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 ABOUT THE SHOW: The Exit Interview | On Air with Shana Aya unpacks career reinvention, identity shifts, and the future of work.

From boardrooms to creative industries, we go behind the pivot with leaders who chose purpose over title. Hosts: Shana Ayabe x Kisha Imani Cameron SUBSCRIBE for weekly deep dives on bold career moves. #musicbusiness #musicindustry #marcebassy #theexitinterview #careerreinvention