Music Licensing and Publishing: Building a Rewarding Indie Music Career
The cover for the Music Licensing & Publishing blogpost.
As an Independent (indie) artist in the industry, it's crucial to understand that simply creating and releasing songs is not enough to build a successful career. In today's music business, having a working knowledge of the industry's business aspects is essential. A strong grasp of music licensing and publishing not only helps artists generate income and safeguard their rights but also enables them to reach a broader audience with their music.
Music licensing is granting legal permission to a second party to use copyrighted music for specific commercial purposes and durations. These licenses outline the permitted use of a track and the compensation required for rights transfer. When artists license their music, they authorize its use in exchange for payment, known as royalties.
For independent artists, licensing can provide numerous opportunities such as revenue streams, brand exposure, and access to significant creative collaboration. Having a particular track as the background music for a television show, film, or advertisement can introduce your music to a broader audience and generate a certain amount of income for the artist. This exposure can result in increased digital streaming on DSPs and a growth in social media followers, thereby boosting your income and social media presence.
Meanwhile, music publishing involves managing the copyrights of musical compositions to generate revenue. Though songwriters and composers do have the inherent or automatic copyright ownership of their works, working with a music publisher/publishing company can help better navigate the complex music business industry and maximize revenue.
Indie artists can manage their publishing rights or hire a publishing company or a publisher. For independent artists who choose to do the publishing themselves, they get 100% of the royalties. However, it is a very time-consuming process. It is advisable for indie artists to contract publishing companies or publishers because publishing requires a strong network of contacts in the industry. These contracts with publishing companies will specify how the rights will be assigned to the publisher and the percentage they will take from the generated revenue.
Music publishers would ensure the artist gets the complete royalties they are entitled to. These royalties include sales, downloads, streams, performance, and sync. They also pitch artists' songs to record labels, music supervisors, and other important industry stakeholders. These opportunities increase the artist's exposure, releases placed in TV shows, and chances for significant collaboration. In summary, a music publisher can handle all the paperwork and administrative tasks, allowing the artist to focus on their creative work.
For indie artists, understanding and utilizing music licensing and publishing is crucial in creating a sustainable career. This business side provides the income and exposure required to be successful in the industry.
Licensing music and working with a publisher can help an independent artist focus more on the creative aspect and be a top player in the music industry. Nevertheless, self-administering publishing can ensure intellectual property and creativity are protected and proper compensation is received.
