Tail That Doesn't Step Down Over Time - Traps & Scams Every Musician Must Avoid

Translation for humans: you want the income, career lift, or placement that actually reduces over time instead of sticking like gum under a subway seat. The music business is full of deals that look like they shrink away after one good month but secretly keep taking a slice forever. This guide is the wake up call you need. We will cover the most common traps musicians fall into and give bright, usable ways to avoid, survive, or reverse them. Expect blunt talk, real scenarios, and ready to send scripts you can use today.

Everything here is written for artists who want to keep control and grow without being milked. We explain all terms and acronyms clearly. We include real life examples so you can see how these scams play out in the wild. Read this now before you sign anything that sounds too good to be true. It almost certainly is.

What Is a Tail That Does Not Step Down

In law and music business speak a tail usually means the portion of income or rights that continue after a deal ends. It can also mean payments or obligations that linger. A tail that does not step down refers to terms that keep paying out to the other party at the same rate or percentage long after the promised work is done or the relationship is over. In practice that looks like a manager taking 20 percent of your income five years after they ghosted you. It looks like a publisher keeping your songs and collecting everything for life even though they never did promotional outreach.

Why it sucks

• It eats future earnings when you need them most.
• It ties up rights you might want to exploit later.
• It traps your career choices under old terms you no longer want.

Why Musicians Fall For These Traps

Here is a brutally honest map of the psychology. You are talented. You want traction. You are often broke and under time pressure. A smooth talking manager or rep offers fast momentum, guaranteed placements, or a check. That urgent need makes it easy to accept vague promises in exchange for a share. The small print contains the trap. Contracts exploit scarcity and urgency. Scammers sell hope and then hold you captive with legal paperwork.

Real life scenario

You get a DM from someone claiming to work at a boutique label. They say they can get your single on six playlists for a production fee plus a 10 percent commission for life after release. You are excited and pay the fee. The playlists appear on week one. Streams spike. The manager vanishes. You realize the commission continues to be taken on every dollar from that track indefinitely. There was no time limit in the contract because you were promised immediate results and rushed to sign.

Big Categories of Traps and Scams

We group scams to make them easier to spot. For each category we explain how the scam works, what it looks like in real life, a signature red flag, and what to do if you are already trapped.

Contract Overreach and Lifetime Rights

How it works

A company or individual offers services and asks for ownership or exclusive rights for an indefinite period or for life. They might call it a publishing deal, administration agreement, or a co ownership clause. The contract language transfers rights or allows the other party to collect everything and keep paying themselves without giving you meaningful services.

Real life example

A producer offers to produce your EP and asks for 50 percent of the copyrights as a co owner. You are excited about a quality record so you sign. Later the producer refuses to let you license songs for sync unless you pay additional fees. Because you gave away a large percentage of the copyright the producer profits every time the songs earn money even when they do nothing.

Red flags

• Language that assigns copyright rather than granting a limited license.
• Terms that say rights are transferred for the full term of copyright or for life.
• Clauses that allow exploitation without your consent.

What to do if you already signed

1. Get a copy of the contract and highlight assignment clauses.
2. Hire an entertainment lawyer to interpret rescission options. Some contracts signed under undue influence or misrepresentation can be reversed.
3. Open a dialogue with the other party and offer buy back options with staged payments. Document everything.

Management Scams and Overreaching Commission

How it works

Managers ask for a commission on overall music income. That is normal. The trap happens when the commission is uncapped in time and scope or when managers claim entitlements to income they did not generate. Sometimes you will see managers demand commission from income earned before the relationship started. Other times the commission continues after termination. That is a tail that does not step down.

Real life example

A manager signs you with a 20 percent commission and a clause that says they get 20 percent of all income generated by material created during the term forever. Five years later you hire a new manager who gets you a sync worth a large payday. The old manager claims 20 percent because the song was written while you were with them, even though they did nothing for the placement.

Red flags

• Language giving commission on all future income generated by any material created during the term.
• Commission that survives termination without a clear sunset period.
• Manager demanding fees for services that were not rendered with proof.

