FAQ

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.

Agents are all about finding gigs/shows for bands, but they can also help set up sponsorship opportunities for tours and help with logistics in general.

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?”)

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

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 and DiscMakers offer UPC barcodes for a lower fee or for free. To find out more about this service, visit their website at http://www.cdbaby.net

First and foremost you should consult an entertainment attorney with knowledge of contract law before signing any contract, as there is no such thing as an “industry standard” contract.

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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 the popular 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. Also, 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.

You don’t need to have a publishing company to register a song with a performing rights organization.

Registering your copyrights is not required but it is highly recommended since doing so will give you certain protection under copyright law in case you need to sue someone for using your song without your permission.