Why Every Artist Should Own Their Masters: The Real Cost of Signing Away Your Music
The Painful Truth Behind Major Label Deals
For decades, the music industry has sold artists a dream — fame, success, and opportunity — but buried in the fine print of most major label contracts is a nightmare that lasts a lifetime. The moment an artist signs away their masters, they often sign away their freedom.
Those “masters” — the original recordings of your songs — are the most valuable asset in your career. Whoever owns them, owns your music. And too often, it isn’t the artist.
From The Beatles to Taylor Swift, history is filled with stories of artists fighting to reclaim the very songs they created. The truth is simple: if you don’t own your masters, you don’t truly own your art.
What It Means to “Own Your Masters”
To “own your masters” means you legally control the original sound recordings of your music — not just the lyrics or the performance, but the master files that generate royalties every time your song is streamed, sold, licensed, or used in film, TV, and advertising.
If you own your masters, you control:
Where your music is distributed
How it’s used commercially (syncs, ads, movies, etc.)
Who profits from it — and how much you earn
Without ownership, you’re simply “renting” your art from someone else. Even if your face is on the cover, the profit often isn’t in your hands.
How Traditional Deals Strip Ownership
Most major label contracts are built around advances and recoupment — meaning the label fronts the cost of production, marketing, and distribution, and in return, owns your masters (often forever).
They recoup every dollar they spend before you see a cent. Even worse:
You might make pennies per stream.
You can’t decide where or how your music is used.
You often need label permission to perform, license, or remix your own work.
In exchange for “exposure,” many artists sign deals that take their life’s work out of their hands. It’s an outdated system built to exploit creativity, not empower it.
How Independent Labels Like Invictus Protect Artists
That’s why Invictus Records was created — to flip the system and put power back where it belongs: in the hands of the artist.
As an independent, woman-owned, artist-first label, Invictus was born from a belief that musicians deserve more than a check — they deserve ownership, transparency, and equity.
We don’t trap artists in fine print. We partner with them.
We don’t “sign” talent away — we elevate it.
Our model ensures artists:
Retain ownership of their masters
Share in profits, not losses
Understand every detail of their agreements
Have creative control and full access to their catalog
Invictus isn’t here to take — we’re here to build. Together.
Why Ownership = Power and Longevity
When you own your masters, you’re not just protecting your art — you’re building a legacy.
Ownership gives you:
Generational wealth — your royalties pass to your family
Creative control — no one can repackage, remix, or re-release without your consent
Leverage — when negotiating future deals, sync placements, or brand partnerships
Freedom — to decide how and where your music lives
It’s the difference between being controlled by the industry and controlling your own destiny.
And in a world where independence is power, your masters are your crown jewels.
Final Word
The music industry doesn’t need more broken contracts — it needs better partnerships.
At Invictus Records, we believe artists should own their sound, their voice, and their future. We’re not here to profit off your talent — we’re here to protect it.
Own your masters. Own your voice. Own your future.
Because the unconquered don’t sign away their freedom — they define it.
At Invictus Records, we believe you should own your future — learn more about how we help artists protect theirs.