What are Music Publishing Sub-rights?
The Key to Maximising Your Income Streams as a Songwriter
Music publishing is often seen as the cornerstone of a songwriter’s career. It’s how composers and lyricists ensure they earn money for their creations long after the songs are written. But music publishing is more than just collecting royalties—it’s about understanding the different sub-rights that fall under music publishing and how to leverage them for maximum earnings.
In this blog, we’ll break down the various sub-rights in music publishing, explain their importance, and show you how ReRight Music simplifies this complex landscape for songwriters and composers.
(See our "What is Music Publishing?" blog for a deep dive on this subject if you're not familiar).
What are Sub-rights in Music Publishing?
Music publishing sub-rights refer to the specific rights that a creator or rightsholder has to a composition. These rights govern how the music can be used, and each usage generates a unique revenue stream. By understanding these sub-rights, songwriters can unlock hidden earning potential from their work.
The Types of Music Publishing Sub-rights
1. Performing Rights
Performance rights generate income whenever a song is played publicly. This includes radio airplay, live concerts, streaming platforms, and even in-store background music. Traditionally, Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) (including Performance Rights Organisations or PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, PRS, and SOCAN collected these royalties on behalf of songwriters.
For example:
A song played on a national radio station earns performance royalties.
Live performances of your song by a cover band in a public venue generate royalties.
A song you have written for your artist alias is streamed online.
How ReRight Changes the Game: ReRight’s focus on digital licensing and royalty collection. Creators can replace the need for a CMO or PRO and work with ReRight on their performing rights instead. If a creator already has a PRO then, in certain territories, they can withdraw their digital performing rights and run them through ReRight. This allows ReRight to collect royalties from streaming platforms and online sources while leaving offline performance royalties (e.g., live shows, traditional broadcast) with a CMO if the creator prefers. This flexibility gives creators greater control and optimises the speed and amount of their royalty payments online.
A noteworthy industry example is Coldplay’s decision to withdraw their live rights from PRS. They chose to license their live performance rights directly to promoters, enabling them to get paid faster and avoid hidden deductions. This shift mirrors ReRight’s approach to simplifying royalty collection and eliminating inefficiencies.
2. Mechanical Rights
Mechanical rights refer to the reproduction of a song, whether it’s pressed on vinyl, burned onto CDs, or streamed digitally. Every time a song is downloaded, streamed, or sold as part of a physical album, mechanical royalties are generated.
Key points:
Streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music generate mechanical royalties.
Physical formats like vinyl and CDs also pay mechanical royalties for every unit sold.
ReRight Advantage: With ReRight, you have the option to manage mechanical royalties independently of CMOs, ensuring you capture all revenue opportunities without the delays typically associated with traditional collection methods. By handling both mechanical and digital performance royalties, ReRight provides a one-stop solution for creators.
For streaming-based artists like , whose music is played continuously on YouTube and Spotify, mechanical royalties make up a significant portion of income. Platforms like ReRight ensure these earnings are maximised by simplifying the collection process.
Case Study: LoFi artist Kainbeats, who has over 1.5m monthly listeners on Spotify, was previously an ASCAP member and also used Songtrust to administer his mechanical rights. After suffering from severe amounts of “missing royalties" and also unnecessary payments delays, Kainbeats decided to make the switch to ReRight and administer both of his Performing and Mechanical royalties via ReRight’s product. By managing his rights this way, he has retained a higher share of his earnings, improved the speed and frequency of payments, and enjoyed a number of lucrative licensing deals that have only been possible with ReRight.
3. Synchronization Rights (Sync Rights)
Sync rights involve licensing music for use in visual media such as films, TV shows, commercials, and video games. Sync deals can be highly lucrative, providing upfront fees along with ongoing royalties when the content airs.
Example:
A song licensed for a Netflix series generates a sync fee upfront, and the composer continues to earn royalties every time the show is streamed.
Sync licensing often requires direct connections with media producers, and platforms like ReRight streamline the process by making it easier for content creators to access high-quality music. ReRight’s direct licensing model ensures that creators retain control over their work while simplifying the process for licensors.
Future Trends: With the rise of user-generated content platforms like TikTok and YouTube, sync opportunities are growing exponentially. ReRight’s ability to offer micro-sync licensing options ensures that creators don’t miss out on these emerging revenue streams.
