A recording contract (commonly called a record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists under contract are normally only allowed to record for that label exclusively; guest appearances on other artists' records will carry a notice "By courtesy of (the name of the label)", and that label may receive a percentage of sales.

Labels typically own the copyright in the records their artists make, and also the master copies of those records. An exception is when a label makes a distribution deal with an artist; in this case, the artist, their manager, or another party may own the copyright (and masters), while the record is licensed exclusively to the label for a set period of time. Promotion is a key factor in the success of a record, and is largely the label's responsibility, as is proper distribution of records.

While initial recording deals usually yield a smaller percentage of royalties to the artists, subsequent (or renegotiated) deals can result in much greater profit, or profit potential. A few acts, such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, U2, Janet Jackson and Barbra Streisand, among others, have signed multimillion-dollar deals. Whitney Houston signed a $100 million dollar deal with BMG to deliver just six albums. Robbie Williams signed an £80m (US$125m) contract with EMI. For many other artists, though, for the millions to become tangible, hit albums meeting or exceeding their previous sales figures must follow. Recording contracts may include opt-out clauses for the label in the event an act's popularity dips or the act releases non-hit albums under the deal; for instance Mariah Carey's unprecedented $100 million five-album contract with Virgin Records was bought out by Virgin for $28 million, after her album released by the company sold poorly.

Simon Phillip Cowell (born 7 October 1959) is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol. He is also the owner of the television production and music publishing house Syco.

As a judge, Cowell is known for his blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults and wisecracks about contestants and their abilities. He is also known for combining activities in both the television and music industries, having promoted singles and records for various artists, including television personalities. He was most recently featured on the fifth series of Britain's Got Talent and the first season of The X Factor USA.

In 2010, the British magazine New Statesman listed Cowell at number 41 in a list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".

Cowell was born in Lambeth, London and brought up in Elstree, Hertfordshire. His mother, Julie Brett (née Josie Dalglish), is a former ballet dancer and socialite, and his father, Eric Selig Phillip Cowell (1918–1999), was an estate agent developer and music industry executive. Cowell's father was from a mostly Jewish family, though he did not discuss his background with his children (Cowell's paternal grandmother had immigrated from Poland). Cowell's mother was from a Christian background, and is of part Scottish descent. He has one brother and three half-brothers and a half sister; younger brother Nicholas Cowell, half-brother John Cowell, half-brother Tony Cowell, half-brother Michael Cowell and half sister June Cowell.

Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger (born June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, model and actress. Scherzinger is well known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. Previously, Scherzinger was a backing vocalist for the late-1990s rock group Days of the New and was a part of reality TV girl group Eden's Crush. After the disbandment of the group, she joined the Pussycat Dolls and became the group's lead vocalist during their transition into a career in music.

The Pussycat Dolls rose to prominence when they enlisted Scherzinger as their lead front woman of the group. When Scherzinger joined the now multi-platinum group, they became a worldwide phenomenon, releasing two albums, PCD (2008) and Doll Domination (2008) and embarked on several concert tours. With her strong vocal range, Scherzinger scored the group a string of massive hit singles, including the number ones "Don’t Cha" (2005) and "Buttons" (2006), "Stickwitu" (2005), "I Hate This Part" (2008), and "When I Grow Up" (2008), which hit the Top 10 in 16 countries. In 2009, Scherzinger wrote and recorded an adaptation of A.R. Rahman’s "Jai Ho" (from the film "Slumdog Millionaire") which went to number one in 17 countries. Their debut album, PCD, has sold nine million copies worldwide, and their sophomore album, Doll Domination, has sold 5 million copies worldwide to date. The group won three Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and toured with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and The Black Eyed Peas. The Dolls have sold 15 million albums, and 37 million singles worldwide, making them one of the best selling girl groups of all time.

Carly Rose Sonenclar (born April 20, 1999) is an American child actress, singer and songwriter.

Carly was born in New York City and resides in Westchester County, New York. She began singing at age 2, imitating several of the performers on the early years of American Idol. She took numerous singing, dancing and acting classes, and one of her teachers put her in touch with a New York City talent agency, which signed her. She enjoys softball and has an older brother, Russell.

Carly began her professional career in 2006 in The Night of the Hunter at the New York Musical Theater Festival in which she played the lead role of Pearl. In that same year, she made her Broadway debut in Les Miserables as Young Cosette. In 2009, she appeared in the national tour of Little House of the Prairie the Musical, starring Melissa Gilbert, originating the principal role of Carrie. Carly made her television debut as Gilda Flip, the newest Prankster and protégé of the lovably evil Francine Carruthers, the leader of the Pranksters, in season three of The Electric Company, produced by Sesame Workshop and airing on PBS. In 2011, Carly originated the principal role of Chloe in Wonderland on Broadway and garnered rave reviews including one by The New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood, who described Carly as a "preturnaturally skilled singer." She is a featured soloist on the cast CD produced by Sony Masterworks and was named the 2011 Best Young Performer by broadwayworld.com. Most recently, Carly originated the lead role of Parsley in The Big Bank, a new musical which was performed at the New York Musical Theater Festival in October, 2011.

Maria Muldaur (born September 12, 1943) is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s. She recorded the 1974 hit song "Midnight at the Oasis," and continues to record albums in the folk traditions.

Muldaur was born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato in Greenwich Village, New York City, where she attended Hunter College High School.

Muldaur began her career in the early 1960s as Maria D'Amato, performing with John Sebastian, David Grisman, and Stefan Grossman as a member of the Even Dozen Jug Band. She then joined Jim Kweskin & His Jug Band as a featured vocalist and occasional violinist. During this time, she was part of the Greenwich Village scene that included Bob Dylan, and some of her recollections of the period, particularly with respect to Dylan, appear in Martin Scorsese's 2005 documentary film, No Direction Home. She married fellow Jug Band member Geoff Muldaur, and after the Kweskin outfit broke up the two of them produced two albums. She began her solo career when their marriage ended in 1972, but retained her married name.