How to fix this

1. Negotiate a time limited tail. Typical industry practice is 12 months to 24 months after termination for deals where the manager did demonstrably work during the term. Insist on this in writing.
2. Limit commission to areas the manager actually developed such as live bookings the manager secured, not passive income like pre existing publishing or new syncs that came from other sources.
3. Insert a clawback clause where the manager must show receipts and work logs to justify ongoing commission.

Pay to Play and Playlist Fee Scams

How it works

Someone offers guaranteed playlist placement on streaming platforms for a fee. Officially the platforms prohibit paying for placement. The scammers take money and either do nothing or add your song to low value user created playlists or private accounts that generate fake streams using bots. The net result is a small burst and then a continuing fee for services that have no sustainable value.

Real life example

A playlist curator asks for a placement fee to add your song to a curated playlist. You pay. Your song gets placed on a playlist with 200 followers that is used as a bot farm. You get a small spike. Months later the curator asks for more money to push the same track to new lists. They claim ongoing promotion but give you nothing real. The curator asks for a recurring fee for the false pretense of maintainance.

Red flags

• Upfront placement fees with no contract or a verbal deal.
• Playlists with suspicious follower counts and no real engagement.
• Curators who pressure for recurring payments to refresh placements.

How to protect yourself

1. Do not pay for placement. Official DSPs forbid this and it can lead to penalties including removal.
2. Verify playlists. Look at follower growth, user profiles, and engagement rates. If streams spike but followers and saves do not, be skeptical.
3. Leverage legit promotion channels. Use DSPs own editorial submissions and focus on building real fan engagement with targeted marketing and live shows.

Administration Scams and Royalty Collection Traps

How it works

An admin company offers to collect your royalties for a fee. That is a normal service. The scam happens when the administrator takes an admin split that never decreases, assigns exclusive rights to collect in perpetuity, or fails to register works properly with performing rights organizations and then claims uncollectable fees. They may also double dip by taking an administration fee on monies they did not collect.

Real life example

You sign with an administrator that charges 20 percent for life and claims they will register and collect your publishing royalties worldwide. Years later you find out they never registered your songs with major performing rights organizations or left your metadata wrong. You lost years of income and the admin still wants their full percentage for years they did nothing.

Red flags

• Contracts that grant exclusive administration for the life of the copyright.
• Admin splits that never step down after you reach a revenue milestone.
• Failure to provide quarterly accounting and royalty statements.

What to demand

1. Non exclusive administration for a fixed term with renewal options based on performance.
2. Audit rights and quarterly statements. If they refuse, walk away.
3. Registration proof with PROs and ISRC reporting details for recordings. Demand clear metadata and ownership registration logs.

Ghost Producer and Beat Leasing Scams

How it works

Some producers sell beats with dodgy licensing terms. They promise exclusive rights and then resell the beat multiple times. Alternatively they claim exclusive rights but retain the ability to exploit the master or composition without sharing profits. A beat lease that sounds like exclusive ownership may actually be a limited license that leaves you vulnerable later.

Real life example

You buy an exclusive beat for a price and later discover the producer resold the same beat to other artists. Streams and sync offers create confusion and claims of infringement. Or the producer keeps a right to use the beat for their own projects without sharing the income.

Red flags

• No clear contract or license document that specifies exclusivity and rights.
• Vague language about usage and revenue splits.
• Producer unwilling to put exclusivity in writing or to provide a timeline for transfer of ownership.

How to avoid

1. Get a written agreement that spells out exclusive ownership transfer or a detailed license that defines territory, formats, and duration.
2. Confirm that the producer assigns the composition rights by registering the work with the appropriate bodies under your ownership.
3. Use escrow for large payments. Pay only after the contract is signed and registration steps are completed.

Fake Sync and Licensing Agencies

How it works

Scammers promise sync placements in TV shows, films, or commercials in exchange for upfront fees or rights. They may also ask for exclusive licenses for long terms while delivering no placements or only low value placements that do not justify the deal.

