Music Publishing
Managing and monetizing the rights to your musical compositions — the business side of songwriting.
What It Is
Music publishing manages the copyright in compositions (not recordings). Every time your song is streamed, performed, broadcast, or synced, publishing royalties are generated. Publishing deals range from administration deals (publisher collects, takes 10-20%) to full publishing deals (publisher owns a share, actively pitches songs).
How It Works
When you write a song, two copyrights are created: one in the composition (melody, lyrics, harmony) and one in the recording. Publishing deals with the composition copyright. A publisher or publishing administrator registers your songs with performing rights organizations, collects royalties from all sources worldwide, and in some cases actively pitches your songs for sync placements, covers, and other opportunities. The publisher takes a percentage in exchange for these services.
Who Does It Well
Songwriters who understand publishing maximize their income by ensuring every composition is properly registered and every royalty stream is being collected. Major publishers like Sony/ATV, Universal Music Publishing, and Warner Chappell have global infrastructure, while independent options like Songtrust and TuneCore Publishing offer administration without giving up ownership.
For Musicians
Register your songs with a performing rights organization — IPRS in India, ASCAP/BMI/SESAC in the US, PRS in the UK. This ensures you get paid when your music is played on radio, TV, at venues, or streamed. In India, IPRS has improved collections significantly but still has gaps — registering proactively is essential. Understanding the difference between master rights (recording) and publishing rights (composition) is fundamental to not leaving money on the table.