Lyra
The tracks you have already released can help fund your next project. With Lyra, its artificial intelligence, Dibsteur allows artists to have their music catalog analyzed to estimate an advance, then submit their request to its team. Here is how the process works and what the advance means for the income from your tracks.
A back catalog refers to the recordings an artist has already released: singles, EPs, and albums. A track released a few months ago is part of it, just like an album that has been available for several years. In an advance request, the catalog involved may consist of a selection of tracks: the scope must be specified in the agreement.
A music catalog can continue to generate streaming income long after its release, with streams of the recordings generating revenue paid out according to the agreements with the distributor and rights holders. To determine how much your tracks have actually generated, distribution statements provide a more precise basis than stream counts alone.
The term “music royalties” covers several types of compensation. To understand an advance tied to distribution, you need to identify the recording revenue covered by the contract, without confusing it with the copyright royalties associated with the compositions.
An advance on a music catalog involves receiving a sum that will later be recouped from the income specified in the contract. At Dibsteur, this offer is part of a distribution contract. The artist receives funding upfront, while a share of the revenue from their tracks is used to recoup the advance.
The amount offered is therefore not enough to compare two offers. The revenue split, the tracks committed, the exclusivity period, and any fees also determine what the artist will receive during the contract.
Lyra is an artificial intelligence developed by Dibsteur that analyzes data from a music project to estimate a potential advance. Artists can begin the process without already being Dibsteur clients. The service is separate from the Sérénité subscriptions, and the access process includes verification of the Spotify for Artists profile.
The Lyra estimate remains indicative; a funding offer requires a review of the application and an agreement with Dibsteur.
Lyra’s analysis takes into account factors including catalog performance, streams, audience, and release history. Income information may supplement the application when the available data is insufficient. Some profiles therefore do not allow an immediate estimate: the team may need additional information to review the request.
The Lyra process allows artists to enter upcoming singles or albums along with a release schedule, so the request can combine an existing catalog with new projects. However, the anticipated income from unreleased tracks remains a projection, with no guarantee of results.
The Lyra advance request involves several steps:
Submitting an application does not guarantee an advance; the applicable terms are those of the offer and contract agreed upon with Dibsteur.
Dibsteur’s advance recoupment model provides, by default, 70% of net revenue for the producer and 30% for Dibsteur. While the advance is being recouped, the producer’s share is used to cover the amount advanced. An artist who produces their own recordings may be the producer covered by this split.
Once the advance has been fully recouped, the producer’s share is paid to them according to the contractual terms. Setup fees may also apply depending on the proposed agreement.
Under the contract option that includes fees, insufficient royalties alone do not trigger a requirement to personally repay the remaining balance. The contract provides for exceptions, particularly if false data is supplied.
However, incomplete recoupment of the advance may extend the commitment: this option provides for renewal of exclusive exploitation in one-year periods until full recoupment. At the end of the initial term, the producer may choose to pay the remaining balance to avoid this extension; exclusivity then ends three months after repayment. These provisions must be checked in the offer received, as they should not be generalized to all agreements.
An artist whose tracks are already distributed elsewhere must check their existing commitments before transferring the tracks involved to Dibsteur. Selecting tracks in Lyra does not terminate the contract with the previous distributor.
To assist with the transfer, Dibsteur has a tool that can retrieve certain data automatically. In particular, the artist must have the audio files in WAV format and the cover artwork in JPG format, at 3,000 × 3,000 pixels. The guide to transferring your distribution to Dibsteur details the process.
To prepare your request, identify the tracks you want to present and the upcoming releases to include in the project. Keep your income statements available: they may supplement the analysis if necessary.
Visit Lyra to begin the evaluation of your music catalog and submit your project to Dibsteur.
No, you can begin the process without already being a Dibsteur client. The process includes verification of your Spotify for Artists profile.
No, the estimate is indicative. The Dibsteur team must review your application before offering an advance and its contractual terms.
Yes, but you must check your commitments to your current distributor before any transfer. Submitting a request through Lyra does not terminate your existing contract.
Yes, Lyra allows you to add upcoming singles or albums with their planned release schedule. Their evaluation is based on projections, with no guarantee of future income.
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