QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLISHING? -
What is publishing?
Through publishing you are essentially exploiting (in a good way) your songs through the issuance of a license to have your song(s) used in various ways, be it TV, commercial, movies, another artist performing your song or you yourself performing, provided you are a member of a performing rights organization like SOCAN (in Canada).
What is SOCAN?
Bare bones SOCAN stands for the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada.
Stolen straight from www.socan.ca * :
SOCAN is an organization that administers the communication and performing rights of virtually the world's entire repertoire of copyright-protected music, when it is used in Canada. We collect licence fees, then distribute the fees as royalties to our members and affiliated performing rights organizations (PROs) worldwide. We ensure that music creators and publishers get paid for the communication and public performance of their music in Canada. To do this, we collect fees from individuals, businesses and organizations that play music in public, broadcast it, or communicate it by telecommunication. We do what's right for music.
Basically, if you are a registered member they are gonna straight up pay you moneys owed.
* make sure to check out that site for lots of interesting reading and to get your facts even straighter.
How can I make money off of publishing?
The easiest way is to sign a contract with a publisher like From Here To There, who will try their damndest to get your song placed wether in films and TV, or commercials or the focus back in the day, with other artists.
If you have a good sound that is easily marketable this shouldn’t be hard, but keep in mind independent films are probably looking for the more obscure, so all types of music are welcome.
If all else fails, make sure to register for SOCAN as they will pay you performance royalties on all sets you play that you charge at least $6 cover at the door. Then submit your playlist and wait for the money to roll in.
What percentage does From Here To There take?
We earn 50%, you earn 50% and divide it amongst yourselves depending on who contributed what to the song.
Why so much?
What makes most sense, is the thought that without someone like FHTT backing you, you probably would not even test this revenue stream. It’s a lot of work, and you have a lot of other things to do. So you could be making nothing because you wouldn’t DIY, or you could make 50% of something with the support of hardworking individuals like Rob and Joi. Plus, just so you know we aren’t really gouging you, it is industry standard [for better or worse].
Do I have to be on the label to be considered for a publishing contract?
No. This gives us the chance to work with bands that we may not have had the chance to before due to other constraints.
How long do you own the rights to my material?
That depends on what we agree to, definitely no more than 5 years, then they return to you, could be as few as 1-2 years.
Will From Here To There use my music for anything without my consent?
Not unless you tell us you don’t give a shit and that money is money. Again though it depends on the arrangements we make with you and what we have in place with other parties - we like to know right off the bat a band's/artist's feeling towards things like public consumption of their art. If you are a straight edge punk band, we are not going to put your music in a Molson beer ad.
Still unclear? Did we miss something? Let us know and we'll add it or clarify it above [more to come regardless] - fire us an email at
info (at) fhttrecords.com