Music publishing, songwriter royalties, and you
Music publishing is one of the least understood — and most important — aspects of the whole music business.
It’s how songwriters earn the bulk of their income; it’s how major label acts that perform original music can make money while they’re working to pay off their debt to the label; it’s how you can monetize your compositions and earn royalties for their usage on terrestrial radio, satellite and internet radio, TV, in live venues, and more. And yet few musicians, particularly independent musicians, have a good grasp on music publishing basics.
Want to learn more about music publishing, publishing royalties, and royalty collection for independent songwriters? Read on…
14 articles that will make you an expert in music publishing
2. Five Ways to Make Money in Music Publishing
3. Who Owns Your Music Publishing Rights, and How Does the Money Get Split?
4. What is a Performing Rights Organization?
5. Music Publishing Made Easy: the In-Depth CD Baby Pro Interview
6. Music Publishing Royalties Explained: What is a Mechanical Royalty?
7. Music Publishing Royalties Explained: What is a Performance Royalty?
8. Music Copyright Guide For Indie Musicians
9. Why Signing Up for ASCAP or BMI is NOT Enough
10. When Should I Pursue a Publishing Deal, and What Should I Expect?
11. How CD Baby Pro Collects Music Publishing Royalties from Spotify
12. How Artists Get Paid for Their Music
14. Why You Need CD Baby Pro as an Independent Songwriter
Whew! That probably covers it — but if we forgot to mention anything regarding music publishing and how it relates to independent artists, let us know in the comments section below.
For more information about the world of music publishing, publishing royalties, and royalty collection, download our FREE guide.
Chris Robley is the Editor of CD Baby’s DIY Musician Blog. I write Beatlesque indie-pop songs that’ve been praised by No Depression, KCRW, The LA Times, & others. My poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Prairie Schooner, The Poetry Review, & more. I live in Maine and like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, a little too much.