Songwriters: Should You Sign a Major Publishing Deal?

I advise against major pub deals. I was signed to Sony ATV as a songwriter, and it is my opinion that if you want to build a sustainable living and be financially comfortable making money in music, then a major pub deal will slow you down.

Why a Major Pub Deal Might Not Be Ideal

• Dream of Fame: If your biggest dream is to hear your song sung by a famous artist, and the money is secondary, a pub deal might help a little. Major publishers do have the ability to connect you with major players, but honestly, they’re more like investors who expect you to do the footwork. You have to hustle. The world of writing for major artists is cutthroat.
• Reality Check: I wish I learned sooner that the songs I’d write in my bedroom or in the studio had a really tiny chance of making it anywhere because the reality is: artists today are songwriters. The majority of songs you hear these artists singing were written while they were in the room, or they co-wrote the songs.

What Does It Mean to Have a Major Publisher?

• Ownership: Your major publisher will own 100% of your publishing on all music you write within the term of your agreement. This is different from the deals I sign in sync where I assign my publishing on one song at a time to a publisher.
• Exclusive Design: The difference here is that you’re signing up to design for Gucci and only Gucci. You may not design bags for Louis Vuitton or any other house. Any purse you sew will be owned by Gucci. This fact alone closes the thousands of doors to potential revenue streams in the sync world (writing for TV, Film, and Advertising).

Challenges with Major Pub Deals

• Sync Representation: When your publishing is 100% owned by Universal or Warner Chappell, agents in sync who take publishing won’t represent your music or pitch it for you. If you happen to pitch one of your songs to a Nike ad directly, and you get it, your publisher still keeps their half, even though they did nothing.
• Client Concerns: I even see where I’d run into clients on Soundbetter not wanting to work with me. If a producer hires me and wants to pitch our song to a certain publisher, my major deal would have prevented that from being able to happen.

My Experience

• Freedom and Earnings: Now I am out of my deal and I’m a free agent. I make exponentially more money in music than I ever did as a signed writer. Every 3 months, I make the same amount of money as my SONY publishing advance was, which locked me up for 4 years.

Consider Alternatives

Before you consider signing a major pub deal or major record deal, learn about the opportunities that exist for independent musicians, vocalists, songwriters, and producers to make money in music.

Check out my Youtube Playlist "How to Make Money Singing" to learn more about the ways you can be earning an income with your music!