Customized artist services for solo artists, bands and managers
We handle administration and planning while you create and perform!
Mission Statement
Hot Rats Entertainments aims to alleviate the burdens of the non-creative aspects of the music business, empowering artists to focus on their art. Their mission is to provide comprehensive support that enhances career growth and ensures artists receive the attention they deserve in the industry.
![FireShot Capture 010 - Is Making Music Good Enough_ Tips for Artists to Succeed - [whatsmusic.de]](https://hotratsentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/FireShot-Capture-010-Is-Making-Music-Good-Enough_-Tips-for-Artists-to-Succeed-whatsmusic.de_-r568wn33gjrkh8vw1wwusipvyz1yt4hcdvmeya5n6c.png "FireShot Capture 010 – Is Making Music Good Enough_ Tips for Artists to Succeed – [whatsmusic.de]")
Hot Rats Entertainment: Music Business Solutions
Hot Rats Entertainment is a boutique artist services company offering customized services for recording artists ensuring that they receive the support needed to thrive in their careers so they can focus on their music creation and performances.
Founded by industry veteran Lou Plaia, Hot Rats provides clients with a strategic roadmap that includes a current assessment of their brand and position in the marketplace, business set-up, registration and onboarding songs and metadata w/ Distributors, Publishers, PRO’s, SoundExchange, and the MLC, release planning, tour budgeting & travel, merchandise management, content creation and more.
The company handles all the non-sexy aspects of the music business so you don’t have to!!
Comprehensive Artist Services
Business & Legal
Business entity setup, operating agreements, band agreements, split sheets, and insurance solutions to establish a solid foundation.
Rights Management
Register and onboard your songs and metadata with the PROs, SoundExchange, MLC, distribution and publishing platforms to protect your work and make sure you are paid properly.
Career Development
Current Assessment (where you are at today), release planning, merchandise management, and content creation to grow your audience.
Live Performance
Tour budgeting, travel arrangements, tour logistics, and VIP ticketing to maximize your performance opportunities.
Business Formation
Advice and guidance on business entity creation, operating agreements, band agreements, trademarks, and insurance options.
Rights & Royalties
Advice and guidance on copyright registrations, PRO and SoundExchange registration, songwriter split sheets, and licensing cover songs.
Revenue Drivers & Marketing
Advice and guidance on distribution and publishing options, release strategies, e-commerce platforms, merchandise systems, touring and content creation.
Consultancy Package 1: Assessment, Advisement & Education
For a one-time fee, the artist receives a roadmap that focuses on:
1. Evaluating the artist’s current position in the marketplace by identifying their strengths and weaknesses. This includes evaluating their brand identity, online presence, performance experience, and market positioning.
2. Identifying key opportunities across audience development, revenue streams and brand enhancement.
3. Executing a comprehensive roadmap to successfully release the artist’s music. The plan includes a strategic timeline for releases to cover audience development, brand refinement, marketing strategies, and revenue stream establishment to ensure sustainable artistic and commercial growth.
4. Comparing the strengths, weaknesses and costs of various distributors and publishing administrators to determine which combinations best serve the artist’s needs, maximize revenue, and support their artistic growth while maintaining creative control.
Each phase is designed to build momentum, maximize impact, and create a foundation for the artist’s long-term succuss.
Consultancy Package 2: Set-up and Onboard
This comprehensive package is extremely time-consuming as it handles the actual setup, registrations and onboarding process. The final cost depends on the number of songs being onboarded. Some third-party fees (i.e., LLC formation fees) may apply if required.
Gather & Prepare
Create business entities and collect all the necessary metadata.
Protect & Acquire
Complete agreements, acquire insurance, create equipment manifest, copyright music, and complete split sheets.
Register & Onboard
Register songs with PROs, MLC and SoundExchange. Onboard songs to distribution and publishing companies. Set up merchandise systems.
Connect & Find Owed Money
Introduction to content creators, general audit of song registrations, submission of prior gigs to PROs for payment.
Day-to-Day Artist Management Package
The most comprehensive service tier includes everything from both consultancy packages plus hands-on management of distribution, publishing, and merchandise platforms. Hot Rats will help build your team if applicable and ensure these partners fulfill their obligations while also handling your administration, planning, and logistics. Pricing is determined based on each client’s specific needs.
Strategic Planning
Release planning, schedule coordination, and long-term career strategy development
Tour Management
Tour budgeting, VIP ticketing/set-up, travel arrangements (vehicle and hotel bookings) for tours/events
Industry Liaison
Point of contact for distributors, labels, publishers, agents, attorneys, and other industry professionals
Business Administration
Invoicing, payments, budgeting, contracting, split negotiations, and song registrations
Hot Rats Entertainment
Customized Solutions
Services tailored to artists at any career stage
Affordable Support
Cost-effective options for growing your business
Comprehensive Management
Handling the business so you can focus on music
About Lou Plaia: Industry Veteran
Lou Plaia is a well-respected industry veteran who brings decades of experience to Hot Rats Entertainment. He currently manages Spinefarm/Universal recording artist Deadlands, while also serving as an Adjunct Professor teaching Artist Management and Concert Production & Promotion classes. Throughout his career, Plaia has been a guest speaker at more than 100 music industry events.
Client Highlight:
Deadlands at Louder Than Life 2024
Hot Rats Entertainment proudly represents Deadlands, a female-fronted metalcore band, as they perform at the prestigious Louder Than Life Festival in 2023 and 2024. The band is now signed to Spinefarm/Universal on the label side, the award-winning Sentric on the publishing side, and the Tier 1 booking agency, Wasserman Group on on the live music side. This exemplifies Hot Rats’ commitment to fostering talent and ensuring successful live show experiences. See more about Deadlands HERE!
Content Creation Examples:
The Process: The client discusses with the Content Creators (CC) the specific goals of what the final content should achieve. The client then sends the assets that the CC would need to produce the new content. The CC creates the new content!
- Video shorts
- Digital ads
- Lyric videos
- Ad mats for tours
