Good books on music publishing?
May 7, 2013
Dear Music Lawyer,
I am an independent music consultant and digital marketer. I wish to understand the really confounding subject of music publishing and copyright. Can you suggest a book or article which comprehensively explains the subject in a simple non-legal parlance?
—Jack
Dear Jack,
Indeed, music publishing is a complicated area. Fortunately, there are many good books devoted to the subject in the United States. Here are a few recommendations that I keep on the shelf:
Randall Wixen's Plain & Simple Guide to Music Publishing (the shortest of the recommended list)
Steve Winogradsky's Music Publishing - The Complete Guide (brand new and well-written)
Perhaps the most well-known book about the music publishing industry is the Brabec brothers' guide, Music, Money and Success. The Brabec twins are frequent speakers at industry conferences and their book is quite popular and frequently updated.
For a comprehensive overview of the U.S. music industry, Donald Passman's book All You Need to Know About the Music Business is great (and what made me become a music lawyer!).
—Amy E. Mitchell
