Music publishing is in the business of promotion and monetization of musical compositions. Music publishing is an act of distribution that is at various scales. However, the larger the scale, the more challenging it is to distribute. A music publisher handles the challenge of distributing and monetizing music.
A music publisher is a professional that is responsible for the distribution of music. Music publishers specialize in marketing, licensing use for musical compositions, and managing intellectual property. They also "help" the artist receive payment.
Before music could be recorded and replayed, music publishers would write and sell sheet music. Music publishers then would create songbooks and then sell those books to bookstores. The role of a music publisher has evolved over the years, but the core responsibility is still the same: monetizing music compositions. Today's music publishers take on several roles to support artists.
Copywrite
Copywriting is a very challenging aspect of the music industry. It is a tedious and time-consuming process involving many forms to prove that one owns the work. Music publishers help streamline this process but vary on how involved they are.
Negotiation
The music industry operates on negotiation. Knowing what to leverage, how to leverage, and how to satisfy the parties involved is vital for a profitable career. A music publisher would protect the artist and the publishing company's interests by negotiating on the artist's behalf.
Reproducing Compositions
Music Publishers will make copies of the artist's work and distribute them through various channels. A distribution channel can be anything from social media, streaming services, radio, vinyl, etc. The main goal is to utilize as many profitable channels as economically possible.
Marketing
Artists tend to need help accessing broader markets. Artists often need more connections and capital to reach large population segments. Music publishers come in also to fill this role. Publishers employ numerous tactics to help generate more sales, such as billboards, radio stations, and venue placements.
Artist Compensation
Lastly, publishers help get their artists compensated. In today's industry, getting compensated has become significantly more difficult than in the past. As stated before, publishers used to sell songbooks and then split the profit with the parties involved. This model was simpler to collect royalties because the physical copy of the songbooks could be priced easier than streams today. With the support of a publisher, getting compensated can become more manageable for the artist.
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