Music Publishing 101: Protect and Own Your Songs (Episode 177)

Make Music Your Business.

Nomad opens Episode 177 of The Career Musician holding an anniversary present from his wife: a slide instrument built from a Mexican cigar box, found, of all places, at Goodwill. It has the original cigar box stickers, it is locked shut, and on the back is the maker's signature. That signature is the whole lesson.

This is music publishing for beginners, Nomad style. He is not here to teach you every rule of copyright, publishing and licensing. He is here to make sure you know it matters, and to point you toward the next step.

Sign your work

By signing that cigar box instrument, the builder stamped it as their creation. It works like a trademark or a copyright. Your music is different because it is intellectual property: you can hear it and feel it in your soul, but you can't touch it. The concept is the same, though.

"The concept remains: you must copyright, trademark and do everything you can to protect your creations."

Nomad

When you write a song, compose an underscore cue for a film, or produce a track for an artist, you are entitled to some ownership. People call it copyrights, publishing, songwriting splits or royalties. There is a lot of terminology. Even written notation can be copyrighted.

Broadcast means published, so get registered

Once you have copyrighted your work, you publish it. Nomad's quick definition: if your music is broadcast, on terrestrial radio, internet or satellite radio, or streaming platforms, it is being published. And every time it is spun, a royalty is owed.

He leaves the royalty percentages to the experts. But he is clear that you need to understand the basics, because royalties help you through the tough times. Some songwriters, composers and producers live off them entirely.

Back to the cigar box: who made it? You can't find the builder unless their information is attached to the creation. Same with your songs. If the right account numbers (IPI and CAE numbers, depending on your PRO) are not attached, nobody can pay you. In the US, the performance rights organizations are ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.

Nomad hears it all the time: someone made a song with a friend, heard it on Spotify, and has no idea how to get paid. Don't wait until then. Study, and sign up with a PRO as a writer. That is Savvy from the ETHOS code.

Own your publishing

You can also register your own publishing company, which Nomad calls the best way to do it. He has had his own publishing companies for years. Over a 30-plus-year career he has been courted for publishing deals many times and never signed one. He still owns all of his publishing, so he collects both his writer's share and his publisher's share.

"I still own all my own publishing. So I have my writer's share and my publishing share... and you are entitled to the same, regardless of what anybody tells you."

Nomad

If you sign with a major, expect them to want your publishing. That can be okay, he says, because the majors have a wide reach and can get a song placed everywhere. You can still make great money as a songwriter, as long as they do their job, and as long as your information is attached so the money can find you.

Get expert help

For the deep dive, Nomad points to his longtime friend Jesse Alvarez, a publishing, licensing and broadcast expert, music supervisor and licensing agent with her own company, Cinque Musica, who has joined the show for bonus episodes. You can also reach Nomad at [email protected].

The takeaway

Sign your work, register it, attach your info, and own your share. Royalties are part of how you build a sustainable career beyond the gig. For more on the business side nobody taught you, start with the free Get the Gig guide.

Get the gig. Keep the gig. Build the career.

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