Music publishing administration
Publishing administration means registering your songs, tracking where they are used and collecting the royalties they earn. We do that work for songwriters and publishers, and your songs stay yours.
What publishing administration is
Every time a song is streamed, broadcast, performed in public, copied or used with pictures, it earns money for the people who wrote it. That money only reaches them if the song is registered correctly, with the right writers, splits and codes, everywhere it is used. A publishing administrator looks after that paperwork and follows the income back to you.
Registration
We register your songs with collecting societies and digital music services, so each use can be traced back to you.
Records
We keep writer credits, splits and codes accurate, so nothing goes missing.
Collection
We track where your songs are used and check that the royalties arrive.
Reporting
You get a clear view of what your songs earn and where the income comes from.
Admin deal or publishing deal
A publishing administration deal covers the business side of your songs: registration, collection and reporting. You usually keep your copyright, and the administrator is paid a share of the income it collects.
A full publishing deal usually goes further. The publisher may take a share of the copyright, often for an agreed period, and in return may pay an advance and actively look for new uses of your songs. Every deal is different, so check what it covers, for how long and where before you sign.
Royalties we collect
- Performance
- When a song is broadcast, streamed or performed in public.
- Mechanical
- When a song is copied, whether as a stream, a download or a physical product.
- Sync
- When a song is licensed to play alongside pictures, in film, TV, adverts or games.
- Digital
- The performance and mechanical shares that streaming and download services pay for the song itself.
Registration with PRS, MCPS and societies abroad
In the UK, PRS for Music collects for songwriters and publishers when songs are performed or broadcast, and MCPS collects when songs are copied, including on streams. Outside the UK, each country has its own collecting societies. We register your songs where they need to be registered, so income earned abroad can find its way back to you.
How it works
Tell us about your songs
What you have written, what is registered already and any agreements you have signed.
We check the records
We look at credits, splits and registrations, and fix what is missing or wrong.
Registration and collection
We register your songs where they need to be, then track their use and the income they earn.
What you need to start
- A list of your songs, with co-writers and agreed splits
- Details of any society membership, such as PRS for Music
- Copies of any publishing or co-writing agreements
- Links to the recordings, if the songs have been released
Who it is for
- Songwriters and composers
- Artists who write their own songs
- Self-published writers who want help with the paperwork
- Music publishers
Questions
What does a publishing administrator do?
Registers your songs, keeps the credits and splits accurate, tracks where the songs are used and collects the royalties they earn.
Who owns my songs?
You do. Administration doesn’t change who owns your songs, and ownership would only ever change under a separate written agreement.
Is this the same as rights management?
It’s part of it. Publishing administration deals with your songs. Music rights management also covers your recordings.
What if I already have a publisher?
Tell us what’s already in place. We’ll look at how it fits before suggesting anything.
How do I start?
Use the contact form and choose Rights management, or email us. Tell us a little about your songs and what is registered already.
Let’s talk about your music
Tell us about your songs and what is registered already. We will take it from there.