Real Industry Talk - Career Development At Its Best www.realindustrytalk.com

1. Music Industry
Business Basics
by: J. Akly
Real Industry Talk
www.realindsutrytalk.com

2. The Music Industry is a Business
just like every other Business
Whether you’re an artist, producer
(composer), songwriter (author), or musician
10%
keep in mind that YOU are the PRODUCT.
Your music is your means to promote and
market yourself.
Music business is 10% talent, in which you
must be talented, and the other 90% is
business. 90%
Know your business.
Talent Business

3. Establish your business
Incorporate your business.
www.irs.gov
www.sba.gov
Apply for an EIN number.
www.irs.gov
Trademark your business name and logo, your
stage name and/or logos.
www.uspto.gov
Open a business account with bank of your
choice.

4. Copyright
Copyright your music
www.copyright.gov
Before distributing your music you should
protect your music through the copyright
process.
Do not do a poor man’s copyright, it will not
hold up in court.
Copyright protects your right for the duration
of your life span plus 70 years after death.
Copyright needs to be renewed in order to
continue your protection.

5. Copyright forms
www.copyright.gov
PA - Use Form PA for registration of published or un-
published works of the performing arts.
SR - Use Form SR for registration of published or unpublished
sound recordings. It should be used when the copyright claim
is limited to the sound recording itself.
TX - Use Form TX for registration of published or unpublished
nondramatic literary works, excluding periodicals or serial
issues.
VA - Use Form VA for copyright registration of published or
unpublished works of the visual arts.
RE - Use Form RE for renewal of copyright registrations of
published or unpublished works which have expired terms.

6. Co-writing and Collaborations
When you co-write a song (lyric and musical
composition) you should do a split sheet.
Split sheet helps determine the percentage
of the song each person involved is the
owner of.
This information is vital when collecting
royalties.

7. Performance Rights Organizations
(PRO’s)
Once you copyright your music and have split sheets
in place join a PRO.
PRO’s license your music for public performance and
you receive performance royalties.
Radio, TV, Venues, Background and etc.
There are three major PRO’s in the United States.
American Society of Composers, Authors &
Publishers (ASCAP) www.ascap.com
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) www.bmi.com
SESAC www.sesac.com (by invitation only)

8. A musical work is divided...
All musical works are divided between
composers & songwriter and publishers
(50/50 split)
50% 50%
Composers and authors own 50% of
musical work.
Publishers own the other 50% of musical
work.
Publisher
Songwriter & Composer

9. For more information
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Real Industry Talk - Career Development At Its Best
www.realindustrytalk.com