Co-Publishing
A publishing deal where the songwriter and publisher share ownership of the copyright, allowing writers to retain more control and revenue.
Definition
A co-publishing (co-pub) deal is a music publishing arrangement where the songwriter retains ownership of their writer's share (50%) plus half of the publisher's share (25%), while the publisher gets the remaining 25%. The songwriter ends up with 75% of publishing income versus 50% in a traditional deal.
Co-pub deals are typically offered to established songwriters with proven track records. They provide higher income participation in exchange for the publisher's exploitation services.
Why It Matters
Co-pub deals represent a significant step up in songwriter compensation and leverage. Understanding the difference between traditional and co-pub deals helps songwriters evaluate offers.
The 75/25 split in a co-pub is substantially better than the 50/50 of a standard publishing deal.
Examples in Practice
A hit songwriter graduating from a standard publishing deal to a co-pub with their current publisher.
A co-pub deal providing $500,000 advance against the writer's 75% share of future earnings.
Admin deals offering even better splits (90/10 or 85/15) for self-sufficient writer-artists.