In a recording agreement, what does 'assignment of masters' mean?

• A. Transfer of ownership of master recordings to the label
• B. Transfer of the songwriter’s publishing rights
• C. A license to use a master's image in marketing
• D. A grant of merchandising rights

Answer: (A)

Assignment of masters means transferring ownership of the master recordings—the actual sound recordings—from the artist to the label. The master is the finished performance capture, and whoever owns the masters has control over how those recordings are used, licensed, marketed, and monetized. That ownership shift is what the term “assignment” conveys: the label gains exclusive rights to exploit the masters, recoup investments, and collect the related revenues. This is distinct from publishing rights, which cover the underlying songs themselves (the compositions) rather than the recorded performances. Licensing a master’s image for marketing or merchandising rights are separate concepts and do not describe ownership of the sound recordings themselves.