With reports suggesting Apple seek to sign Beyonce once her current contract with Columbia wraps, R&B royal Usher now finds himself nearing the end of his run with the label, owing ‘RCA‘ one more album before he becomes free to find a new home for his music…or stay put.
Details on his game changing decision, via Billboard, below…
Billboard’s “What Will Upcoming Contract Negotiations Mean for Taylor Swift, Usher and Justin Timberlake?” explains:
Taylor Swift, Usher and Justin Timberlake are about to enter an all-too-familiar crossroads for pop superstars: Their next albums will also be the last ones due to their respective major labels (Big Machine/Universal for Swift, RCA for Timberlake and Usher).
But unlike the mega-stars of yore, today’s top acts face a different marketplace in which they’re required to work much harder for their hefty advances — with lower sales to show for it. In fact, you would have to go all the way back to 2001 to a find a nine-figure commitment, when Whitney Houston re-upped with Arista for a multi-album deal worth $100 million. Britney Spears recently renewed her deal with RCA for an undisclosed sum, sources tell Billboard. But when Timberlake, Swift and Usher head to the table, what can they expect?
Today, the high end of a recording contract is a $7 million-plus advance per album, but it’s rare that an artist secures that large a payout without giving up a piece of his or her ancillary income. Indeed, 360 deals are now the norm among newer acts —One Direction, Ed Sheeran and 5 Seconds of Summer all have revenue-sharing agreements with their labels on touring, merch and other back-end fees. So are such hefty upfront payments a thing of the past?
“Each case is different,” offers Kenny Meiselas, a senior partner at Grubman Shire & Meiselas, who represents Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga. “When you have an artist at the peak of their career, I’ve never seen a record company not be open to renegotiating and treating their artist fairly.” Meiselas would know: He just renegotiated Mary J. Blige‘s contract with Universal Music Group, moving her from Interscope to Capitol for her anticipated London Sessions album (see story, page 40) in what one source describes as a “very lucrative” deal. Says Meiselas with a smirk: “We figured it out.”
One thing certain about the new contracts is that “marquee artists will own their own masters,” says manager Jim Guerinot, who represented Nine Inch Nails for decades. “When Nine Inch Nails did their deal, they signed for a high royalty with a low advance and they own the master. Artists make most of their money on the road anyway.”
Indeed, adds Joel Katz, chairman of global entertainment and media practice for Greenberg Traurig, who reps Timberlake among other music clients: “Artists will not only want to reserve as many rights as they can, they will also want to retain ownership of their new albums.”
That’s if they choose to stick with a label, rather than taking the DIY route, as acts like Wilco and Prince have done with varying degrees of success. A major facing a defection can offer one more carrot, however: an imprint. Pharrell Williams has one (I Am Other with Columbia) as does Maroon 5‘s Adam Levine (222 Records through Interscope). Such deals not only give acts signing power, but allow them to license new releases for “pressing and distribution” (or P&D) deals, which can net as much as an 80 percent to 85 percent profit split, compared with the more standard 50/50 share. However, Timberlake (with Tennman for Interscope) and Usher (with US Records for Sony’s J) have already tried that approach, with little to show for it. Still, labels may look to revive the concept come re-up time.
Whatever Usher does next, here’s hoping he finds a lane and sticks to it.
For, one wouldn’t know Mr. Raymond was enjoying his 20th year in the game by looking at his more recent material, seemingly hell bent on competing with boys-inspired-by-boys he inspired and not his actual contemporaries, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Britney.
Unfortunately, while those three are now widely regarded as icons, Raymond’s lack of direction over the years has seen his position in music swim in unsure waters, now tasked with playing catch up with Chris Brown.
Sad, when one remembers Brown was five years old when his first album dropped.
Now, as he continues work on his new LP, here’s hoping Raymond’s creatives develop the kind of ideas that see him cloaked with a Jay Z-esque regality and a Drake-esque “relatability”, and armed with glossy music videos, photo shoots and interviews that pack a “grown’n’youthful” punch.
If they don’t?
More of the above.
Well, i don’t see him resigning with this company at all. Most artist who ruled the 00’s are on the horizon of being done with their contracts.
Can it just be his last album in general? He’s tired.
