Administration Deals vs. Co-Publishing Deals: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to music publishing, understanding the types of music publishing deals is essential for artists and songwriters seeking to maximize their income and creative control. Among the most common agreements are administration deals and co-publishing deals. These two options differ significantly in terms of rights, responsibilities, and revenue. If you’re navigating the process of learning how to publish my music, this article will clarify these publishing pathways and help you determine which deal suits your career goals.

What Is Music Publishing?

Before diving into the specifics, let’s look at the bigger picture. Music publishing explained simply involves managing the rights to a musical composition and ensuring the creator earns royalties when the song is used. These royalties can come from various sources, such as performance rights, mechanical royalties (from physical and digital sales), and sync licensing (for TV, film, and advertisements).

Publishing rights in music are divided into two main categories: the songwriter’s share and the publisher’s share. Understanding how these shares are split is crucial when considering an administration or co-publishing deal.

Administration Deals: A Hands-Off Approach for Artists

An administration deal is one of the most straightforward types of music publishing deals. Under this arrangement, the artist or songwriter retains full ownership of their publishing rights in music. The publisher’s role is limited to administrative tasks, such as licensing songs, collecting royalties, and registering compositions with performance rights organizations (PROs).

Key Features of an Administration Deal:

Ownership Retention: The artist keeps 100% of their copyrights and publishing rights.

Publisher's Commission: The publisher typically takes a small percentage (usually 10-20%) of the revenue they collect on behalf of the artist.

Short-Term Commitment: Most administration deals have shorter contract durations, usually one to three years.

Limited Creative Involvement: Publishers under this deal do not provide creative support, such as pitching songs or securing placements.

Advantages of Administration Deals:

Artists maintain full control over their work.

Ideal for independent musicians who understand how to publish my music but need help managing administrative aspects.

Lower commission rates mean more earnings for the creator.

Challenges:

The artist must actively seek out opportunities for sync licensing and placements.

Publishers under administration deals won’t actively promote your catalog.

If you’re confident in your ability to market your music but need help handling the complexities of royalty collection, an administration deal might be the right fit.

Co-Publishing Deals: Sharing Ownership for Creative Growth

A co-publishing deal, on the other hand, involves sharing ownership of the publishing rights in music between the artist (or songwriter) and the publisher. Typically, the songwriter retains 50% ownership (the songwriter’s share), while the publisher takes the remaining 50% of the publishing share.

Key Features of a Co-Publishing Deal:

Shared Ownership: The artist gives up a portion of their publishing rights in exchange for support from the publisher.

Active Promotion: Publishers under this deal take an active role in promoting the music, securing placements, and expanding the artist’s reach.

Higher Commission: The publisher earns a more significant share of the royalties compared to an administration deal.

Long-Term Relationship: Co-publishing agreements often last longer, sometimes covering an artist’s entire catalog for a set number of years.

Advantages of Co-Publishing Deals:

The publisher actively pitches your music to sync opportunities, radio, and other outlets.

Access to industry networks and creative collaborations.

Shared responsibility for building your career and catalog.

Challenges:

You relinquish partial ownership of your songs, which could limit your long-term income potential.

Publishers may prioritize artists with proven commercial success over new talent.

For artists seeking more creative and promotional support, a co-publishing deal can be an excellent way to grow their careers while sharing some of the workload.

Which Deal Is Right for You?

Choosing between an administration deal and a co-publishing deal depends on your goals and resources. If your primary focus is retaining control over your publishing rights in music and maximizing your income, an administration deal might be ideal. Conversely, if you value industry connections, creative input, and promotional support, a co-publishing deal may provide the infrastructure you need to succeed.

Understanding How Music Publishers Make Money

In both types of deals, it’s essential to know how music publishers make money. Publishers earn income through the royalties collected whenever your music is played, sold, or licensed. The key revenue streams include:

Performance Royalties: Generated when your song is performed live or played on radio and streaming services.

Mechanical Royalties: Earned from the reproduction of your music on physical or digital platforms.

Sync Licensing Fees: One-time payments for using your song in visual media, like TV shows or advertisements.

With administration deals, publishers earn money solely by collecting a small percentage of these royalties. In co-publishing deals, publishers also profit from owning a share of your rights, giving them a vested interest in promoting your work.

Final Thoughts

Navigating the world of music publishing can be overwhelming, but understanding the types of music publishing deals is a crucial first step. Whether you choose an administration deal to maintain full control or a co-publishing deal to gain industry support, always prioritize your long-term goals. Knowing how to publish my music and understanding music publishing explained will empower you to make informed decisions that protect your creative and financial interests.

By analyzing the differences between these two popular options and recognizing how music publishers make money, you’ll be well-equipped to find the perfect publishing deal for your music career.