Real life example

An agency promises a placement in an upcoming indie film for a fee plus partial licensing rights. After payment you get a single low profile placement in a student project that has no distribution. The agency keeps the rights and your money.

Red flags

• Upfront fees for the promise of sync placement with no escrow or documented relationships.
• Agency refuses to provide references or past placements with verifiable credits.
• Exclusive sync rights for long terms without performance milestones.

How to deal with it

1. Never pay large upfront fees for promised placements. Legit agencies work for a commission on delivered placements.
2. Ask for verifiable credits with contactable production companies or music supervisors who used their placements.
3. Insist on performance milestones and allow termination if benchmarks are not met.

Key Contract Clauses You Must Watch

Contracts have many sneaky lines. Here are the clauses that most often create a tail that does not step down. If you see any of these ask for specific language changes or walk away.

Assignment of Copyright

What to look for

Any clause that transfers copyright ownership to the other party. Instead ask for a limited license or a production buyout with clear payment and reversion terms. If the agreement requires assignment ask that it be limited to a single project with a guaranteed reversion clause after a fixed period or after meeting revenue thresholds.

Survival and Continuation Clauses

What to look for

These clauses state which obligations survive termination. Watch for blanket language that keeps commissions and rights alive indefinitely. Instead require a defined sunset period and explicit list of surviving obligations.

Wide Definition of Income

What to look for

Contracts will try to define income broadly to include everything from merchandising to mechanical royalties. Narrow the definition to only the income categories the other party actually will work on. Exclude unrelated income streams such as pre existing publishing, session work, or revenue from other projects unless the contract explicitly states services provided for those areas.

Exclusive Representation

What to look for

Exclusive representation that lasts a long time is risky. If you must give exclusivity limit it to specific territories or services and include easy exit clauses if the other party misses benchmarks. Prefer non exclusive relationships for early stage partnerships.

Indemnity Clauses

What to look for

Indemnity clauses that make you responsible for all legal costs regardless of fault are dangerous. Push to limit indemnity to willful misconduct and require the other party to share legal responsibility for their actions.

Practical Negotiation Tactics That Actually Work

Here are short, usable tactics you can use when a contract shows up

• Ask for a trial period of three to six months. Evaluate performance and then agree to a longer term only if the party hits specific KPIs.
• Insert a sunset clause for any ongoing commission. A common and reasonable ask is 12 months after termination for manager commissions tied to deals they helped close.
• Insist on transparency. Demand quarterly statements, bank reconciliations, and clear reporting on activities related to your career.
• Limit assignment to specific projects and require reversion of rights after a clear milestone such as recoupment plus a fixed time.
• Get ownership registration proof. For publishing make sure works are registered with performing rights organizations. For recordings make sure ISRC and metadata are assigned under your control.

Real World Scripts You Can Use Right Now

These are short cold hard scripts you can paste into an email or DM when negotiating or when confronting shady behavior.

Script to Request Sunset on Commission

Thanks for your proposal. I am excited about working together. For fairness I need a clear sunset on commissions after termination. Propose a 12 month tail for deals you directly brought in during the term. If you agree I will sign and we will begin work immediately. Please confirm in writing.

Script to Ask for Proof of Playlist Placement

I appreciate the playlist placement offer. Before payment please share the playlist public link, follower count, and a screenshot of recent engagement. I will confirm after payment that the track is added. If any placement is removed within 30 days I expect a full refund. Please confirm these terms.

Script to Demand Accounting and Registration Proof

Please provide quarterly royalty statements and registration confirmation for all songs and recordings you claim to represent. Include registration IDs for performing rights organizations and ISRC codes for recordings. Until I receive these records I cannot approve deductions or continued commission payments for past periods.

Script to Request Reversion of Rights

After reviewing the agreement I need a reversion clause that returns assigned rights to me if you do not recoup production costs within 24 months or if no licensed exploitation occurs during that time. If you prefer a buy out option propose clear payment terms. Please send revised language so we can finalize.

If You Think You Are Already Scammed

Take a deep breath. Panic makes people sign worse deals. Follow this plan.

