Catalog
The complete collection of musical works owned or administered by a publisher or songwriter. Catalogs are bought, sold, and licensed as assets, and their value is typically assessed as a multiple of their annual net publisher share (NPS).
Articles about Catalog
DistroKid Metadata Requirements: Preparing Your Catalog for Accurate Rights and Payments
Getting metadata right separates paid royalties from errors and lost revenue. This guide lays out DistroKid metadata requirements and the exact fields, identifiers, and formatting that determine how recordings and works are matched and paid across stores, PROs, SoundExchange, and The MLC .
publishing royalties vs mechanical royalties
Publishing Royalties vs Mechanical Royalties If you released a piece of music on Spotify or Apple Music, there is a strong chance you are owed multiple types of music royalties from different collecting societies. The music industry splits how royalties are paid by how the music is used.
Top 10 Ways to Maximize Your Music Royalties
If your catalog is leaving money on the table, it is usually down to metadata gaps, missing society registrations, or misdocumented splits. This practical music publishing checklist lays out ten high-impact, step-by-step actions, from registering with societies and standardizing DDEX metadata to claiming mechanicals and enrolling in Content ID, so you can increase and secure royalties across territories and revenue streams.
The Ultimate Checklist for Signing a Music Publishing Contract
Introduction The world of music publishing is often akin to navigating a labyrinth—mysterious, complex, and sometimes full of dead ends. But fear not, aspiring artists and seasoned composers, we've crafted the "Ultimate Checklist for Signing a Music Publishing Contract" to illuminate the path, ensuring you know the terrain well before taking the leap.
Secrets of Successful Music Licensing: Insider Tips from Music Supervisors
Music licensing can feel like navigating a labyrinth for many artists and composers, but understanding its intricacies is integral to maximizing royalties and ensuring your creative work reaches the right ears at the right time. Music supervisors, who are on the frontlines of this process, hold the keys to many of the industry's best-kept secrets.
A Deep Dive into the Economics of the Music Industry: Where Does the Money Go?
The music industry is a dynamic realm where creativity meets commerce. With an ever-evolving landscape, understanding where the money flows can be bewildering for many artists and composers.
How to Register Your Lyrics and Protect Your Songwriting Rights
Introduction As an indie musician, your lyrics are your heart and soul poured into words—vulnerable, raw, and uniquely yours. However, the digital landscape is more akin to a bustling metropolis than a quiet retreat, with songs flying around like carrier pigeons on caffeine.
Music Rights Clearance: The Complete Process for Licensing Permissions
Music rights clearance is the operational work that turns a creative cue into lawful use—and it routinely breaks projects without a repeatable process. This guide gives a step-by-step, reference-style workflow to identify required rights, map ownership, execute licenses, and document compliance for common scenarios including sync, samples, covers, reissues and digital uses.
Understanding Performing Rights Organizations: How PROs Protect and Monetize Your Music
If you write, publish, or build systems around music, understanding PRO music rights is where unpaid royalties either get caught or slip away. This article breaks down how performing rights organizations operate, covering licensing models, reporting and metadata requirements, reciprocal cross-border flows, and a numeric distribution example that traces money from licensee to writer.