The Real Cost of a Record Deal: 18% vs 80% | Marc E. Bassy

18% vs 80%: The Hidden Truth Inside The Music Business | Marc E. Bassy

What does a $1.5M major record deal really cost? Hit songwriter turned independent label owner Marc E. Bassy breaks down the real music business, music royalties, and why owning your masters beats chasing a major label.

On this episode of The Exit Interview | On Air with Shana Aya, Marc reveals the code behind the music industry — from how a record deal actually pays, to how he walked away from a major and kept 80% of 170M streams instead of 18%. If you’re an independent artist, creator, or entrepreneur navigating ownership vs. access, this is the blueprint for understanding the through line between creative and business that runs on politics.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

✓ The real math behind a record deal: 18% vs 80% and how music royalties work

✓ Why Marc E. Bassy left a $1.5M major label deal to go independent

✓ The hidden code of the music business most artists never learn

✓ How to think like a label head: “client services” and building around the artist

✓ Ownership, leverage and longevity — from songwriter to CEO and father

ABOUT MARC E. BASSY: Bay Area singer-songwriter Marc E. Bassy with hit songs Morning and You & Me ft. G-Eazy. He has co-written on hits for CeeLo Green, Sean Kingston, and more. Marc built his career on major labels before betting on independence. As founder of New Gold Medal, he’s amassed 170M+ independent streams — and kept the ownership.

Listen to Marc E. Bassy: Spotify

Follow Marc: Instagram