Increasingly Brands, Content Producers and Platforms are looking for ways to license commercial music more efficiently and bypass the traditional CMO network. This has only been possible previously by using “royalty free” production library music, or more recently, turning to AI generated music. Neither option is optimal from a music quality perspective, and are further reducing the possibilities for ‘real’ artists to share in the incredibly lucrative sync licensing market.
ReRight’s new model for licensing performing rights directly online opens up a new possibility here though, making commercial music as efficient as licensing “royalty free” or AI generated alternatives. This creates more opportunities for creators and more possibilities for music users online.
Case Study: ReRight recently created a partnership with Discord to power a new study-focused server on their platform called Lofi. ReRight artists Kainbeats and s contributed to the music for this, which was only possible because they manage their digital performing rights directly via ReRight, and are able to license all of the other rights (the recording and sync rights
4. Print Rights
Print rights allow the reproduction of a composition as sheet music. While this revenue stream is more niche, it remains essential for composers and lyricists whose works are widely performed or taught.
Examples of usage:
Publishing sheet music for educational purposes.
Licensing arrangements for choirs, bands, or orchestras.
Modern Example: Composers of popular scores like Hans Zimmer frequently monetise their work through print rights, with orchestras worldwide performing their compositions.
5. Grand Rights
Grand rights pertain to the use of music in theatrical performances, such as musicals, ballets, or operas. These rights are typically managed separately from general music publishing due to their specialised nature.
For example:
A Broadway production using your composition must secure grand rights.
Emerging Opportunity: With the revival of musicals in streaming formats, such as filmed performances of Hamilton or Les Misérables, creators can now explore hybrid models that combine grand and sync rights.
6. Derivative Rights
Derivative rights allow for the adaptation of a composition into a new format or version. This includes remixes, sampling, and translations of the original work. Each derivative work generates royalties for the original creator.
Example:
A DJ remixing your track must secure a derivative license.
Translating a song into a different language for international markets.
ReRight Simplifies Licensing: By managing derivative rights alongside other sub-rights, ReRight ensures that creators earn fairly from remixes and adaptations of their work globally.
Why Understanding Sub-rights Matters
Many songwriters focus solely on performance and mechanical royalties, leaving other revenue streams untapped. Sub-rights offer a wealth of opportunities to:
Maximise earnings from various uses of your music.
Gain global exposure by licensing for diverse formats and markets.
Ensure long-term revenue as your compositions are reused and adapted.
By leveraging platforms like ReRight, artists can access advanced tools to manage and monitor these revenue streams effectively. This proactive approach not only maximises income but also fosters greater independence and creative control for artists.
Challenges in Managing Sub-rights
The traditional music publishing model often involves multiple intermediaries, each taking a cut of your earnings. Tracking royalties from numerous sources—across countries and platforms—can also be overwhelming.
ReRight Music’s Solution: ReRight simplifies sub-rights management by offering:
Global Registration: Ensuring your compositions are registered worldwide within minutes.
Direct Licensing: Eliminating traditional intermediaries to maximise your earnings.
Fast Payments: Monthly payouts instead of the industry-standard 6-12 month delay.
ReRight also empowers creators by providing a centralised platform where they can monitor all their rights in one place. This transparency helps artists spot missed opportunities and identify key revenue streams they can further optimise.
How to Maximise Your Sub-rights with ReRight
Register All Your Songs: Ensure every composition you’ve created is properly registered to capture every royalty opportunity.
Leverage Sync Opportunities: Use ReRight’s partnerships with media platforms to secure sync deals easily.
Monitor Your Rights: Stay informed about where and how your music is being used to avoid missed royalties.
Diversify Your Revenue Streams: Explore niche sub-rights like print and derivative rights to unlock hidden income.
Choose Your Collection Strategy: Withdraw digital performance rights from CMOs and let ReRight handle online royalties while leaving live and traditional broadcast royalties with your CMO if preferred.
Educate Yourself on Sub-rights: Stay updated on industry trends to identify new opportunities, like licensing for emerging digital platforms or international collaborations.
Conclusion: Take Control of Your Music Sub-rights
Understanding and leveraging music publishing sub-rights is essential for maximising your earnings as a songwriter or composer. Each sub-right represents a unique opportunity to monetise your compositions, whether through public performances, digital streams, or sync deals.
With ReRight Music, you can simplify the complexities of sub-rights management, ensuring you earn faster and more transparently. Don’t leave money on the table—take control of your music publishing today.
Ready to maximise your royalties? Join ReRight and unlock the full potential of your music publishing sub-rights.
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