I forget the actual number). At this point while waiting for them to skill up to where they can churn out songs in the 80 range fast enough to keep up with their no break practice/record/release/tour regimen, and to limit the number of required gigs to a minimum to truncate the release schedule as much as possible; the lower the quality of the contract the better.

Hence in this situation a Multiple CD contract is exceptional, in that I know exactly what is required for the next CD as far as song and recording quality, and the subsequent gig commitment for planning their next tour. It also freezes them at a level that is manageable. I am seriously hoping for a 4 CD contract at the current level, but in my experience 2 is the most I've seen at this level.

Were they not an instrumentals only band and could use the tile for lyrics, this would not be an issue, were they not trying to release an album as soon as they have material it would not be an issue. But due to these circumstances (both self-imposed), the Multiple CD Contract is wonderful.

[Spaznetz]

A 4-CD contract is a thing? Oh, no...

[Bohemian Rap City]

I just posted a new challenge on this subject. I think the loss of advertising is negligible if you consider the amount of increased residuals from multiple albums can be. The advance is all ghost money because the studio is only giving you a zero-interest loan that must be repaid before you make any money off it.

[Spaznetz]

So, basically, there is a negligible downside to cranking out CDs as quickly as you can.

Yep, time to restart. Again...

[Bohemian Rap City]

Originally posted by Spaznetz:

So, basically, there is a negligible downside to cranking out CDs as quickly as you can.

Yep, time to restart. Again...

WAIT!!!!!

That's not what I meant. I said that risk vs. reward it seems to be negligible.

[Bohemian Rap City]

Also. The journey is the goal. When my band gets close to exp cap, I start dumping them the way Dylan dumped Baez, Simon dumped Garfunkel, Young dumped Crosby, Stills & Nash, Waters dumped Pink Floyd, etc.

Take a month to break it up and get new blood and inspirations. Unlike the infamous Mr. Waters, YOU OWN THE NAME. So you can grab any garage band poseurs you want and still crank out songs under an established name and with fixed management.

There is no single best way. In fact, I plan to hit stardom with cL@kW@rK (shameless plug) and fire the whole band and reinvent myself at least a couple times.

[Spaznetz]

Originally posted by Bohemian Rap City:

WAIT!!!!!

That's not what I meant. I said that risk vs. reward it seems to be negligible.

LOL, it's no biggie.

I've been regretting some early choices and thinking about doing a shuffle with band skills.

Like grabbing more lyric writers since getting a boost to music writing through equipment is easily possible and there's no boost to lyrics.

Like making my character a frontman/producer/player and skipping both the writing skills until the end game.

There's so many variations that the first year of the band is really what I find most fun. Of course, some day I really need to go for those level 50 achievements...

Also, I never just delete a band. Always make a backup and some notes just in case I get the urge to resurrect them.

[Bohemian Rap City]

Originally posted by Spaznetz:

LOL, it's no biggie.

I've been regretting some early choices and thinking about doing a shuffle with band skills.

Like grabbing more lyric writers since getting a boost to music writing through equipment is easily possible and there's no boost to lyrics.

I only use one Lyricist and all that character does is split between Lyrics and Playing skill until maxing Lyrics, then splitting between Music and Stage Presence.

Originally posted by Spaznetz:

Like making my character a frontman/producer/player and skipping both the writing skills until the end game.

I like having more than one person cranking music because by mid game I have a TON of hi value lyrics laying around.

Trio is:
PC w/ Prod and Play/SP combo
NPC w/ Lyric and Play/SP
NPC w/ Music and Play/SP

Quartet adds:
Mongo to train us in repair
dump Mongo when everyone is 25-35 Repair and replace with
NPC w/ Play with Music

Quintet
NPC w/ Music and Play/Lyric

All my bands start dabbling in writing after they max their primary.