What Every Artist Should Know About Music Publishing
When most artists think about making a living from their music, they think about streaming numbers, merch sales, or touring. But one of the most overlooked and most powerful income sources in the industry is music publishing. Whether you’re an independent artist or signed to a label, understanding how publishing works is essential to turning your songs into long-term assets.
What Is Music Publishing?
Music publishing is the business of managing and monetizing the songwriting side of your music - the composition and lyrics, not the recording itself. Every song has two copyrights:
The Master Recording: the actual sound recording (usually owned by the artist or label).
The Composition: the melody and lyrics (owned by the songwriter or publisher).
Publishing focuses on that second one - the composition.
How Publishing Royalties Work
When your music is played, performed, or used anywhere, you earn royalties. Here are the main types you should know:
Performance Royalties: Earned when your song is played publicly — like on radio, TV, live venues, or streaming platforms. These are collected by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) such as ASCAP or BMI.
Mechanical Royalties: Paid when your song is reproduced, whether through streaming, downloads, or physical sales.
Sync Royalties: Generated when your music is licensed for use in film, TV, video games, or ads.
Print Royalties: Less common, but earned when your compositions are sold as sheet music or lyrics.
Without proper publishing administration, a lot of these royalties can go unclaimed - often sitting in collections societies all around the world.
Why You Need a Publisher
A good publisher does more than just collect your royalties. They:
Register your songs with PROs and mechanical rights agencies globally.
Pitch your music for sync opportunities in film, TV, and advertising.
Administer your catalog to ensure every royalty stream is tracked and paid.
Protect your rights by handling copyright disputes and ensuring contracts are fair.
In short, a publisher is your business partner in making sure every part of your songwriting career pays you back.
Common Mistakes Artists Make
Not registering their songs properly - leading to lost royalties.
Ignoring international collections - royalties often go unclaimed outside your home country.
Skipping split sheets - unclear songwriting splits can destroy relationships and delay payments.
Understanding the publishing side of music means you’re building real, sustainable wealth from your creative work.
How Elizabeth Music Group Helps Artists
At Elizabeth Music Group, we believe artists deserve a publishing partner who actually champions their careers - not just files their paperwork. We’re a global publishing company and sync licensing company built by musicians, for musicians.
Our mission is to make sure your songs are heard, protected, and paid. From registering works worldwide to pitching music for film, TV, and advertising placements, we help artists turn creativity into opportunity.
If you’re serious about growing your catalog and maximizing your publishing income, learn more at Elizabeth Music Group.
