Record labels and music publishers perform different jobs.

A label may control the master recording while the artist retains their songwriting rights.

That means a label receiving streaming money does not automatically mean the songwriter’s publishing royalties are being collected.

Understand what the label owns

A label agreement may cover:

  • Master rights
  • Distribution
  • Marketing
  • Recording costs

It does not automatically cover:

  • Songwriting
  • Publishing
  • Writer’s share

Read the contract.

Ask every artist for songwriter information

For each release collect:

  • Legal songwriter names
  • PRO affiliations
  • IPI numbers
  • Ownership percentages
  • Publisher information
  • Contact details

Do this before the release goes live.

Labels can help with administration

That is an important distinction.

The label can facilitate registration without pretending to own the writer’s share.

Separate master splits from songwriting splits

Imagine:

Artist A owns 50% of the master.

Label owns 50%.

That says nothing about composition ownership.

The songwriting could be:

Artist A: 75%

Producer: 25%

Keep the two sets of percentages separate.

Avoid registering rights you do not control

A label should not simply claim 100% of publishing because it distributes the track.

That can create conflicts and freeze royalties.

Get explicit authority where required.

Build a catalogue rights sheet

For each track record:

  • UPC
  • ISRC
  • Master owner
  • Master percentages
  • Songwriters
  • Publishing percentages
  • PRO
  • Publisher
  • Administrator

This makes royalty accounting, sync licensing and catalogue sales much easier.

Publishing can strengthen label economics

Helping artists collect publishing royalties can create a stronger relationship even where the label does not own the publishing.

It also gives everyone better rights data.

Good labels do more than deliver music.

They make sure the catalogue is properly organised so every participant gets paid.