Music Publishing Basics

Every piece of music has two copyrights: the composition (the song — melody and lyrics) and the sound recording (the master). Publishing concerns the composition and the royalties it earns (performance, mechanical, sync). If you write your own songs and have not signed to a publisher, you own your publishing and can register it yourself or use a publishing administrator to collect worldwide. Understanding this split is essential for accurate credits and for collecting everything you are owed.