Author
The creator of an artistic, literary, musical, or dramatic work. In the context of music publishing, the author is typically the songwriter or composer who generates the original composition and holds the initial copyright.
Articles about Author
The Royalty Audit That Found $30,000 in Missing Payments for an Independent Band
This royalty audit case study shows how a targeted audit recovered $30,000 in unpaid royalties for an independent band. It details the data sources, matching methodology, and an itemized breakdown of shortfalls across streaming, mechanical, and performance royalties so you can compare the findings to your own releases.
DistroKid vs TuneCore vs CD Baby: Which Music Distributor Is Best?
This music distribution comparison looks at DistroKid, TuneCore, and CD Baby to show which distributor fits different release cadences, budgets, and revenue priorities. We break down pricing, revenue share, publishing administration, YouTube monetization, store reach, and real world tradeoffs with concrete cost examples so you can choose the right option for singles, albums, or a busy catalog.
How to Get Your Music on Spotify and Start Earning Streams
If you are an independent artist wondering how to get music on Spotify, this guide walks you step by step from finished master to first-week promotion and royalty collection . You will learn how to choose a distributor and upload music to Spotify, prepare ISRCs and metadata correctly, schedule and submit music to Spotify for editorial consideration, and run a targeted launch that improves playlist chances.
How to Register Your Music Copyright in the US and Internationally
How to register copyright music for your songs and recordings matters more than many artists realize, since registration creates a public ownership record and unlocks legal remedies and revenue streams. This practical, step by step guide explains which US Copyright Office forms to file for compositions and masters, how to register with PROs and SoundExchange, and the metadata, ISRC, and ISWC steps that actually get you paid internationally.
How to Calculate the Royalties You're Owed From Streams and Broadcasts
If you need to know how to calculate music royalties from streams and broadcasts, this guide gives the step-by-step formulas and real examples you can apply to your songs, playlists, and catalogs. You will learn to separate master, mechanical, and performance income, pull the exact inputs from DSP and collection society reports, and convert streams and audience impressions into expected dollar amounts across major territories.
Best Music Licensing Platforms for Getting Your Songs Placed
Getting songs placed is about choosing the right music licensing platforms and presenting tracks the way music supervisors actually use them. This list compares seven leading services — from high-volume marketplaces to curated publishers — and breaks down reach, submission models, rights, and realistic monetization.
Signed Up With the Wrong PRO? Here's How It's Costing You Money
Signed up with the wrong PRO affiliation and wondering what it is costing you? Misaligned registrations and incorrect PRO membership can divert composition, neighboring, and digital performance royalties away from you or leave payments unmatched in society accounts.
Why Your Sync Placements Aren't Paying What They Should
If your sync placements are earning far less than they should, you are probably losing sync royalties without realizing where the leaks are. This practical guide shows the exact diagnostic checklist and remediation lanes you can run now — metadata and ownership fixes, cue sheet and usage reporting, and PRO and neighboring rights reclamation.
Your Music Is Being Used Without Permission — Here's What to Do About It
If you have discovered your recording or song being used without permission, you are facing music copyright infringement problems that demand practical, immediate action. This guide walks you through what to do first: preserve evidence, identify which right is being violated, and stop the use on each platform, then how to recover revenue and prevent repeat misuse.