FAQ

Yes, a new version of an old song, also called a derivative work, should be copyrighted, noting the ways it’s been altered from the previous version.

Most offer online registration. For example, you can affiliate with BMI by logging on at http://bmi.com/join You can call your local office to get the paperwork by mail, if you prefer.

As a songwriter, you inherently own the publishing rights to your music and you retain creative control.

There’s no one perfect answer, but you have to get the attention of the person who’s booking the festival/tour. Show them that you’re drawing big crowds at your gigs and that you’re getting a lot of radio/retail/press attention…you get the picture. State your case in terms that translate to people showing up to see the show.

Both independent and major labels offer career development and artist promotion. Determining which is right for your career is a personal decision.

We don’t shop deals for affiliates as a general practice, but if we hear something that is extraordinary, we certainly make our friends in the A&R community aware of the artist.

- J.W. Johnson, Artist Relations Executive & Songwriter101 Faculty Member

In a word, “No.”  One performing rights organization (PRO) does not pay more than the others.  If one paid more than the others, then all writers would be affiliated with that society.  Over the life of a copyright, the payout on a song will be about the same from organization to organization.

If you’re serious about your band, then it is worth the expense of paying an entertainment attorney to draw up a legal agreement so you can set the parameters of your partnership in place right from the start. Otherwise, you’re setting landmines for yourself in any future dealings between bandmates. If you’re all professionals, approaching the band about this shouldn’t be difficult. If someone balks, you’ll know right away that this isn’t someone you should be partnering with to form a long-term business venture.

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?”)

Agents are all about finding gigs for bands, but they can also help set up sponsorship opportunities for tours and help with logistics. They also do a great deal of hand-holding and babysitting on tours.