The 3 Minute Habit that Protects Your Music
I took a photo of the handwritten lyrics for Dolly Parton's hit song "Jolene" at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Amazing to see in person. Dolly is an absolute powerhouse songwriter, performer, AND she owns her ENTIRE song catalog.
Most new artists don't know what it means to own your song catalog, especially because we've been fed only one version of the music success story.
We're fed the lie that we need to get "discovered" by a manager, or record label. But what if we could have our own success, on our own terms, and essentially "discover" ourselves?
"Sexy & exciting results come from doing all the boring things well"
This quote from Mark Manson is something I tell my clients all the time. It's unglamorous, and very
Not a complicated concept. It requires discipline, and will protect your ass EVEN if you decide to sign with a record label.
A simple split sheet could have protected Post Malone recently regarding his song “Circles”.
Allegedly, there was a person involved in the writing of this song who claims to not have been credited, and therefore missed out on the accolades & revenue associated with this massive hit song.
It gets a bit more complicated after that, but essentially, this lawsuit may have been prevented if there'd been a split sheet signed by everyone after the writing session in question.
To me, this highlights the importance of paperwork.
Split Sheets
Split sheets are the first simple step way to protect your songs. When you write a song, write up a split sheet allocating writing ownership to whomever wrote the song. It's really simple to add this extra step to the end of any writing session. Better to discuss it now before things get crazy successful. Click this for a template.
P.R.O. Registration
Sign up as a writer with your preferred PRO (Performing Rights Organization). Organizations such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc collect income on behalf of songwriters and music publishers when a song is publicly broadcast. I use BMI personally, and SESAC is "invite only". They all have their merits. But if you'd like some help navigating the in's & out's of PRO selection, click here & schedule a chat!
Publishing + Masters
Publishing, essentially, is ownership of the music composition. So whoever wrote the song OWNS the publishing. Master ownership refers to any recording of the song. The master recording earns royalties whenever that recording is "broadcast" (including streaming/downloads). This is owned by whomever paid for the recording, whether you, or your label.
It Sounds Complicated.
And it is. At least at first. But with a basic understanding, you can be well on your way to a lucrative music career. You'll be able to access all the potential revenue streams for your music. And having all of your paperwork in order makes you look better to potential partners, whether publishing agents, Music Supervisors for Film/Sync, or even record labels.
