What are masters, publishing, distribution etc? CULTUR:ED

Ok friend come here let’s talk.

And take notes.

Today we’re focusing on the business part of the music business more than the music.

I am forever yawning but alas, show must go on.

Grab a notebook or copy & paste because, genuinely, once you get it you’ll see it’s nothing complex at all.

In this one we’re covering the main few key words + the sign up process. Let’s go.

There are 2 levels of distributing music:

Basic (like Distrokid, CD Baby)

• You upload

• You keep almost all money

• They don’t help you grow

Real distribution deals (like AWAL or The Orchard)

• They help with playlists, marketing, strategy

• They take ~10–30%

• You still own your masters

That’s why people like these → it’s halfway between indie and label.

Basically when it comes to a song you do, whatever, album, EP, you get it - there’s something called masters & publishing.

There’s a handful of the most frequent terms and that would be two of them.

Your project, as a recording - that would be the MASTERS.

Usually, those very big labels tend to keep the artists’ masters as part of the contract in which, hopefully, the artist sees an equal exchange. Usually they’re a safety net to the labels.

The PUBLISHING , unlike the recording, is the idea, the concept, the lyrics, melody, chords..

Disclaimer: Here at BN$ you’ll see absolutely 0 resistance on the topic of major labels, it’s a specific model that works & absolutely any person who isn’t fully realistic about whether or not they should go towards that goal is where the issue can be made.

Mind you, I’ve been reading for far too long, I’ve seen multiple videos about people almost trying to outrule major labels by airing out dirty laundry. Outrule them with the concept of independent. Now look what you have. A bunch of “wrong” new terms on any of the independent distribution platforms. Have some common sense & read this one in Conor McGregors voice if you have to: it does make fucking sense when it makes a holy shit amount of money.

Big business doesn’t choose right or wrong - to make the biggest amounts of money. That’s the world you’re in. Accept that. Read that over again if it’s confusing.

So what’s the point?

The point is, if your goal is stardom that’s Justin Bieber, Raye whoever: the only best way for you is probably major labels.

But the funny thing is, if you do this for the love of it then either way you have to buckle up and honor as much as you can with these certain systematic parts of this whole thing.

OK SO OTHER THAN MASTERS, PUBLISHING WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

(Don’t get discouraged by names you don’t know, we explain what everything is.)

Now here’s what most people don’t realize:

Even if your song is doing numbers, money comes from multiple places, not just “streams”.

You’re getting paid from:

• Streaming (via distributor)

• Publishing (via PRO like PRS for music- performance rights organisation or your local one)

• Mechanical royalties (extra streaming money most people miss — collected by THE MLC.

If you’re not set up for all 3, you’re leaving money on the table. You set up by: signing up, logging on, friend.

We used two new terms here, PRS & MLC

• PRS → pays you when your song is played (performance money)

• MLC → pays you when your song is streamed/downloaded (mechanical money)

There are ways to make money & making sure to find your model is key.

Consider the moment and think of the longterm. Beats for now, maybe on your own website, packs, collabs etc, act accordingly.

Don’t be discouraged because it can all be sorted by you, all other things we don’t mention with this segment of cultur:ed we cover in the next ones. This is all very easy still, considering it’s all easily accessible & reasonably priced.

10-Minute Setup (Do This Once)

1. Distribution (you probably have this)

Use:

• Distrokid, CD Baby

or similar

This pays you for:

• Streams (Spotify, Apple Music)

• This is your master money

If you already upload music → you’re good here.

⸻

2. Register with your PRO (VERY important)

If, for example, you’re in Croatia:

Use HDS ZAMP (your local PRO)

(PRS is UK, but same idea as PRS For Music)

What to do:

• Sign up as a songwriter

• Register your songs

This pays you for:

• Live shows

• Radio

• Public plays

⸻

3. Sign up for MLC (free money most people miss)

Go to:

The MLC

What to do:

• Create account (free)

• Register your songs

This pays you for:

• US streaming on the publishing side

Even if you’re not American → you still get paid if your listeners are.

⸻

4. Track your splits (don’t skip this)

Before releasing ANY song:

Write down:

• Who made the beat

• Who wrote lyrics

• % ownership

Example:

• You: 70%

• Producer: 30%

Keep this saved (notes app is fine)

If you don’t do this:

• Payments can get stuck

• People can dispute ownership

⸻

5. Optional (but smart later)

When you grow, consider:

• AWAL

• UnitedMasters

They help with:

• Playlist pitching

• Strategy

• Industry connections

BUT:

• They take a %

⸻

How Money Flows (Real Example)

Let’s say your song hits 100k streams:

You get:

From DistroKid

= money for the recording (master)

From PRO (HDS ZAMP type)

= money for public performance

From MLC

= extra publishing money from US streams

⸻

Biggest Mistakes to Avoid

• Only using a distributor → missing publishing money

• Not registering songs → unpaid royalties

• No split agreements → future problems

• Taking advances too early → stuck in bad deals

⸻

Simplest Way to Remember

You need 3 setups:

• Distributor → streaming money

• PRO → performance money

• MLC → extra streaming (publishing) money

Miss one = lose money

What you’re probably MISSING (this is the real edge)

1. Metadata (boring but CRITICAL)

This is stuff like:

• Song title

• Your artist name (spelled EXACT)

• Songwriter credits

• ISRC / ISWC codes

• ISRC (International Standard Recording Code)

  
  

  → identifies a specific recording

  
  

  → every version (original, remix, live) gets its own code

• ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code)

  
  

  → identifies the composition (songwriting)

  
  

  → all versions of the same song share one code

ISRC = audio file

ISWC = underlying song (lyrics + melody)

If this is wrong:

• You don’t get paid properly

• Money gets lost or delayed

Most artists ignore this → lose money silently

⸻

2. Split sheets (this saves careers)

Every time you make a song with someone:

Write:

• Who did what

• % ownership

Even if it’s your friend. Even if it’s “we’ll figure it out later”

Later = problems, for some.

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That’s it for now, might be a lot for someone who doesn’t usually read about any of this.

This has been the 8th segment, so you’ve got some to catch up with if you’re fully now to locking in with music production. It all takes time.

You can see when the new parts get uploaded on our Instagram stories, @wearenycto