Young Creators Urged to Focus on Music Publishing

Emerging young music creators are urged to maximise the long-term value of their craft through publishing.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, in making the call, said that publishing ensures that creators are compensated not once, but continuously, for their intellectual property.

“This is how wealth is created in the modern music industry, and it is important that young people and practitioners understand the business of creativity from copyright literacy and contract negotiations, to publishing administration and global distribution,” she stated.

The Minister was addressing the fifth staging of the recent Jamaica Creative Career Expo, which was hosted by the Ministry in collaboration with Island Music Conference (IMC), at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston.

Music publishing is the business of managing, protecting and monetising the composition of a track. Publishing allows creators involved in the conception, writing, production, and performance to build long-term wealth through royalty collection for their tracks continuously after they have been released.

Royalties are legally binding payments made to an owner for use of their intellectual property, including lyrics and melody, ensuring they are paid every time their work is performed, reproduced, or licensed.

Minister Grange said that many people do not realise that every song has value beyond its performance.

“Every time a song is played on the radio, streamed online, used in a film, or performed on a stage, it generates income through publishing,” she pointed out.

Entertainment attorney and legal consultant, Sapna Lal, said that the lack of education on the basics of publishing leaves Jamaicans failing to benefit from valuable income opportunities.

“Having your business properly set up and organised is key. I do not think a lot of artistes, especially in Caribbean countries, have their businesses set up properly,” she noted.

One useful tool is a split sheet, which she strongly advised songwriters to sign after completing a song but before it is released.

A split sheet outlines each person`s contribution, the ownership percentage for the song and how royalty payments should be divided.

“Before the song becomes a hit, you have to have your publishing in order,” Ms. Lal said.

“When it becomes a hit and you do not have that part (the split sheet) done, it is going to be a huge mess because everyone wants a part of the pie. Then, you are going to be in a legal battle, and it could take years to clear,” she pointed out.

For Ethan Baer, Director of Artists and Repertoire (A&R) at Warner Chappell Publishing in Los Angeles, having a good team in place is also crucial for breaking into the music industry.

“Find your village. Establish people who are in your corner for the right reasons. I do not think anybody that I have ever worked with has written, produced, engineered, released, done the agreement and collected the money by themselves,” he said.

Mr. Baer has worked on countless projects, including Buju Banton’s Grammy Nominated Reggae Albums ‘Upside Down 2020’ and ‘Born for Greatness’ and Paramount Pictures Soundtrack for The Smurfs Movie.

John Baker, music executive and owner of Geejam Studios based in Portland, highlighted the value of collaboration “to get your songs out there”.

“One big tune recently was ‘Shake it to the Max’. How that evolved was incredible. That was organic and then people jumped on it. Now, it has become a worldwide hit. That was the process of the producer getting out there and getting people to voice the rhythm,” he pointed out.

The annual Career Expo continues to serve as a platform for empowering young people and facilitating direct engagement with industry professionals.

The IMC is an annual networking event for music industry practitioners.