Photo by Mike Castro Demaria on Unsplash
Did you know…?
That copyright arises from the moment your music exists in a tangible form?
This means that the very moment you write a song is the same moment you are in the business of publishing.
What is Music Publishing?
Music publishing is simply the business of songs.
Whenever you write a song, you have created a new work in the eyes of the law.
Otherwise known as a musical work.
The business of music publishing is about the management, administration, and exploitation of such works.
Publishing Opportunities
From the moment you have written a new song, a myriad of opportunities are available to you for the commercial exploitation of that work.
These include but are not limited to:
Synchronisation
Performance Royalties
Mechanical Royalties
As a songwriter, you can represent yourself and license your work to others.
Otherwise, if you are a published songwriter, your publishing company will seek these opportunities on your behalf.
+ Types of Music Royalties — Collect them all!
Publishing Administration
Being “unpublished” doesn’t mean you can’t manage your works and collect all of the royalties owed to you.
Depending on your territory, you can use a combination of publishing administration services and the services of your PRO to manage and collect all of your publishing royalties.
+ What is a publishing admin company and do you need one?
Publishing Tools
Publishing begins at managing your works.
Which is simply a matter of being organised.
Fortunately there are plenty of technologies that can help you manage your songs:
Google Sheets: For cataloging your music
Google Drive: For backing up, hosting, and sharing your music with others
Trello: For managing your music projects and assets
Beyond that, there are the services of publishing administration services to help you with the admin of publishing as well as making sure you’re collecting your royalties.
Publishing FAQ
Common questions about music publishing
Do I need a publishing deal?
Not necessarily.
A publishing deal could open doors for you, but if you are unpublished, you can still create opportunities for your works and collect your royalties through a pub admin.
Will PRS collect all of my royalties?
Not necessarily. This is why it’s useful to use a pub admin in tandem with your PRO to make sure you don’t miss a penny.
How do I copyright my works?
You establish copyright the moment your work exists in a tangible form.
Further Reading
Music Publishing Glossary — Songtrust
Music Publishing for Music Writers — Musician’s Union
What is Music Publishing? Explained for Musicians — Ditto Music
Any publishing questions? Leave them in the comments below.