what is a music publisher and what do they do?
A music publisher is a business that secures the legal rights to musical compositions and exploits such rights with the intention of making a profit. Or, a person, called a “self-publisher,” who engages in the same activity. As copyright proprietor, they administer the business and financial aspects of publishing that may include: 1) Registering (and renewing pre 1978) copyrights, 2) Securing licensing agents with regard to print licenses, mechanical licenses, compulsory licenses, purchase licenses, transcription licenses, synchronization licenses, and performance licenses, e.g., coming into contractual alliance with mechanical rights agents, performance rights societies, and with foreign publishers, 3) Coming up with the appropriate contracts to assign rights in copyright via licenses to music users, e.g., mechanical licenses, synchronization licenses and print licenses and keeping records of any right transfers, assignments, or mortgages, 4) Obtaining record releases, 5) Collecting s
