What Every Musician Should Know About Publishing Rights
In the music industry, publishing rights are a cornerstone of an musician's career and income. Whether you're an emerging artist or a seasoned professional, understanding publishing rights can help you protect your work, maximize your earnings, and ensure your music reaches its full earning potential. Here's a breakdown of what every musician needs to know about this vital aspect of the business.
What Are Publishing Rights?
Publishing rights refer to the ownership and control of a musical composition, which includes the lyrics and melody of a song. These rights are distinct from the rights to the sound recording (or master rights). Publishing rights ensure that songwriters and composers are compensated whenever their music is used, performed, or reproduced.
Types of Publishing Rights
There are two primary types of publishing rights:
Performance Rights
These rights cover public performances of a song, including live concerts, radio play, streaming services, and even background music in venues like restaurants or retail stores.
Mechanical Rights
These rights govern the reproduction and distribution of a song, whether through physical copies (like CDs or vinyl) or digital formats (like downloads and streams).
Why Publishing Rights Matter
1. Revenue Streams
Publishing rights generate income through royalties, which are paid whenever your music is used. Common revenue streams include:
Performance royalties from radio, streaming, and live venues.
Mechanical royalties from album sales and streaming.
Synchronization (sync) royalties when your music is used in TV, film, or commercials.
2. Control Over Your Work
Owning your publishing rights gives you control over how your music is used. You can decide who can license your songs and under what terms.
3. Career Longevity
Publishing rights can provide long-term financial security. Songs can continue earning royalties decades after they’re released, ensuring a steady income even if you're no longer actively performing or recording.
How to Manage Your Publishing Rights
1. Register Your Music
To start earning royalties, you need to register your compositions with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the U.S. These organizations collect and distribute performance royalties on your behalf. Registering with a PRO is one of the places needed to collect your royalties, but just your PRO is NOT enough. There are many other pay sources you need to register with.
2. Work with a Publishing Administrator
A publishing administrator, like Elizabeth Music Group, handles the administrative tasks of registering your songs, collecting royalties, handling accounting, and negotiating licenses. This ensures you receive all the revenue you’re entitled to without getting bogged down in the difficulty process of registering your songs with and maintaining registrations at all pay sources needed to collect your royalties worldwide.
3. Understand Your Contracts
If you work with a music publisher, carefully review any agreements to understand how rights and royalties are divided.
4. Explore Sync Licensing
Sync licensing is one of the most lucrative areas of publishing. By licensing your music for use in media, you can earn significant income and gain exposure to new audiences.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Failing to Register Your Songs: Without proper registration, you’ll miss out on royalties.
Waiting: Be cautious about waiting a long period of time before registering your songs for royalty collections because in the music industry, royalties can get paid out to the “black box” if not collected fast enough.
Ignoring International Opportunities: Ensure your music is registered globally to collect royalties from international plays and streams.
How Elizabeth Music Group Supports Artists
At Elizabeth Music Group, we prioritize transparency and education in music publishing. We provide tools and resources to help artists understand their rights and maximize their earnings. Our publishing administration services handle all the complexities of royalty collection and song registration, so you can focus on your craft. We have a cutting-edge royalty portal that houses all the information necessary to be aware of your catalog and your royalties.
We also offer opportunities for sync licensing, connecting musicians with brands, TV shows, and films looking for the perfect soundtrack. By working with us, you ensure that your music reaches its fullest potential while retaining control over your rights.
Final Thoughts
Publishing rights are one of the most valuable assets a musician can have. By understanding and managing these rights effectively, you can secure your financial future, protect your creative work, and open doors to new opportunities. Take the time to educate yourself and partner with a trusted publishing administrator to ensure your music works as hard for you as you do for it.
