Blog
Straightforward writing on the publishing business details independent songwriters are rarely told.
Latest essay
November 5, 2026·10 min read
Setlist submission at ASCAP and BMI: who is allowed to file, the deadline that ends most claims, and why the two societies price a gig differently.
November 2, 2026·11 min read
The types of music royalties, grouped by which copyright earns them, because that is what decides who can actually collect each one for you.
October 29, 2026·9 min read
A 360 deal gives a label a cut of your touring, merch and publishing. What the publishing clause takes, and the one figure in the deal that is public.
October 26, 2026·9 min read
How to start a music publishing company: what a PRO publisher account costs, why The MLC needs no company at all, and when to skip the paperwork.
October 22, 2026·9 min read
A letter of relinquishment proves your old publisher released your songs. What it must say, how to get one, and what The MLC takes instead.
October 19, 2026·9 min read
A music publishing deal is one of three things: an admin deal, a co-publishing deal, or a full deal. What each takes, what you keep, and how to read the term.
October 13, 2026·8 min read
An IPI number is the ID societies use to pay a songwriter. What it is, how to find yours at ASCAP or BMI, and the one-digit mistake that blocks payment.
October 12, 2026·12 min read
Do I need to copyright my song? You already own it. What Copyright Office registration buys, what it costs, and the three-month deadline.
October 1, 2026·9 min read
Music publishing administration software registers your works. It cannot be your publisher of record, which is where most of the money stops.
September 28, 2026·7 min read
Music publishing administration companies compared on what each one publishes: setup fee, commission, owner, and the exit terms nobody advertises.
September 24, 2026·13 min read
What happens to music royalties when you die: your PRO freezes the account, neither ASCAP nor BMI accepts a beneficiary form, and an escheat clock starts.
September 21, 2026·7 min read
Music royalty statements never reconcile with each other, by design. What each one covers, when it lands, and the nine-month deadline to dispute an error.
September 14, 2026·7 min read
The underlying composition is the song itself, a separate copyright from the recording. What it earns, who collects it, and how to check yours.
September 7, 2026·9 min read
Grand rights in music are dramatic performance rights. Neither ASCAP nor BMI licenses them, so a theater staging your song must clear it with you.
September 3, 2026·9 min read
A sunset clause lets your old administrator keep collecting after you leave. What the window covers, how long it runs, and the clause that ends it.
August 31, 2026·6 min read
Music distributor vs publisher: one collects on your recording, one on your song. Which royalties each pays, and why distributors now do both.
August 27, 2026·12 min read
Cover song royalties go to the original writer, not to you. What the compulsory license buys, what it refuses you, and the 2026 statutory rate.
August 24, 2026·13 min read
The P line and C line in music: P means phonogram and claims the recording, C claims the artwork, not the song. Neither notice registers anything.
August 20, 2026·8 min read
A controlled composition clause cuts your mechanical rate to 75%. In 2026 that is 9.825 cents per song, not the 6.82 cents most explainers quote.
August 17, 2026·11 min read
Publisher's share vs writer's share: ASCAP pays the second half only to a registered publisher. BMI hands it to you. The MLC ignores the split.
August 15, 2026·6 min read
A performance royalty pays songwriters when a song is performed publicly — played on radio, streamed, or performed live. How it works and who collects it.
August 15, 2026·8 min read
CMO vs PRO: a PRO is one kind of CMO. What each collects, why the US splits the job across separate bodies, and which societies actually owe you money.
August 3, 2026·6 min read
Unregistered royalties don't wait for you forever. Where the money goes, how long you have, and what the law says happens to it.
August 3, 2026·5 min read
A split sheet template you can copy, what every split sheet has to contain, why writer and publisher shares are separate, and the mistakes that stall payment.
August 3, 2026·4 min read
A beat is a composition. What that means for producer splits, why a lease isn't a split sheet, and how to register the work correctly.
ASCAP vs BMI: both are free for writers and both pay quarterly, while SESAC and GMR are invite-only. How to choose the US PRO that fits you.
May 5, 2026·16 min read
Music publishing administration is the back-office work of registering songs and collecting their royalties. How it differs from a deal, self-admin and a PRO.
May 5, 2026·10 min read
Mechanical royalties pay songwriters when a song is streamed, downloaded or pressed. The 2026 rates, who collects them, and why yours may be missing.
Spotify Credits shows writers, producers, and performers on every track. Where the data comes from, how to fix yours, and why it matters for royalties.
May 5, 2026·6 min read
MLC vs Harry Fox Agency (HFA): the MLC collects US streaming mechanicals, HFA licenses downloads and physical. Which one a songwriter needs.
May 5, 2026·7 min read
ISWC identifies a song. ISRC identifies a recording. One song can have many ISRCs but only one ISWC. Why the distinction matters for getting paid.
How much does Spotify pay per stream? About $0.0017 per US premium stream in 2026 — the breakdown by tier, country, and who gets the money.
Do I need a music publisher? Usually not — most indie songwriters need a publishing administrator instead. How to tell the difference.
