Publishing and Master Rights for Independent Artists

You own your rights

If you're an independent artist who isn't signed to a label or publishing deal, the good news is that you likely own 100% of both your master recording and publishing rights.

Master rights

The master right refers to ownership of the actual sound recording. If you recorded the track yourself or paid for the recording session, you are the master rights owner. Enter your own name or your company name as the master rights holder.

Publishing rights

Publishing rights refer to the underlying musical composition (melody and lyrics). If you wrote the song yourself, you own 100% of the publishing. Enter your own name as the publisher. If you co-wrote the song, split the publishing percentage with your co-writers based on your agreement.

Setting up a publishing entity

Many independent artists create their own publishing entity (a simple business name) to use as their publisher name. This is not required but can look more professional. You can register your publishing entity with your PRO.

Working with collaborators

If you worked with a producer or co-writer, make sure you have a written agreement covering the ownership splits for both master and publishing rights. Verbal agreements are not sufficient for sync licensing. Settle all splits before uploading your music.