The flat fee an artist receives for a confirmed show regardless of ticket sales. The most common compensation structure at the club and theater level: the buyer assumes ticket-sales risk; the artist captures the agreed dollar amount win or lose. Distinct from a versus deal, where the artist also shares in revenue over a breakeven point. A guarantee is the buyer's worst-case cost; on a sell-out the artist still only receives the guarantee unless the deal explicitly includes overages, bonuses, or back-end participation.