All You Need to Know About the Music Business by veteran music lawyer Donald Passman is a popular guide for anyone in the music industry.
The book is updated every few years with new information. The most recent update explains how musicians now have more power than ever, how streaming has changed the music industry, and how AI will affect music creation.
Passman covers a wide range of topics in his book, including
- record labels,
- streaming services,
- publishing,
- and more.
Although some of the information may be common knowledge, Passman's engaging writing style makes it an enjoyable read for anyone interested in the music industry.
Whether you're a musician, manager, or just interested in the industry, this book is still relevant today.
Overall
"All You Need to Know About the Music Business" is a book that has been a go-to resource for those looking to understand the complex world of the music industry.
Donald Passman wrote the book and has updated it several times to reflect the ever-changing industry.
The book offers great insight into the music business, though it may feel a bit dry at times. Some of the advice presented seems like common sense, such as treating people with respect.
However, overall, it provides a comprehensive understanding of the industry and offers valuable insights.
What sets this book apart is its ability to present potentially dry topics in an engaging and humorous manner. The author, Mr. Passman, injects humor into discussions that would otherwise be tedious, making the reading experience enjoyable and accessible.
While the book may feel somewhat old-fashioned, it still remains highly relevant. It acts as a guide to identify potential issues and challenges that may arise in the music writing and publishing venture. It is worth noting that this updated version still retains elements from an older era when success in the music industry meant being at the mercy of record labels, managers, and other industry professionals. Nonetheless, it serves as a cautionary tale, helping readers avoid pitfalls and navigate the business landscape more effectively.
Reviews
Here are some reviews from Amazon users who have recently purchased the 10th edition of the book:
"Everything You Need to Know About the Music Industry"
"Very Informative"
Mjksd22 writes, "Great insight into the music business. Can be boring at times, and most of the advice seems to be common sense (e.g. don't treat people poorly), but overall a great read and insight into the industry."
"Creative People Should Read This to Understand the Business Behind Their Intellectual Property"
Hendrik writes, "This book gives you a broad idea of how the entertainment industry works. Mr. Passman writes about topics that would otherwise be dry in a humorous way."
"Detailed, Though Somewhat Old-Fashioned"
Lighten_up_already writes, "I'm glad I read this book, but it's mainly to know where issues may come up and what the issues may be during my hopefully upcoming music writing and publishing venture. Most of all, this was a book of things to avoid. It seems like an updated version of a very old book, written back when the only way to succeed in making money through music was to be young, poor, and at the mercy of record labels, managers, lawyers, promoters, and so on. You had to depend on others, who all played roles in a process you couldn't possibly understand until you lived through it and were perhaps exploited by it."
"Must-Read for the Music Industry"
Danaye Michelle writes, "I absolutely recommend the book for anyone trying to get in the music industry. This book gives you the beginning steps of what to expect in the industry."
Conclusion
Based on these reviews, it is clear that "All You Need to Know About the Music Business" is still a valuable resource for those looking to understand the music industry. While some may find the information to be common knowledge, others find it to be a thorough and insightful guide. Whether you're a musician, manager, or just interested in the industry, this book is definitely worth checking out.
This chapter discusses deals under which two or more people share the publishing of a song. The variables are:
- Who owns a piece of the copyright (some may just have a right to income, with no ownership);
- Whether there is a sharing of the administration rights (the rights to issue licenses, collect monies, etc., which we discussed on page 235); and
- How long the deal lasts (life of copyright, or something less).
The most common deals are:
- Copublishing agreements coupled with songwriter agreements (we discussed songwriter agreements in the last chapter). In other words, a deal under which you get not only your songwriter's share, but also a portion (usually 50%) of the publishing income as well. The contract is not usually a separate copublishing agreement; it's just a songwriter's agreement with copublishing terms baked in.
- A situation where songwriters who are signed to different publishers (or songwriters who own their own publishing) write ? song together. This kind of copublishing agreement (which is also called a split agreement) sets out how the money gets di vided, and how the song is going, out how the mond. As well see in a minute, the administration can be done by only one party, or shared by two or more of them. If more than one party administers, this is sometimes called a co-administration