Master vs publishing royalties
Every recording holds two separate copyrights: the master (the specific sound recording) and the publishing (the underlying composition – the melody and lyrics). They're often owned by different people and earn through different channels, so owning one is not the same as owning the other.
The two copyrights
When someone records a song, the law sees two separate works. The composition is the song itself – the melody and the lyrics, the thing a songwriter creates. The sound recording is one specific recorded performance of that composition. If three different artists record the same song, there’s one composition and three masters. Each is its own copyright, and each can be owned and sold separately.
Publishing = the song
Publishing income flows from the composition, and it belongs to the songwriter (and any co-writers), often shared with a music publisher who helps collect and exploit it. It earns mechanical royalties, performance royalties through a PRO, and sync fees. If your artist writes their own songs, this is theirs – whether or not they own the recording.
Master = the recording
The master is the recording, and it belongs to whoever paid for and controls it – usually a record label, or the artist themselves if they funded it. It earns streaming and sales income through the distributor, a master fee in any sync, and digital performance royalties through SoundExchange. “Owning your masters” means owning these recordings, which is why it’s such a fought-over thing in deals.
Why the distinction matters for a manager
Two reasons. First, an artist can own one side and not the other – a singer who records someone else’s song owns that master but none of the publishing; a songwriter who writes for other artists owns publishing but no masters. You need to know which your artist actually holds. Second, the master money mostly collects itself through the distributor, but the publishing money does not – it only shows up if the songwriter is registered and the splits are filed. Miss that, and your artist is earning on one side while leaving the other on the table.
The misconceptions that cost money
- “I own my masters, so I own everything.” No – the publishing is separate, and may belong to a co-writer or producer.
- “My distributor collects all my royalties.” It collects the master streaming money. Publishing needs its own setup.
- “I paid for the session, so the song is mine.” Paying for a recording buys the recording, not the songwriting – unless the writing split says so.
When you understand the two sides, the rest of royalties falls into place. Start with the full royalties guide.
Common questions
- What's the difference between master and publishing rights?
- The master is the copyright in a specific sound recording – the version you hear. Publishing is the copyright in the underlying composition – the melody and lyrics. They're two separate copyrights in the same track, often owned by different people, earning through different channels.
- Does owning my masters mean I own the song?
- No. Owning the master means you own that recording. The composition – the song itself – is a separate copyright that belongs to the songwriter(s). You can own one without the other, and many artists do.
- If I buy a beat, do I own the publishing?
- Usually not. Paying for a beat typically gets you rights to use the recording, not ownership of the songwriting. Unless the agreement says otherwise, the producer keeps a publishing share as a co-writer. Always get the split and ownership in writing before release.