Shut The F*** Up. B**** you tired. Don’t come at King Ush like that
I read that Apple is going after Mariah, as well. But, of course Sam won’t report that.
Mariah is like 50 years old who cares?
You cared enough to comment.
Mariah is LEGEND and still selling out shows internationally. What will your fave be doing at 44 years old?
^^ This is why Sherry and I are sisters lol
Anywho… His eyebrows are flawless on that pic..
lmao @ you grouping britney along with Yonce and timberlake. Stiffknee been dead and gone since 07. That expired corpse in vegas is definitely not revered in the same way as B and JT.
As for Usher, all the best to him. Maybe he should sign with Parkwood, let B manage him and give him the artistic direction that he desperately needs.
Shut up, you sound stupid. Usher has been on his own for 20 years, beyonce has been owned & operated by the men in her life since day 1. She can’t do anything without her husband behind the wheel. Usher is a 20-year Icon, the last thing he’s going to do is be managed by a puppet.
Lmfao @ needing anyone. She manages her own career, something Usher still cannot do, even after 20yrs in the biz. Yonce outearns and is worth more than her husband so wtf are you even tryna say? SHE has kept his mainstream career afloat, by him associating with her. Y’all can’t stand when women are successful based on their own merit, you wanna give credit to a man. Sorry, that aint the case over here.
I’d say release singles Usher only cuz I don’t buy his full
Albums!! Lol
Poor Usher is struggling right now. I heard his latest single and it sounded like an August Alsina reject.
That N**** still selling out arenas. He’s not struggling so shut yo dumb ass up.
No shade whoever said usher should sign with parkwood I am laughing but maybe he should. And with roc nation. I feel they could bring him back to his glory days. Roc nation and parkwood is where it’s AT.
What successful artists are with Roc Nation other than Rihanna and J.Cole? They will do nothing for Ushers career.
Rita Ora is currently their biggest cash cow, she slays with endorsements, fashion, movies, touring overseas, plus her music is relatively successful in Europe. They just haven’t managed to get her to pop in the US (musically).
Usher already has a name and catalogue to work with, he should get in with them tbh. Even if it’s a partnership thing. Affiliation with Jay/Rih/Ye will do much better than him collaborating with Kid Ink, Tinashe, August A, chris brown etc
“…seemingly hell bent on competing with boys-inspired-by-boys he inspired and not his actual contemporaries, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Britney.”
Sums it all, RIGHT THERE.
They summed it up all the way correct… he has lost his footing and is now with the August, Chris, and Treys of the world instead of with Bey, Justin, and Pink.
That means he still got youth appeal B****!!!!!
Better pull a Prince and Janet, own your masters and sign 1 or 2 albums deals. I wonder what kond of deal Rihanna got with Roc Nation.
You’re a homosexual, that’s what kind of deal she got.
Oh look, a fan. Hi fan.
She probably has a nice deal with Roc, hence why she can finally take time to work on and release a record. The album-a-year Def Jam slavery is over.
Usher is a Proven 20 year Icon who didn’t need disney, the mickey mouse club, or his daddy to make him a star. He did it on his own. And his sales, status, and number of hits remains unmatched by his so-called ‘contemporaries’, all of whom he has outsold and all who have yet to see the album sales that he has. He doesn’t need career advice from some low budget blog who doesn’t know anything past some girl who needed her daddy and continues to need her husband to run her career.
You tried it in that other post…
She probably has a nice deal with Roc, hence why she can finally take time to work on and release a record. The album-a-year Def Jam slavery is over.
Yassssssssssssssssss Stan for King Ush.
By the way Usher is a wayyy better performer then Beyonce.
Um. Usher was managed/controlled by his mother for most of his career. But unlike when Beyonce left Matthew, when Usher left his mother, his career went into the toilet and has yet to recover. He stopped selling albums and had to resort to being a judge on a reality show singing competition.
J Lo,Nicki Minaj,Adam Levine, and Pharell have been judges. So wat ur trying too say is being a judge on a singing reality show means ur a flop? On top of that the seasons that Usher appeared on The Voice it became highest rated over American Idol and X Factor
welp he’s done I never cared for him anyways he’s nothing but a trend hopper
Usher should take some time off & create good music. No rushing…
He needs to retire. I’m in the US right now and I heard his new song, I was SCREAMING. Death at him resorting to Fist Brown rejects. Death at him jumping on the Juicy J bandwagon two years late.
don’t forget the song with Kid Ink and Tinashe. also, the desperate attempt to make Blurred Lines 2.0. it’s all just so sad and thirsty. Like, you should be an icon, act like it, da f** are you doing?
