FAQ

Each performing rights organization has its own fees for setting up a publishing company and many impose an annual charge or collect annual dues. BMI, for example, charges a one-time fee of $150 for individually owned publishing companies and $250 for partnerships, corporations (including sole stockholder corporations) and limited liability companies.

There is no set formula. It is up to you and your publisher to negotiate the terms of a publishing deal.

Again, your song is copyrighted as soon as you finish writing it but it’s a good idea to register that copyright with the government (see “How do I copyright my songs?). Registering a song with a PRO will allow you to receive performance royalties if that song gets radio play; it does not give you protection under copyright law.

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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.

Keep in mind that although companies like Taxi do provide a legitimate service of shopping your music to industry executives, it will cost you. A few agencies will also include evaluations, live events, news pages and other bells and whistles but it’s best to consult with your manager or attorney to determine whether or not you should sign up for such a service.

You can advertise in any number of music trades like Billboard or contact organizations that deal with music industry employment (NARIP, for one) to find someone to handle your publishing catalog (if you’re willing to pay a salary). Publishing administrators wear many hats, from trying to place music to collecting money to making sure the paperwork is up to date. Administrators find money in anything that uses music-film, TV, advertising, web sites, ad infinitum.

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.

There is no one simple answer to this question. It’s a competitive market so you need to do your homework and develop a solid fan base. Start by building your e-mail list. The people who sign up are your best customers for your music and merchandise. Let people know when you’re performing next in your e-mail correspondence to draw them in for your next gig. When you’ve built up a local following, you should expand to a few new towns. Check out sites like MySpace.com, Friendster.com and other networking sites. Create a great web site and stay in touch with your audience. You might want to hire a publicist and gradually expand your touring area, in turn building your e-mail base. And make sure your CD sales are being tracked so you can build a story around that. You can also network at key industry events around the country like SXSW, CMJ or the DIY Convention. Build your e-mail list; build your network of people who support you; and you will evolve from there.

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