How to Start a Music Publishing Company

Music publishers serve as a matchmaker between songwriters and people or organizations who are willing to pay to use that music. For example, publishers place songs with recording artists, get songs placed in movies, get songs used as ringtones and other commercial uses. The music publisher also collects money that is due to the songwriter, and in exchange for these services, the publisher keeps a portion of that money.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A name for your company
• Music to publish

1. Decide on a name for your publishing company.

2. Get a clearance to use the name from one of the music performing rights organizations (PROs). The three PROs in the United States are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. You will probably want to start three publishing companies where each one is affiliated with a different one of the PROs. Songwriters are only allowed to affiliate with one of the PROs, so you need a company affiliated with each of the PROs so you can work with any songwriter, regardless of which PRO they are affiliated with. Thus, if you are working with an ASCAP songwriter, you work with them through your ASCAP publishing company. You must get clearance on your name so that you can ensure that the name isn’t already in use by another music publishing company.

3. Establish your business as you would any other business. That is, you will need to decide whether your publishing company is a corporation, a sole proprietorship, or other business structure. You will have to, at a minimum, file for a fictitious name certificate so that you can cash checks in the name of your business. You usually do this at the office of the county clerk.

4. Affiliate your publishing company with a PRO. To do this, you will simply apply to the PRO and fill in their application forms. You will need to submit that form with your cleared name. There may be a small fee for affiliation. Each PRO has its own terms for affiliating as a publisher. The URLs for each of the performing rights organizations is below in the resources section. In most cases you will have to provide the name of a song that you represent that will be published by your company.

5. Make stationary, get a telephone, and other items that you will need for your publishing company’s office.

6. Get busy publishing songs!

Tips & Warnings

• Music publishing is a very competitive business. It will be very beneficial if you can work with someone who is experienced in the business.
• Find great songs! Your business will have a much greater chance for success if you can identify great songs, and work only with truly special music.
• The music business is tough.

Resources

• ASCAP
• BMI
• SESAC