Everything independent artists and songwriters need to know about music publishing, PROs, royalty collection, and publishing administration.
72 articles
Music publishing administration is the process of registering your songs with performing rights organisations (PROs) such as PRS for Music, collecting mechanical and performance royalties on your behalf, and ensuring you receive every payment owed across all territories. An administrator handles the paperwork and tracking so you can focus on creating.
UK songwriters collect royalties primarily through PRS for Music (performance and broadcast royalties) and MCPS (mechanical royalties for recorded copies). You must register your works and become a member of these organisations. A publishing administrator can handle this registration and chase international royalties on your behalf.
A traditional publisher takes a share of your copyright ownership in exchange for exploiting your music. A publishing administrator does not take ownership — they register and collect on your behalf for a commission on royalties collected, leaving your copyright intact.
Publishing administrators typically work on a commission basis, taking a percentage (usually 10–25%) of royalties collected rather than charging upfront fees. Code Group Music's model is commission-only; the exact rate is agreed after a free Catalog Assessment.
Performing rights organisations split royalties into a publisher share (50%) and a writer share (50%). If you have no publisher, your publisher share accumulates in a "black box" and may go unclaimed. Registering with a publishing administrator ensures the publisher share is captured and returned to you.
