Understanding Music Publishing: The Differences Between Co-Publishing Deals vs. Publishing Administration Deals

By Alyssa Minnec

In the music industry, publishing income is one of the most important revenue streams for producers, musicians, and songwriters.

A music publishing deal is a contract between a songwriter or artist and a music publisher that grants the publisher the right to administer and exploit the songwriter’s or artist’s musical compositions. The role of a pub deal is to provide financial support, guidance, and industry connections to help a songwriter or artist advance their career.

Among the various types of publishing arrangements, the two most common are co-publishing agreements and administration agreements, and understanding the differences between these sorts of deals is essential for artists and musicians to maximize their earning potential. Breaking the deals down to their most simple differences, the main differences between the two are 1) how long the publishing company collects a percentage of the revenue from your catalog, and 2) what services and/or how much money you’re receiving from the company in return.

Co-Publishing Deals:

In a co-publishing deal, the songwriter or artist typically assigns 50% of their publishing share to the publisher in exchange for an advance or other forms of financial support. The publisher then uses their network and resources to pitch the songwriter’s or artist’s music to other artists, producers, and industry professionals, with the goal of generating revenue.

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