Info for Writers

Useful information for writers.

This site is Irish based, for writers outside of Ireland, IMRO should be taken to mean ‘your local music rights collection agency’.

A full list of agencies can be found here on Wikipedia.

Published Works (i.e. works assigned to a publisher).
1) It is the responsibility of your publisher to register works you have assigned to that company. Published works should not be registered by the songwriter with certain exceptions. For example, a writer may wish to register works which are published abroad only or if there are works registration delays on the publisher’s side.

2) Writers who are under exclusive contract to a publisher should ensure that they advise their publisher of all new works as they are written to enable the publisher to register the works.

Unpublished Works (i.e. works not assigned to any publisher)
3) Unpublished works should be registered with IMRO as soon as possible. Members can submit details of performance and recording activity online or when submitting the works to IMRO.

4) Each writer has a unique eleven digit CAE/IPI number. This number should be entered in the appropriate field in order to correctly identify the writer. If you are co-writing with other IMRO members or members of affiliated societies, you should ensure that your co-writer’s CAE/IPI number is also entered. If you are unsure of your CAE/IPI number, you should contact IMRO Membership Services.

5) Members should not register their arrangements of copyright works as no share of royalties is allocated to an arranger in such cases. HOWEVER ARRANGEMENTS OF PUBLIC DOMAIN WORKS SHOULD BE REGISTERED.

6) If a composer has written incidental music for a non-musical play, the playwright’s name should not be shown in the author’s column. If songs have been written for the play, their individual titles and other details should be separately indicated, making it clear who wrote the words.

7) Specially commissioned works for a film, television or radio programme (or series) or any other audio-visual production should, wherever possible, be notified under the generic score title only (e.g. “Film X – Theme and Background Music”). It is not necessary to notify each individual cue employed in an audio-visual work, except where the nature of the cue differs substantially from the rest of the score (e.g. another interested party is involved, or the work is a commissioned song). If available, the producer’s music cue sheet for the production this should be sent directly to IMRO’s Distribution Team.

8) Performing shares must add up to exactly 100%. Mechanical shares must add up to exactly 100%.

9) In completing works registrations, members should indicate their preference for a US performing right society to collect royalties on their behalf; either ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. Where no choice is made by the member, the default choice is ASCAP.

Music publishing is the publishing of music. Music publishers originally published sheet music. When copyright became legally protected, music publishers started to play a role in the management of the intellectual property of composers.
In the music industry, a music publisher or publishing company is responsible for ensuring the songwriters and composers receive payment when their compositions are used commercially. Through an agreement called a publishing contract, a songwriter or composer "assigns" the copyright of their composition to a publishing company. In return, the company licenses compositions, helps monitor where compositions are used, collects royalties and distributes them to the composers. They also secure commissions for music and promote existing compositions to recording artists, film and television.
The copyrights owned and administered by publishing companies are one of the most important forms of intellectual property in the music industry. (The other is the copyright on a master recording which is typically owned by a record company) Publishing companies play a central role in managing this vital asset. Wikipedia.
Warning: Beware of Song Sharks. "Song sharks" is the trade name for any individual, or firm who, with the deliberate intention to defraud, solicits business from amateur songwriters, advising them that by having music written to their lyrics, or vice versa, they will have a finished composition which will immediately be "snatched up" by a music publisher. Often, the song shark will himself claim to be a publisher, and will tell the songwriter that his only expense will be in "defraying half the costs of publication."
If a publishing company is asking for money up front to place your song, they are probably song sharks, ignore.

Music publishers can help you tap into some very lucrative income streams and help you manage some difficult jobs. Although you as a songwriter can certainly handle your own publishing, and thereby keep all of the revenues, a good publishing company can potentially take your career to the next level.

Just click on HERE and complete the form.