Artist debt forgiveness, in the context of the music industry, refers to the practice where record labels waive or forgive unrecouped balances owed by artists. These unrecouped balances typically stem from advances given to artists for recording, marketing, and touring expenses that have not been recouped through music sales or streams. Major labels like Sony Music, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group have announced initiatives to waive such debts, particularly for heritage artists, aiming to provide them with greater financial freedom and access to their royalties¹’²’³. This practice addresses long-standing issues of artists being in perpetual debt to their labels, even after achieving commercial success.