Once a music publisher begins to receive income from the exploitation of the copyrights it has acquired, it must begin to distribute the income to the appropriate writers. Understanding the basic principles of copyright ownership and royalty splits is fundamental to performing the task of distribution of income. One device that is often used to [...]
From a legal perspective, the formation of a music publishing company is, in most respects, very similar the formation of any other type of company, except that the documentation is tailored specifically for the business of music publishing. The first step in the formation of any business, including a music publishing company, is to determine [...]
This blog series will explore music publishing, giving a little bit of history and outlining the basic steps necessary to form a music publishing company. Part 1 looks at a brief history and background of music publishing. Modern music publishing in the United States can trace its roots to "Tin Pan Alley," the name given [...]
What songwriters can do to improve their negotiating strength in an entertainment deal A very common theme among my songwriter and artist clients is the subject of how they were "ripped off" by their record label and/or music publisher (for purposes of this general publication, I'll refrain from using the actual, more vivid terms often [...]
