If you’ve written a rock song and want to earn income from it, here’s how to sell your rock song!
Multiple ways to win
Turn on the radio, walk through a department store, watch TV. Revenue-generating rock songs are seemingly everywhere! Some of those sources of income for your song include:
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Direct downloads from your own website
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Downloads through third party sites like iTunes.
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CD sales by distributors
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CD sales at live events
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movie royalties
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cable television royalties
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Rock Radio Station Airplay Royalties
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ASCAP/BMI/SESAC revenue from live band licenses
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Mechanical royalties on cover versions
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Royalties abroad
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Advertising Usage Fees
So you’ve written a rock song, now what?
What do you need to do to sell your rock song? The first decision you will have to make is whether to self-publish and keep 100% of the copyright to your song or whether to allow your song to be represented by a music publisher and let them handle the promotion and /oo the processing of licenses and collections.
Next, you’ll need to have a demo recording (also known as “a demo”) to pitch your song to rock music publishers, producers, and record companies, or if self-released, you’ll need to hire a producer. to make a master recording or have a limited release CD containing your song(s).
A master can work as your demo, but the cost is much higher. If you can afford it and definitely intend to exploit the copyright yourself, it may be the best investment.
If you only have lyrics, no melody, because you don’t write music, then you will need to have a melody and chord arrangement written. You can’t avoid this; the only “industry people” who review the lyrics are known as “song sharks” and will be happy to take your money, but they have a horrible reputation in the world of legit music. They will never give you a hit, and worse, your song will be forever tainted by your association with them. Almost all demo services will write music for a fee under a “work-for-hire” agreement that allows you to keep all rights.
Selling your song outright for cash, a bad idea
You’re reading this to find out how to sell your song, right? Unfortunately, songwriting can be a high-earning cash business, but it’s not a fast one. It is illegal to sell songs directly to anyone, even music publishers. Especially music publishers! Why? Because in the ’40s and ’50s, struggling songwriters were starving and selling their songs for ridiculously small amounts, in some cases as little as ten or fifteen dollars. The song publishers who bought them made millions while songwriters continued to starve.
To rectify this injustice, Congress passed laws preventing the direct sale of a song, ultimately resulting in songwriters benefiting from the multiple payment streams they now enjoy. Music publishers these days have totally cleaned up their act. His business is now based on being more of a mentor and agent for songwriters and both parties share the money the song generates.
Yes, you can assign your publishing rights and take advantage of available revenue streams, but you can’t sell all of the copyright or your share of the songwriting rights.
That covers the basics of How to Sell Your Rock Songs. Hopefully it will put you on the path to getting a professional demo, signing your song to a music publisher that earns you big, and enjoy the royalties from your efforts for years to come!