They kill artistry and instincts. It gets harsher. The music you made and that you love is not yours. You can't release it. You might not ever be able to release it. Imagine writing your best music ever and it's somewhere sitting on a shelf, holed up in a life sentence. Prince said in 2015 "Record contracts are just like-- I'm gonna say the word--slavery." Prince also said "I would tell any young artist... don't sign."