He’s already an icon. That USHER your talking about. He’s The Best Performer out right now and he’s selling out arenas. You just think he should be a stuck up snob that doesn’t work with younger artist . If that’s the case then Michael Jackson should of never shared the stage with NSYNC or (8701)Usher in 2001.
Like him releasing a ton of EDM singles while that trend was still big.
Like him releasing a Pharrell produced single from a one-year old album that hadn’t had promotion in almost a year when said single was released when BL was smashing.
Like him hopping on the Pharrell funk bandwagon and releasing TWO songs similar to BL, both tanking to hell with major promo.
Like when just now he has resorted to making a song about strippers with Juicy J.
The desperation is real. No wonder his tour is kinda flopping. Too bad, I remember he almost won me back in 2012 with Climax.
Usher doesn’t make dated music he sticks with the times.Thats why he’s been relevant for 20 Years!!!! You f***** up jackass
And that’s also why his career has struggled since after Confessions, sans “OMG” (which was still the THIRD single from that album).
Keyshia Cole
WOW!
Usher got many chances to “WOW” us with his awards performances at the BET Awards and VMAs but all those performances were dull. I am really rooting for him since he is at Legendary status now but the performances and the songs (excluding `Good Kisser`) are real boring.
First of all he did Wow Us. Your just blind. That Medley at the Bet Awards was straight FIRE!!!!!!!!! And the VMAs he had the best performance of the night. You need to have a seat
F*** Mariah the b**** is old and faded. Every little queen is on her like she paying their bills or something. some boy need to remember they are BOYS and stop trying to be queens. yall know how many albums thd b**** sold, how many awards the b**** has, how many times the fat pink b**** sold, get a f****** life of your own. yall argueing like her stats are your stats. IJFS GET A LIFE
If Mariah is tired, what the F*** is Usher? How dare you insult a legendary queenly icon like Mariah.
Yet you’re here doing the same thing acting more feminine than I a woman who is on her period! B**** you can’t decide what the f*** people do with time. Mariah was BARELY brought up and here you come popping up like one of your h***** outbreak. Men and women don’t want you. Go sit the f*** DOWN!
Methinks if Usher don’t find a way to pull a rabbit out of his hat with his next album, he’s basically toast at RCA. To save him face they’ll call the split “amicable,” when in reality they’ll have either bid him adieu or will offer him the same kind of has-been deal somebody like Ciara gets that’ll be too insulting for him to agree to take. Usher’s been in trouble for a while now, and it’s his own fault. Rather than accept his age and play to his core fan base, he’s running around like an old man in midlife crisis, trying to impress kids half his age. He’s basically the male version of that silly Mariah Carey woman.
But dahling that LEGENDARY Mariah woman still makes amazing music. Can you say the same about FLUSHer? MIAMTEC shits on every usher album post 2004 now twirl on THAT!!!
Usher is more relevant than Mariah scary
In what way is Mariah trend hopping? I don’t see her clinging to Iggy or hopping on the EDM trend. Go sit down and educate yourself b**** before you go trolling.
I’m gonna be perfectly honest, Usher is talented but he seems so lost musically. 2014 should have been the year he said to himself, “it’s been 20 years since my debut and a decade since my landmark album. I need to show people again why they enjoyed me in the first place.” Instead, he spent the majority of this year putting out subpar music. Part of what made him very successful in the past was that not only could he perform well but his music very relatable. Think You Make Me Wanna, U Got It Bad
Burn and Climax. The songs he released this year were so pandering with I Dont Mind being a lyrical embarassment for someone with two decades in. Clueless was the best thing he put out and it came from a damn cereal box! All in all, I wish him well and hope that he realises that there are people who genuinely want mature, well thought out music from him. Oh and I dunno what y’all are on but Usher icon.
