Many genres of popular music boast to have “changed the landscape.” Some of them even make a strong case for the claim. But of all the musical styles to have arisen in the past few decades, it’s arguable that none has had as deep an impact as hip hop. And though it’s unquestionably an expression of the African-American experience, it’s found resonance in every corner of the globe and on every continent. (Yes, including Antarctica.)   

A FLORIDIAN AT HEART, Lisa Hauptman moved to New York City after graduating from Florida State University with one goal - to be in the music industry. After a brief stint at a magazine publishing company, she was offered an opportunity to be the first employee at an entertainment law firm founded by Fred Davis. Sixteen years later, that same law firm had three offices in the US and over 45 employees. That opportunity was what started her career in Human Resources. As the Global Head of People at Downtown and Songtrust, Lisa oversees the global expansion of Downtown’s brand and is responsible for attracting, developing and retaining the best talent. 
 

Determining how to split songwriting credit is already a tricky business. Do you distribute credit equally among all members of a band, even if the lead singer wrote the main musical riff and the rest of the band only added simple accompaniment? What percentage does a guest artist who contributes a rap to an otherwise completed pop song receive? Things get even more complex when it's time to figure out the split for another key player in the creative process – the producer (or producers, as the case may be).

All industries, whether it’s for marketing, business, or music, have meetups and conferences for those in the industry to meet, learn, exchange ideas and network amongst themselves. For many songwriters, writing, recording and playing music can sometimes be an isolating experience. Attending festivals and conferences can give you an opportunity to meet other musicians and music industry professionals to talk about your work and their work.

When you're on the road, it may not be so easy to grab a notepad and a pen to scribble down a song lyric, or find a piano to nail down the perfect chord. Maybe you have a service like Songtrust to send your playlists to PROs across the world, but you don't have an app to help with your daily budget. Never fear – here are just a few apps that can make life on the road (or just stuck driving between gigs) a little easier.

Feeling like you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of deadlines, putting out fires, and zero progress? It’s the absolute worst. How are you supposed to get ahead and thrive if you’re constantly struggling just to get your head above water?

If you are a songwriter with work that’s been commercially recorded and released, you may eventually receive or may have already received a Notice of Intent (NOI) letter stating that a third party wants to record or distribute your composition.

As a songwriter, you are your own publisher on any works you’ve written. As a publisher, you may want to set up your own publishing entity with your PRO. A “personal publishing entity” is just a name you assign to the publishing “company” you already “own” as a publisher of your works, and affiliate with your PRO just like you affiliate yourself as a writer. There are a few reasons to create a personal publishing entity, and a few key things to note when you’re deciding whether or not doing so is right for you: