What is music publishing?

To put it briefly, music publishing is the administration of composers’ intellectual property. It is the responsibility of a music publisher to make sure the copyright holder receives the royalties to which they are due and to work towards maximising specific forms of revenue.

What’s in it for the writer?

It can be difficult and time-consuming to track and claim your royalties. In addition to dealing with title registrations, counterclaims, licencing inquiries, and cue sheet reporting, you should become associated with performance rights societies, mechanical right societies, and audio recognition service providers. Even then, if you lack the resources and know-how to follow up, there may be income that is overlooked and unpaid. 

What’s in it for the publisher?

The solution is clear-cut and straightforward: a share of the earnings that has been decided upon by both sides. This implies that the writer’s songs should go well and bring in as much money as possible for the music publisher.

What is the difference between a record label and a music publisher?

Consider a song to have two sides: the composition and the recording, for an easy way to distinguish between the two. Record labels have historically handled the recording (also known as the master) and music publishers have handled the composing.

Understanding intellectual property ownership and copyright splits

Intellectual property rights are “the rights granted to persons over the creations of their minds,” according to the World Trade Organisation. These rights, which are shielded by copyright rules, include musical works.

You fully possess the copyright to an original work of music if you are the only author. That proportion adjusts if more contributions have been made. It is completely up to you and your co-writers how you want to determine the percentages, often known as copyright splits.

Income sources

There are three main revenue streams for music compositions

• Mechanical Royalties

Mechanical royalties are generated every time a composition is reproduced, either by physical or digital means, such as vinyl, CDs, cassettes, streaming and downloads.

• Performance Royalties

Performance royalties are generated when music is performed in public. Some examples include live shows, radio, TV, film, music played in public and commercial spaces.

• Synch Royalties

When a music appears in another audiovisual work—a commercial, film, television show, computer game, etc.—the rights holder(s) of that composition receive synchronisation royalties.

Other sorts of royalties may also be encountered. One such type is print royalties, which are paid by music printers for sheet music and folios on the basis of the exclusive right to distribute copies of copyrighted work. If they are stipulated in the contract, the publisher may also gather these and give them to the writer.

How is this income generated?

Music users pay (directly or indirectly) royalties to a collecting society (a Performing Rights Organisation and/or Mechanical Rights Organisation) each time a copyrighted song is sold, downloaded, streamed, or performed in public. The Music Publisher receives these sums, retains the agreed-upon commission, and gives the songwriter the remaining amount. A royalty statement that contains comprehensive details on the kinds of usage and revenue the writer’s music produced during that time period is included with every payout.

In the instance of Synch, royalties are often produced as a one-time payment made by the client to the publisher, who is the rights holder, in order to acquire permission to utilise the music in their production.