He needs Beyoncé to mentor & manage him and help him find his artistry tbh. He should sign up to parkwood tbh maybe he might slay like JT
For real Shut up about Beyonce Damn it!!!!Usher has more top ten hits than her in the 2000s and 2010s decade. Usher doesn’t need her
Usher is played out. He had a long run where it seemed like he was virtually untouchable, but when he finally fell from grace it wasn’t a mere stumble it was a rapid plummet. Like a quarter dropped over a ledge. Usher’s sales were bigger than JT’s and Beyonce’s 10 years ago, yet 10 years later he can’t even do a third of their current numbers or generate a third of their public interest. He went from A-list to hanging out with Trey, August and Chris. LOL! WTF is that?! Now like Mariah he’s releasing 432 first singles, throwing meat at the ceiling desperately hoping something sticks — while procrastinating his album because everyone knows what kind of fate it would have if he were to release it now. Mark my words, after this album is finally released and tanks, he’s out the door at RCA. They won’t try to keep him.
He is an icon like Beyonce, Justin T. Every superstar has their disappointing moments in their career. Nobody is perfect! Leave Usher alone and stop being mean to him. All the best to Usher, U are still the man! Hope things get better for him soon!
Funkriah is a simple w****. Sherry eat Mariah box out. dam and that other baldheaded, bad breath, buck tooth, bamma b**** The weak ass Elusive Lamb know bamma b**** i will make lambchops out of you, you weak ass stank v***** h**. bye b****.
looking at usher’s career i feel his mother is very lucky for him. I mean straight back when he released his 1st album it was a flop at that time he was managed by puff but after that when her mother(JONETTA PATTON) took his career in her hands usher gave us MY WAY, 8701 & mega monster CONFESSIONS but after that usher fired her and HERE I STAND flopped and so his career. Believe me or not but Usher’s ego is very big he can ruin his career but can’t let his mother manage him. He should have been in the league of MJ right now like a legend but he aint serious. His passion, his swag, his dance, his s** appeal, his U chain everything is missing now. Just look at his face he needs a shave damn.
and he doesnt need beyonce to manage his career but atleast beyonce will be far better than Grace miguel.
Well I wouldn’t say his career flopped b/c record sales Raymond Vs Raymond was very successful too like My Way and 8701 were. His popularity took a hit b/c of autotuned dance music dominating. This trend of music dominating hurt Usher’s popularity a lot sadly. Usher doesn’t belong in RCA records based on what happened last time after he release l4m! Not to mention better management, label and promo for him is needed pronto I.e (Def Jam or Interscope preferrably). It’s not his fault, R&B, other genres to a certain degree struggled in 2012! Plus anyone reaching MJ is impossible and I don’t think it will ever be done by anyone.
For the last 2 years of Usher’s decline, Trey has been doing better than Usher and we are seeing Chris Brown on the rise again. Plus they both are younger! (All this, My Opinion, no offense anyone) I’m positive that Usher will prove himself again and make it happen again regardless of his competition b/c at the end of the day, his massive overall accomplishments will never be taken away from him and he will always be my idol.
Don’t believe this Hurtful article Usher fans. That is not True, Usher is still an icon. Last time I recall Britney Spears popularity has been declining since end of Femme fatale era (end of 2011) and When the Britney Jean era began. Britney jean album last year was a huge flop.
No offense to Britney fans, she is having a dark moment in her career and Usher is starting his comeback. Well he managed to get a R&B hit with Good Kisser (#1 R&B/hip hop airplay) and his collab with Chris Brown did great. His latest song I don’t mind is on it’s way to outperforming his first two singles. This article is very hurtful and Usher has accomplished too much in the past. The reasons people are hating on Usher and Britney is because they both have earned Diamond selling worthy cd’s and they dominated in their best eras in every single charting category.
People need to give them a break. They both will def comeback and they are still icons at the end of the day. PEOPLE need to stop saying Usher is fading, irrelevant, etc. I still hear people play his music all the time.
He is still the man and he is not in Competition with Chris Brown, Trey songz. Chris (don’t let his accomplishments fool u) and Trey will always have a long way to go to reach Usher’s status. They will never replace Usher in the long run. Don’t let people tell u Chris or Trey are the best in R&B when they both struggled in 2012. Well Chris Brown’s Fortune album was a huge flop. No offense anyone!