A music manager who builds an artist invests time, money and network – often for years. They share in the recordings through their management agreement. But the compositions? Usually not. Setting up a music publishing company and taking on the publishing rights to an artist's works creates a long-term stake in the entire catalogue – not just the current tour or the next album.

Labels think along similar lines when they want to expand in every direction. A label that produces recordings and simultaneously publishes the compositions can market a work in full – from streaming releases to sync licences in film and advertising. That is the 360-degree model: one hand holds everything.

For composers and songwriters who want to bring like-minded artists under a shared roof, or who want to build their expertise in a particular genre into a recognisable brand, a publishing company can provide exactly the right framework.

The administrative effort involved is manageable once you know what to focus on.

A music publisher manages the rights to musical works and ensures that creators are properly compensated for every use. This covers performance rights, reproduction rights, distribution rights and broadcasting rights.

A significant portion of these rights is administered on behalf of publishers by collecting societies. In the UK this is PRS for Music, in the US ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, in Australia APRA AMCOS, in Germany GEMA, in Austria AKM, in Switzerland SUISA. These organisations license music users – venues, radio stations, streaming services, music portals – handle the accounting and distribute royalties to rights holders. The publisher ensures that works are correctly registered and verifies that the settlements are accurate.

Beyond what collecting societies cover, there are rights that sit directly with the publisher: sheet music printing, performance rights in musicals and operas, adaptations and arrangements of works, and synchronisation rights – the combination of a work with video in film and advertising. Enquiries about these rights go directly to the publisher.

etting up a music publisher starts with two concrete steps.

Business registration. The publishing activity must be clearly stated as the business purpose in the company registration. These documents will be needed later for membership applications with collecting societies and industry associations.

First music publishing contract. The contract between creator and publisher forms the legal basis of rights ownership and defines which rights the publisher may exercise over the work. This first contract is particularly important at the start of operations, as it also serves as proof of publishing activity when applying for collecting society membership. For music managers and labels, this is the contract with the first creator whose works they publish. For composers setting up a self-publishing company, it can be a contract covering their own works.

From the outset, careful documentation of publishing activity is essential – as proof both to creators and to collecting societies. When applying for membership, evidence of genuine publishing activity is typically required. Professional sheet music editions of published works are the most suitable proof, as this is the original business of a music publisher and is recognised as such by collecting societies worldwide.

Your national collecting society Membership with the relevant collecting society is the most important first step. In the UK: PRS for Music. In the US: ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. In Australia: APRA AMCOS. In Germany: GEMA. The society takes on a large part of rights administration and generates ongoing income from performances, broadcasts and streams – and establishes the publisher as the officially recognised rights holder for all music users.

Industry associations Most markets have a music publishers association that offers practical value for those starting out: access to the industry network, legal advice and support in cases of copyright infringement. In the UK this is the MPA (Music Publishers Association), in the US the NMPA (National Music Publishers' Association), in Germany the Deutscher Musikverleger-Verband (DMV). The DMV also awards the German Music Edition Prize – Best Edition – for sheet music editions of outstanding quality.

VG Musikedition (D/A/CH) For publishers active in the German-speaking market who publish sheet music editions, VG Musikedition is an additional relevant collecting society. It administers rights specifically for printed editions and holds exclusive contracts with local authorities for copy licences in churches, schools and educational institutions.

Not every area of a music publisher needs to be handled in-house. Several tasks can be efficiently outsourced:

Sheet music creation and distribution is typically the first area publishers delegate – professional sheet music editions of published works serve both as proof of publishing activity for collecting societies and as an independent revenue stream. Soundnotation handles creation and international distribution in full: the edition is produced professionally from the creator's recording or materials and distributed through an international network of platforms and retailers. More on our distribution page.

Synchronisation rights are frequently outsourced to specialist agencies or publishers with established contacts in film and advertising, who can actively pitch repertoire for sync opportunities.

Collecting society administration can be delegated to larger publishers through an administration agreement as the catalogue grows. They handle registration and monitoring while the rights remain entirely with the original publisher. This is more relevant for established publishers with extensive repertoires than for those just starting out.

What cannot be outsourced: the entrepreneurial responsibility for the publishing company itself. Contract negotiations with creators, strategic decisions about the repertoire and the oversight of royalty statements are the core business that must remain with the publisher.

Starting a music publishing company is less complex than most people assume – and for anyone who wants to grow as a business in the music industry, it provides the right framework. Whether as a music manager building a long-term stake in an artist's catalogue, a label pursuing a full 360-degree approach to a work, or a composer creating a shared home for like-minded artists – the publishing company gives that ambition a professional structure.

The fastest way in: a clear business purpose, a first publishing contract, collecting society membership – and professional sheet music editions as proof of activity. The last part is a straightforward first step with Soundnotation: Get started now.