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What Is Music Publishing? A Simple Guide for Songwriters

What Is Music Publishing? A Simple Guide for Songwriters

November 30, 2025

Music publishing is how songwriters earn money when their songs are used, streamed, or performed. This simple guide explains the basics - what rights you have, how royalties work, and why proper publishing can help you collect more of the money you’re owed.

In the Music Business...

Music publishing sounds complicated, but the idea is simple:

it’s the business of protecting songs and making sure songwriters get paid.

If you wrote a song, you own copyright. Publishing is the system that helps you earn money when your music gets used—whether it’s on Spotify, YouTube, a TV show, or live on stage.

Below is a clear explanation in plain English.

What Exactly Is Music Publishing?

Music publishing is about managing the song itself—meaning the underlying composition:

  • Lyrics

  • Melody

  • Chords / musical structure

It does not deal with the recording (that’s the master side).

The publishing world protects your composition and makes sure you get paid when others use it.

If you want someone to help you handle that admin work, that’s where a publishing company or administrator like CHOIS MUSIC comes in.

What Does a Music Publisher Do?

A music publisher (or publishing administrator) handles things like:

1. Registering your songs properly

Your music needs to be registered with the right organizations so it can be tracked, such as:

  • Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC

  • Mechanical royalty organizations (for example, The MLC in the U.S.)

  • Global societies and databases around the world

If your song isn’t registered correctly, it’s almost impossible to collect everything you’re owed.

2. Tracking global usage

Songs are played constantly around the world, but the money doesn’t magically appear.
A good publisher monitors:

  • Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms

  • YouTube and user-generated content (UGC)

  • TV, film, and ads

  • Radio

  • Live performances and tours

  • International platforms and societies

3. Collecting royalties

There are multiple royalty types (more on these below), and most songwriters only receive part of what they actually earned.

A publisher’s job is to:

  • Find out where your song is being used

  • Match those uses to your song data (metadata)

  • Collect the money from many different sources

  • Pay you your share

4. Protecting your rights

If someone uses your song, samples it, or uploads it without permission, your publisher can:

  • Flag the use

  • Claim the revenue where possible (especially on platforms like YouTube)

  • Help resolve conflicts and disputes

5. Pitching music (for some publishers)

Some publishers have creative teams that pitch songs for:

  • TV and film

  • Ads and trailers

  • Games and other media

Others focus purely on administration and royalty collection.

CHOIS MUSIC focuses on administration and finding royalties that are usually missed, especially on YouTube.

The Two Halves of Every Song: Writer’s Share vs. Publisher’s Share

Every composition is typically split into two main parts:

Writer’s Share (50%)

This belongs only to the songwriter(s).

You always keep this share. Even if you sign a publishing deal, the writer’s share is still yours.

Publisher’s Share (50%)

This is the share that a publisher administers or manages.

When a publisher collects money on your behalf, they usually:

  • Collect the publisher’s share

  • Take an agreed-upon commission or admin fee

  • Pay the rest through to you or your company

A good administrator helps you make sure both the writer’s and publisher’s sides are properly registered and collected wherever possible.

The Main Types of Music Publishing Royalties

There are several income streams, but these are the big ones.

1. Performance Royalties

These are paid when your song is:

  • Streamed

  • Played on radio

  • Performed live

  • Used on TV or in public places

They’re usually collected by PROs such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the U.S., and their counterparts around the world.

2. Mechanical Royalties

Mechanical royalties are paid when your song is:

  • Streamed

  • Sold as a download

  • Manufactured on CD or vinyl

In the U.S., a key player is The MLC, which handles certain digital mechanical royalties for songwriters and publishers.

3. Synchronization Royalties (“Sync”)

Sync royalties are paid when your song is used with video, including:

  • TV and film

  • Ads and trailers

  • Games

  • Online videos

  • YouTube

Inside this world is a highly misunderstood area: YouTube music publishing royalties, including a specific type of income often called YouTube synchronization royalties.

Most publishers don’t fully understand or collect these correctly. This is a major focus area for CHOIS MUSIC

4. Print Royalties

These are paid when your sheet music or lyrics are printed and sold, whether physically or digitally.

Why Music Publishing Matters

Without proper publishing administration, a songwriter can miss out on:

  • International royalties

  • YouTube revenue (especially from user-generated content)

  • Mechanical royalties from streaming

  • Sync income when their songs are used with video

  • Back payments they didn’t even know existed

Most songwriters only collect a fraction of the money their songs actually generate.
Publishing is what connects the usage of your song to the royalties you receive.

Why Many Songwriters Don’t Get All Their Money

The global publishing system is messy and fragmented. Here are some common reasons money gets left on the table:

  • Songs not registered at all

  • Incomplete or incorrect song data (metadata)

  • No one claiming YouTube publishing royalties

  • PRO statements being treated as “the full picture” when they’re not

  • No admin handling foreign societies

  • Confusion over splits and ownership

All of this leads to royalties getting stuck in the system or paid to the wrong place.
A specialist administrator steps in to:

  • Clean up your registrations

  • Track down missing income

  • Put systems in place so new royalties don’t slip through the cracks

Where CHOIS MUSIC, INC. Fits In

CHOIS MUSIC focuses on music publishing administration, with a particular strength in YouTube.

Our role is to:

  • Work with music publishers, catalogs, and rightsholders

  • Make sure their songs are registered correctly

  • Identify and collect unclaimed YouTube publishing royalties, including YouTube sync income

  • Help clients understand where their money is really coming from

Most publishers and songwriters are shocked to see how much YouTube revenue was being left behind.
Our simple mission:

If your songs earned the money, we want to help you collect it.

Final Thoughts

Music publishing is all about:

  • Protecting your songs

  • Understanding your rights

  • Registering your works properly

  • Tracking how and where your songs are used

  • Collecting every royalty you’re entitled to

You don’t have to understand every detail of the system—that’s what publishing administrators are for.

If you’re a songwriter, catalog owner, or music publisher who suspects you might be missing income (especially on YouTube), partnering with a specialist can make a huge difference.

To learn more about how CHOIS MUSIC, INC. can help with your catalog, visit CHOISMUSIC.com or reach out through the contact options on the site.

What Is Music Publishing? A Simple Guide for Songwriters | CHOIS MUSIC Resources