DIAMAX PUBLISHING CO.
WHAT IS MUSIC PUBLISHING?
Publishing is a lucrative area for bands that write their own material. When a band writes a song, they own the copyright in that song. Publishing is the money you receive for writing the song. A quick distinction must be made between the copyright in a song and the copyright of a sound recording. When you record the song for a record company, the company owns the copyright of the sound recording (the version you record for them), but you retain the copyright of the underlying song. Publishing money comes from the copyright of the song, not the sound recording. Bands that write songs own this particular copyright and receive publishing money from their ownership.
HOW DO YOU MAKE MONEY FROM PUBLISHING?
A song generates money for the writer when it appears on an album, gets played on the radio, used in a TV show or movie, gets sold as sheet music, and even when it is used as a ring tone on a cell phone. When the song is part of an album or is sold as sheet music, the writer gets a mechanical royalty. When a song is used in a movie or TV show, a performance royalty is paid to the writer.
PERFORMING RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR ROLE
The right to prohibit public performance of your song is the first right and area of publishing income. No one can play your song in public unless they pay you. BMI and ASCAP are responsible for collecting money for licenses from people who want to play your music. For example, every time your music is played on the radio, you are entitled to performance license money which BMI or ASCAP will collect for you.
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