What is Songtrust?

Today’s music industry is so intertwined with digital technology that it’s inescapable, whether you’re distributing your album, recording a song, keeping in touch with your collaborators, or collecting publishing royalties. The latter is where Songtrust comes in. We help you make sense of it all and keep you informed about your catalog’s song registrations and earnings.

Who We Are

Songtrust is the world’s first truly accessible, global publishing administration service, founded to offer world-class rights management and collection to music creators and businesses at all stages in their development, from all genres, and from all over the world.

We do the heavy lifting so you can do what you do best: create!

What We Do

At its core, Songtrust is a one-of-a-kind administrative publishing platform. Do you own the original music or underlying compositions of your songs? Have you released songs digitally before and racked up plays? Chances are, you’re due publishing royalties for all of it. 

This is where Songtrust comes in. Anytime a song is streamed or reproduced, publishing royalties are created. (Please note: These are different from master royalties.) We allow anyone to join in exchange for small administrative and one-time signup fees. You maintain 100% of your rights while we register you with key pay sources and collection societies throughout the world. 

With today’s market dominated by the digital sphere, publishing royalties have become increasingly difficult to track down and creators are missing out on potential earnings more now than ever. Songwriting credits are also being offered to creators throughout the creative process. Because of this, Songtrust works with a wide range of interrelated parties, from record labels, publishing companies, and lawyers to songwriters, producers, and composers. In fact, more than 350,000 songwriters have put their trust in us to administer more than 3 million copyrights. 

Here are a few common types of clients we work with:

Songwriters

Songwriters use Songtrust to register and collect publishing royalties on their work. They upload their titles and percentage of ownership and receive quarterly payments once their songs are registered. All clients maintain full ownership of their catalog and can choose what songs they’d like us to register and collect for (in case you already have an existing deal).

Producers

These days, producers are being offered more songwriting credits than ever before. Figuring out splits on songs can be tricky, so be sure to clearly negotiate credits as soon as possible in the songwriting process. Whether they own 1% or 50%, Songtrust can register a producer’s splits and collect what they are due. 

Need help getting your paperwork sorted? Check out our split sheet template.

Bands and Artists

Musicians use Songtrust to register their songs and split percentages as well. Make sure you only submit original songs, as covers cannot receive publishing royalties unless they are public domain pieces. 

Solo artists and groups can also use Songtrust’s live setlist submission tool when they’re on tour or playing a gig locally. Live performances are often overlooked when it comes to generating performance royalties; you can only collect if you properly register setlists with your Performing Rights Organization (PRO) or Collective Management Organization (CMO). 

If you’re a band or have co-writers, be sure to check out our split sheet template to get on the same page when registering your song splits.

Labels

Labels that also represent publishing rights use Songtrust to power their publishing collection. Labels can play a bigger role in finding creative uses for their clients without worrying about publishing’s administrative side. 

If you’re operating as a record label, Songtrust can easily handle publishing administration for your artists and provide features that let you easily manage multiple artists at once. Oftentimes, this makes creative pitching and ad placements easier for labels seeking to license out their songs.

Managers

Managers can use Songtrust to collect royalties in a flexible deal while they seek other lucrative opportunities for their writers/artists. Shopping for a traditional deal can take up to five years, after all. Then there are the artists and managers who want to stay independent and maintain a level of creative control over their catalog. As with labels, Songtrust provides features to help you easily manage multiple writers and keep thorough records of everyone’s royalty statements.

Lawyers

Lawyers refer clients in need of publishing administration. They see a variety of contexts in which they may need a service like Songtrust. For example, some lawyers manage inherited estates of deceased songwriters for families; this usually includes publishing royalties. Some lawyers also own and operate their clients’ Songtrust account as part of their agreement.

Publishing Companies

Music publishers use Songtrust to power their catalog administration. They save time and money by outsourcing all of the tedious administrative work, and focus on fun stuff like creative services and catalog development. Some publishing companies want us to handle their catalogs in specific territories, while they register their catalog in their home country. 

Here’s a blog post outlining why Songtrust is an easy, cost-effective solution to publishing administration.

Media Companies 

Media and production companies work with their writers to set up publishing administration with Songtrust. These companies often hire songwriters to create specific pieces of music for ads, films, and television shows. Songtrust can administer and collect for these productions as they air worldwide.

Distributors

Songtrust works with music distributors like CDBaby and Symphonic, enabling them to offer publishing administration options to their clients. This step in the creative process has proven essential for many people looking to get a jumpstart in royalty collection by simultaneously releasing, distributing, and registering their music. This means the royalties owed to songwriters will get to them faster and more accurately. 

It’s a huge value add for companies who offer suites of services to their clients. We have seen a lot of success in offering opt-in worldwide publishing administration to those who are about to release music. Global distribution should be complemented by global publishing administration as much as possible. 

Global Music Publishing Administration

Songtrust strives to create a simple, cost-effective solution for any person or business to handle publishing rights in an increasingly digital world. Songtrust also has a dedicated client services team keeping you informed every step of the way. 

If you’re unsure of whether your business model would align with ours, you can always reach out to Songtrust’s team of publishing specialists.