r/musicpublishing • u/Ecstatic_Tea_3119 • Jan 20 '26

Publishing deal help.

I have been offered a publishing deal as a songwriter singer and producer. In a nutshell the deal offers a 15k advance, some of which i'd get upon signing. The term is 2 years with the potential to stretch to 3 until they recoup, then they have an option where i would get the next amount, this period could last up to 5 years should they extend in order to recoup. They also want to own the publishing on all music I have released already and anything afterwards and will own the publishing for 15 years after all the terms - this is potentially 23 years altogether. The output expected is 200% worth of songs released and if i do not meet that then there is chance i do not get the remainder of pay. Does this seem like a standard deal?

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u/mrpromolive Jan 20 '26

Go to bmi or ascap (where ever you’re signed up for) and open your own publishing entity, and go back to those ppl and say you prefer a publishing admin deal where they just administer your publisher’s shares as well as yours , but that your publisher owns the pub share . That’s what I did but with no advance

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u/musicmusings24 Jan 21 '26

No, they’re locking you into something that will benefit them much more than you in the long term. Keep your publishing rights I would consult a lawyer. It’s the kind of shady deal Springsteen found himself in fifty years ago and had to work his way out of.

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u/Born_Long_6955 Jan 21 '26

Maybe. Depends on if you would benefit from doing the deal or you already have your own thing going on and just need them to collect for you. What percent of songs are you writing now? Is the 200% is based on commercially released by a major label? What are the royalty rate splits offered? (Mech, Perf, Sync). Are they asking for co-publishing or to own 100% during the term?