FAQ

Nielsen SoundScan is an information system that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada. Sales data from point-of-sale cash registers is collected weekly from over 14,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional (online stores, venues, etc.) outlets. Weekly data is compiled and made available every Wednesday. SoundScan is the sales source for the Billboard music charts. You can register your CD at http://www.soundscan.com/register.html

You should register your songs as soon as you have officially registered as a songwriter. Again, most offer online works registration or you can call your local office for the paperwork.

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.

Simply click on your name in the top-right corner to edit.

For your convenience, the link is displayed below:

http://songwriter101.com/forums/profile/profile/

After registering, you will receive an email from Songwriter101.com with instructions.  All you need to do is to click the link presented in the email. 

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.

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

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.

A publisher’s main function, whether it’s an individual or a corporation, is to exploit (get your songs recorded, performed, etc.) your songs and collect income from that exploitation. A publisher works with producers, directors, music supervisors, record companies, commercial production companies and trailer houses to negotiate fees for licensing your music for artists to record and for use in movies and on TV, in advertising and other outlets.

Home recording is so inexpensive to do that it shouldn’t be an obstacle for anyone. A nice home studio can be set up for under $1,000. You also might be able to work something out with a local recording studio, which are often in need of business since the home recording revolution took hold.