Running a music publishing company can be a rewarding career.
Acquiring a great song and licensing it for a high-profile project in television or film can result in big returns for a music publishing company. If you want to publish and license music for a living, you'll need to know run a music publishing company. You can run a music publishing company by registering with the proper authorities, acquiring music copyrights and licensing songs to various businesses.
Instructions
1. Name your publishing company. Be sure your name isn't too similar to an existing publishing company.
2. Affiliate your publishing company with a performing rights organization like ASCAP (ascap.com), BMI (bmi.com) or SESAC (sesac.com). These organizations will monitor instances in which your songs are used and make sure you receive the proper amount of royalties.
3. File a document with your county recorder expressing that you are doing business under a name other than your own. This will publish in a local newspaper and make your music publishing company a legal business.
4. Register any songs you own or have the permission to use with the United States Copyright Office (copyright.gov).
5. Register your music copyrights with the performing rights organization you are affiliated with.
6. Acquire music copyrights by buying songs and catalogs from other businesses and negotiating contracts with songwriters.
7. Advertise your company and catalog in trade magazines, books, online and at industry events.
8. Approach businesses that might be interested in using songs in your catalog. For example, if you publish country music, you could approach establishments that play country music, such as bars in Nashville.
9. License the songs in your catalog to interested parties by negotiating contracts and setting fees for usage.
10. Receive your royalties from the performing rights organization you are affiliated with. Distribute the necessary royalties to contracted songwriters.
Tags: publishing company, music publishing company, music copyrights, music publishing, performing rights