What’s Going On With These New Co-Publishing and Administration Deals? ( Music Op-Ed)
With streaming and technology changing the music business inside and out, songwriters and producers are becoming more of a commodity to distribution, publishing, and administration companies but what value is being exchanged?
In a co-publishing deal, a songwriter and/or producer is usually assigning 50% of their publishing share over to this other entity in exchange (usually) for money. In an administration deal, a company will administer your compositions by licensing, registering, collecting royalties on behalf of your work while ensuring you get paid. The key difference is an administration deal you are retaining 100% ownership interest in your work and the goal is to collect all of your royalties on the composition side while in a co-publishing deal this company will obtain an ownership interest in your work while actively providing resources and value to your career as a songwriter and producer in addition to the administration duties.
The biggest question you should be asking yourself if you are being presented one of these deals is, “Is this company actually able to provide the services it is claiming it can provide?”