1. Gather all evidence. Contracts emails DMs bank transfers and screenshots of promised services.
2. Do not burn bridges. Send a calm written request for accounting and a cure period. Do not threaten until you know your legal position.
3. Consult an entertainment lawyer. Many lawyers offer free initial calls. A lawyer will tell you whether the contract is voidable, unconscionable, or induced by fraud.
4. File complaints. For scam managers contact local trade bodies. For fraudulent payment processors notify your bank and consider chargebacks if you used a credit card. For fake playlists report abuse to the streaming platform.
5. Start damage control. Register your works with a PRO and make sure future releases have correct metadata and ISRCs to minimize further leakage.

Essential Terms and Acronyms Explained

We explain the small print so you can sound smart and not smug at a negotiation table.

PRO

PRO stands for Performing Rights Organization. These are organizations that collect public performance royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers when music is broadcast on radio, played on TV, streamed, or performed live. Examples in the US are ASCAP American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers, BMI Broadcast Music Incorporated, and SESAC Society of European Stage Authors and Composers. Always confirm your publisher or administrator properly registers your works with the relevant PROs.

ISRC

ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. This is a unique identifier for a recording. It tells platforms and collection agencies what specific master recording earned income. If your ISRC metadata is wrong you might not get paid. Demand records of ISRC assignment from producers or labels.

UPC

UPC stands for Universal Product Code. This is the identifier for a release as a whole. Streaming services use UPCs to track sales and streams for an album or single. Keep the UPC under your control or make sure your distributor registers it correctly.

Sync

Sync short for synchronization is the license to place music in visual media like TV shows films commercials and video games. Beware of sync agencies asking for large upfront fees. Legit sync licensing is usually commission based with the agency collecting a percentage of the license fee they secure for you.

Recoupment

Recoupment means the process where a company that invests money in you recovers that money from your earnings before you receive royalties. If a label fronts recording costs many contracts require you to pay the label back from your income before you get further royalties. Always clarify what counts as recoupable and the rate at which recoupment is applied.

Common Myths and Reality Checks

• Myth: Any manager who promises immediate big placements is legit. Reality: Fast promises often rely on short lived tricks or paid placement that will not sustain your career.
• Myth: Lifetime rights are fine because I will never be able to sell my catalog. Reality: Lifetime rights can destroy your ability to monetize in the future and you may regret an early sign away when demand increases.
• Myth: Small fees are harmless. Reality: Small fees spread across many scammers can drain your budget and create long term obligations that compound.

Checklist You Can Use Before Signing Anything

• Is the term finite or for life Ask for a clear end date.
• Who owns the copyrights after the deal Are you assigning or licensing
• What income streams are included Narrow the list to services provided
• Is there a sunset period for commissions If not ask for one
• Are there audit rights and regular accounting If not demand them
• Do they register works with PROs and assign ISRC codes Confirm in writing
• Are there performance milestones If none add them
• Do you have independent legal advice Try to get a lawyer to review

Final Practical Moves to Build a Tail That Steps Down Nicely

Do this to build a future where any tails fade and you keep the lion share of your earnings.

1. Own your metadata Register everything early with your PRO and register ISRC and UPC under your name or trusted distributor.
2. Create simple transparent deals with managers and partners. Use written service agreements not informal promises. Tie payments to deliverables.
3. Use short trial terms and clear performance metrics. If the manager or partner hits the metrics extend the term. If they do not meet metrics end the relationship quickly and cleanly.
4. Keep copies of all communications. If someone claims they did work keep the receipts and logs so you can match actions to payments.
5. Educate yourself on common industry language. When you know what terms mean bad actors have less ability to confuse you.

Get Contact Details of Music Industry Gatekeepers

Looking for an A&R, Manager or Record Label to skyrocket your music career?

Don’t wait to be discovered, take full control of your music career. Get access to the contact details of the gatekeepers of the music industry. We're talking email addresses, contact numbers, social media...

Packed with contact details for over 3,000 of the top Music Managers, A&Rs, Booking Agents & Record Label Executives.

Get exclusive access today, take control of your music journey and skyrocket your music career.

Unlock Instant Access