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 .
Barcodes for Music: The Artist & Guide to UPCs & ISRCs
Every digital release needs two types of barcodes: UPCs identify products, ISRCs identify recordings. Getting them wrong breaks royalty tracking, sales reporting, and chart eligibility across every DSP and CMO in your distribution chain.
Boost Music Royalties with Automated Registration System: 5 Steps
Manual song registration costs independent songwriters thousands in missed royalty payments each year. This five-step framework shows how automated registration systems ensure every work is registered across all relevant CMOs and DSPs, eliminating data entry errors and missed deadlines.
The Top 10 Artist Management Tools for Independent Careers
Choosing the right artist management tools determines whether you run a professional operation or lose contracts in email threads. This guide evaluates the top 10 artist management tools for independent careers, from comprehensive platforms to specialized tour and release management systems.
Agreement of Distribution: A Musician's Guide to negotiating fair terms
Distribution agreements determine how your music reaches listeners and how you get paid. This guide breaks down the essential terms every independent musician must understand before signing, from revenue splits to reversion rights, so you can negotiate deals that protect your catalog and your income.
Effective Accountability Systems for Music Royalties: A Builder's Guide
Legacy royalty systems fail creators through black box statements, 18-month delays, and unexplained deductions. Modern accountability requires transaction-level transparency, immutable audit trails, and standardized data formats that let you verify every payment.
45 Records Values How to Find Your Hidden Gems: A Step-by-Step Pricing Guide
Most vinyl collectors overlook 45 RPM singles, but systematic valuation reveals hidden gems worth hundreds or thousands. This guide teaches you to assess pressing details, grade condition accurately, and use market data to price your collection correctly.
Uncommon ways your song can make you money: beyond streaming and radio
Most songwriters focus on streaming and performance royalties while missing dozens of niche revenue streams. These uncommon ways your song can make you money require active catalog management but collectively represent significant income that independent writers leave unclaimed.
How to prepare for a songwriting camp in 7 days
Songwriting camps compress months of networking and creative output into a few intense days. The difference between a productive camp and a frustrating one often comes down to what you do in the week before you arrive.