- It is currently getting a lot of play on a commercial radio station or podcast, or it has
been tracked by a reliable service as being downloaded (legally) many thousands of
times–now.
The full article, a two-part series, can be found at mosesavalon.com/why-you-should-
wait-to-join-ascap-bmi-sesac/. Be sure to read the comments, as well.
Now it’s time to take off your lyricist’s hat and don your sales hat. Sorry, it had to
happen at some point and, it seems that point is now. Who can you persuade to hook up
with to get your songs out to the world? Sometimes it might be an outright sale. Other
times your song or songs can be licensed. For my money, licensing is often a better deal.
You maintain the copyright and, depending upon your contract, you can re-license or sell
the same tunes to other entities, such as:
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- Music Publishers
Music publishers generate income from your songs by getting those songs recorded
by various bands or solo artists. They’ll also tap into the television and film market.
These are the people who hoof it, pitching your tunes.
- Record Companies
I also have referred to these companies as “labels.” They’re in the business of directly
or indirectly producing and selling music, typically albums. If the artists in their stable
don’t write their own material, their A&R crew will scope out songwriters, usually
through music publishers, to find the next hit for their artists.
- Producers