Music Publishing - CMU | the music business explained

Kobalt strikes US direct licensing deal with Spotify

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Kobalt • 3 min read

Kobalt strikes US direct licensing deal with Spotify

Kobalt has signed a direct deal with Spotify in the US. It means Kobalt will be paid mechanical royalties on bespoke terms rather than at rates set by the US compulsory licence. Universal and Warner have also done direct deals since Spotify started applying the compulsory licence’s bundling discount…

Chris Cooke • 14 Aug 2025

Controversial ruling on US termination right fulfills the intention of Congress, say creators

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Copyright • 4 min read

Controversial ruling on US termination right fulfills the intention of Congress, say creators

Earlier this year a court ruling expanded the scope of the termination right in US copyright law, saying that creators can reclaim rights globally, not just in the US. That potentially overturns longstanding industry convention, but creator groups insist it was the right ruling and should be upheld…

Chris Cooke • 01 Aug 2025

Songwriters and publishers are making over $11 billion across sixteen key markets as digital dominates

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Music Publishing • 4 min read

Songwriters and publishers are making over $11 billion across sixteen key markets as digital dominates

A new study on music publishing revenues in sixteen key markets shows that digital now dominates, generating 47.1% of publisher income. The study includes revenues from both direct and collective licensing, and therefore provides a fuller picture of the role digital plays in the wider songs business…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jun 2025

Latest IMPF report shows indie music publishing revenues grew, even though market share dipped

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Independent Music Publishers Forum (IMPF) • 3 min read

Latest IMPF report shows indie music publishing revenues grew, even though market share dipped

Indie publisher trade body IMPF has released its latest stats tracking indie publisher revenues and market share. Although market share has dropped slightly, indies combined are still bigger than the biggest of the major-owned publishers, Sony Music Publishing…

Chris Cooke • 03 Apr 2025

Brazilian music publisher trade body must respond to antitrust concerns this week

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UBEM • 3 min read

Brazilian music publisher trade body must respond to antitrust concerns this week

Legal experts in Brazil say that an investigation into the role of Brazilian music publishing body UBEM in negotiating licensing deals for its members could have major implications for mechanical rights licensing in the country. UBEM must respond to Brazil’s competition regulator by this weekend…

Chris Cooke • 12 Mar 2025

Bombshell copyright ruling could be “financially devastating” for music publishers

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Copyright • 6 min read

Bombshell copyright ruling could be “financially devastating” for music publishers

A ruling last week in a US termination rights dispute could have big ramifications for the music industry. Previously when songwriters exercised the termination right in US copyright law, it was assumed they only got their US rights back. A court has now said termination should apply worldwide…

Chris Cooke • 03 Feb 2025

Hal Leonard hits back at Wise Music in sheet music licensing dispute

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Hal Leonard • 4 min read

Hal Leonard hits back at Wise Music in sheet music licensing dispute

High drama in the cut-throat world of sheet music, as Wise Music and Hal Leonard have a set-to over the terms of a 2018 deal. Highlights include a particularly acerbic back and forth about who buys the sheet music of Christmas choral compositions, and when. Spoiler: not in the summer, dumbo.…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 15 Jul 2024

Music publishers now fighting Spotify audiobook bundling trick on multiple fronts

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Spotify • 3 min read

Music publishers now fighting Spotify audiobook bundling trick on multiple fronts

The music publishers have written to the US Federal Trade Commission accusing Spotify of unlawful conduct over the way it bundled audiobooks into its main subscription product. It means the music industry is now fighting that big bundle, which reduces royalties to songwriters, on multiple fronts…

Chris Cooke • 13 Jun 2024

SACEM reports total collections of €1.48 billion for 2023

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SACEM • 2 min read

SACEM reports total collections of €1.48 billion for 2023

French collecting society SACEM collected €1.48 billion in royalties in 2023, distributing €1.23 billion to its members. Having made “controlling costs a priority”, the society says it has reduced the percentage of royalties spent on running the organisation to 10.76%…

Chris Cooke • 05 Jun 2024

Change MLC dispute procedure so we don’t pay to sue ourselves, say streaming services

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MLC • 5 min read

Change MLC dispute procedure so we don’t pay to sue ourselves, say streaming services

The streaming services have told the US Copyright Office that it should put in place new rules for how collecting society The MLC deals with disputes over the compulsory licence it administers. Under the current system, services can end up paying for lawsuits in which they are the defendants…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jun 2024

Range Media Partners launches new music publishing division

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Music Publishing • 1 min read

Range Media Partners launches new music publishing division

Range Media Partners is launching a new music publishing division which will be headed up by Casey Robison, formerly of Big Deal and Hipgnosis.…

Chris Cooke • 13 Sep 2023

Utopia Music • 2 min read

Utopia buys Sentric

Swiss company Utopia Music has acquired Liverpool's Sentric Music, the latest in a series of acquisitions.…

Chris Cooke • 04 Feb 2022