ASCAP vs. BMI: Which is Best for Independent Songwriters? If you’re an independent songwriter, one of the first music-business decisions you’ll probably encounter is choosing a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). You’ve probably heard the names ASCAP and BMI. Maybe another songwriter told you they use ASCAP. A producer told you BMI is the way to […]
Women in the Music Industry: More Than Just the Spotlight When people think about women in the music industry, the conversation often starts with the artists. The singers. The performers. The women standing in front of the microphone, selling out shows, releasing albums, and appearing in music videos. And absolutely, we celebrate them. But women […]
You Put Your Music Out. Now Where Does the Money Go? You finished the song. You recorded it, mixed it, mastered it, uploaded it through a distributor, and finally got that release date you’ve been waiting for. Now it’s on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and everywhere else people listen to music. Congratulations! But here’s a […]
What Is The MLC and Why Do Songwriters Need It? You’ve registered your song with ASCAP or BMI. You’ve uploaded it to your distributor. Maybe it’s already streaming on Spotify and Apple Music. So you’re covered, right? Not necessarily. There’s another important piece of the music royalty puzzle that independent songwriters need to understand: The Mechanical […]
Does ASCAP or BMI Pay Songwriters More? If you’re an independent songwriter, you’ve probably heard this question before: Does ASCAP pay more than BMI? Or maybe somebody told you BMI pays better. Another songwriter swears by ASCAP. A producer shows you a royalty statement, and suddenly everybody in the studio has an opinion. So, which […]
Songwriter vs. Producer vs. Artist vs. Publisher: Who Actually Does What? If you’ve spent any time around the music business, you’ve probably heard the words: Artist. Songwriter. Producer. Publisher. Sometimes those roles are all held by different people. Sometimes one person holds two or three of them. And sometimes one person is doing damn near […]
If you’ve ever registered a song with BMI or ASCAP and looked at the percentage breakdown, you may have had one of those “Wait…what?” moments. You agree with your co-writers that everybody owns 25%. Then somebody says, “I’m with BMI.” Someone else says, “I’m with ASCAP.” And suddenly you’re looking at numbers that don’t seem to match. […]
Why Independent Artists Need More Than a Great Song A great song can open a door. But what happens after the door opens? For independent artists, that’s where the real work begins. Writing and recording a great song is only one part of building a music career. Today’s independent artists are also navigating branding, content, […]
What Should an Independent Artist Have Before Releasing a Song? You finished the song. Finally. The vocals are recorded.The mix sounds good.The master is back.You listened to it approximately 847 times. You’re ready to hit release. Except… Are you actually ready? Because releasing a song is more than uploading an audio file to a distributor and […]
Why Thick Thigh Vibes Became More Than a Sticker Some phrases are just phrases. And then there are the ones that make you laugh, make you feel seen, and somehow become part of your personality. Thick Thigh Vibes™ started as one of those phrases. What began as a sticker from Houston-based women-owned entertainment and retail brand Southern […]