FAQ

In today’s competitive climate, major and indie labels are looking for something unique, talented and well developed. Record labels are in the business of making money from the artists that they sign. The labels want bands and artists that have built a following by touring and that have already sold self-released CDs. Be smart, do your homework!  Know where your fans are, develop savvy marketing strategies that will help you stand out from the rest of the unsigned artists. Apply to play at a BMI showcase in your local area. Apply to showcase at one of the top music conferences, such as SXSW or CMJ. Attend seminars and other educational workshops where key a&r people will be in attendance and contact the local colleges, radio stations and newspapers to further publicize you. Built a unique, informative website that includes a bio, photos, song samples and tour dates.

All of these approaches are suggestions and should be part of assembling your game plan for your future. The best way to attract label attention is to build a success story that will help you stand out from the rest of the unsigned artists and help gain the attention of the industry

Mechanical royalties are per-unit payments collected by record companies for the manufacture and distribution of songs on CDs and tapes, usually based on the current statutory rate as fixed by the Copyright Act. In 2004, the rate is 8.5 cents per song or 1.65 cents per minute, whichever is greater.

When it comes to demos, the simpler the better. Nothing ruins a great song like a bad presentation so keep it to three songs maximum with guitar and vocals, or piano and vocals only. Always leave room for the imagination of the listener. See Don’t Demo to Death! article.

It varies depending on the co-writing situation. What is important is that all writers as a collective agree on the decision.

Hopefully you are signed up with a performing rights organization like BMI (see Is a Performing Rights Organization the Same Thing as a Publisher?. PROs collect money from radio stations (and other businesses that use music) and distribute them as royalties to songwriters. You can only get paid from radio play if you are affiliated with a PRO.

A cue sheet is a listing of the music used in a TV show or movie by title, composer, publisher, timing and type of usage (e.g., background, feature, theme) usually prepared by the producer of the program or film. Again, if your songs are registered, then the information will come automatically.

You must contact the song’s publisher or publishers to get permission to sample a song. Publisher information can usually be found in the Performing Rights Organization websites.  You’ll likely have to search within the PRO with which the song is registered.

No. This is a common misconception. PROs collect royalties for songwriters, composers and music publishers from radio, television, the Internet, restaurants and thousands of other businesses that use music. In effect, a PRO acts as a representative so writers can get on with the business of creating new music while their royalties are collected for them. There are three in the US: BMI, ASCAP and SESAC, and one in almost every country you can think of. (See “What does a publisher do?”)

The Musician’s Atlas and the Music Registry are just two examples, but there are lots of directories on the market. Google can help you find them and most are available via Amazon.com or directly from the publishers.

UPC codes are used to track inventory as well as to track distribution and retail sales; SoundScan is unable to track your sales without a UPC Code. You can get a UPC Code from several sources:

1) You can register directly with the Uniform Code Council. To find out more
about UCC membership, visit their website at http://www.uc-council.org

2) Ask your record label or CD manufacturer

3) Companies like CD Baby offer UPC barcodes for a lower fee. To find out more
about this service, visit their website at http://www.cdbaby.net