An advance is a type of loan that serves as income for the artist or songwriter as they record or write songs and wait for royalties to generate revenue. These advances are essentially investments. In the case of recording artists, the label is investing in the artist by paying upfront so the artist can record and tour yet still pay their bills. Advances can also include the costs incurred by the artist before royalties begin rolling in. These advances must be paid back to the label.

Top Singles Banned By the BBC
Here you can read about some the top singles that were banned by Auntie Beeb.