selling songs

evenaswedrum · Post by **evenaswedrum** » Monday Jan 05, 2004

Anyone ever sell a song? I want to know how you go about doing this.
We've tried to find musicians that stick together and everything always falls apart. But i think the songwriting is really good and have posted things on the various websites such as garageband and mp3 whatever.... you know the deal.... The people from talent2k start calling and shit like that but all the services that talk about selling your music eem like scams to me. I'd love to actually get together with people and just play shows but right now it just seems easier to record the songs with two members playing everything and trying to sell them. Anyone have any experience in going this route?

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Monday Jan 05, 2004

I'm no expert on this but my advice would be to go down to Barnes and Noble and check out thier music section. They have some books written specifically for songwriters and getting songs published. (or you could also probaly check out Amazon.com)

tonefight · Post by **tonefight** » Monday Jan 05, 2004

A name that I've heard of is "Taxi" They are basically somekind of org. for songwriters, I believe they have a web site I was on once, I know for sure if you go to musiciansfriend.com and select music links then go to the bottum under musicians resources they have a link.

Thats the best I can do

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Tuesday Jan 06, 2004

Before you send anything ANYWHERE, make sure you have the copyright certificate in your hands. If you're looking to shop the songs around, pick up a copy of a book like the Indie Bible or The Music Industry Sourcebook and start shopping it that way. Both books are worth their weight in gold.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Tuesday Jan 06, 2004

Most folks who can help you will be in Nashville, NYC or LA, but mostly Nashville because country artists are generally more open to outside material than pop or rock, but bear in mind that Nashville has ALL kinds of music for sale, not just country. Contacts can be made online, in fact you should definitely e-mail or write first, sometimes many times, because you will need a " solicited" code on the outside of any submission you make ( NOBODY listens to unsolicited material, if they do claim that, you're probably getting ripped off. When and if they give you a code, be sure your best stuff is up front on the tape or CD, with decent production, and clear vocals. Guitar/Vocal is okay for quiet stuff, but if you have a particular vision for a song, or if the instrumentation is part of the hook, by all means , include it.
Most new writers get a "per-song" publishing deal these days, meaning you are not on a staff, more of a subcontractor thing. Actually, that's kind of a good thing since you're not tied down to a single contract.
Your song will be handed to a "plugger," who literally sells the song to an artist, producer, or record company weasel. If they want it, it goes on "hold," meaning nobody else can use it until the powers that be decide yes or no. This can last a long time, and be very frustrating. Many, many people have the ability to kill the song at this point. If the song does get cut, you may get a small stipend, then wait until sales start to get paid.
BTW, the U.S. has a law called compulsory license, meaning , if I want to cut your song I can, without your permission, as long as I pay you your cut. That helps move the industry along. I have no control over WHO does my song, or HOW they do it, once it hits the "Work For Hire" phase. Anyone can send the Harry Fox Agency a check (it's really cheap) and record any song.
All in all, an extremely satisfying/frustrating, profitable/bankrupting, easy/hard way to make a living!------->JMS

Post by **Ron** » Tuesday Jan 06, 2004

One thing that songsmith brought up, which is very important, is that if you want to write songs for a living, you have to treat songwriting as a job, not a first love.
Emotional attachment to your material is not good in this type of scenario, since it will get hacked up, rearranged, and put back together.

Post by **Ron** » Tuesday Jan 06, 2004

Hmmm... looks like song writers got a raise.

Please be advised that the new statutory compulsory royalty rate under Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act will take effect on January 1, 2004.
As of that date, the royalty rate for physical phonorecords will rise to 8.5 cents, or 1.65 cents per minute of playing time or fraction thereof, whichever amount is larger.
This increase from the current rate of 8.0 cents/1.55 cents per minute is per the royalty rate schedule adopted by the Library of Congress. See 37 C.F.R. § 255.3.
The new statutory rate of 8.5 cents/1.65 cents per minute also applies to digital phonorecord deliveries in the form of permanent downloads.

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Tuesday Jan 06, 2004

I think Zupe is a member on here. If anyone knows him hes a great keyboard player/writer. He has had his songs on Malcolm in the middle tv show. He would be a good one to talk too..

Chevelle7982 · Post by **Chevelle7982** » Tuesday Jan 06, 2004

EvenAsWeDrum, lets get together and play your stuff live.

evenaswedrum · Post by **evenaswedrum** » Wednesday Jan 07, 2004

get together and play live? sounds good but the last experience i had playing with people from far away didn't work out so well.
How do i go about getting that " solicited " code?

Post by **Ron** » Wednesday Jan 07, 2004

evenaswedrum wrote: How do i go about getting that " solicited " code?

songsmith wrote: ... you should definitely e-mail or write first, sometimes many times, because you will need a "solicited" code on the outside of any submission you make.

evenaswedrum · Post by **evenaswedrum** » Thursday Jan 08, 2004

uh, and how does that answer my question, Ron?
you just trying to make me look stupid or what?
ok...
So I can make contacts online.
how? Is there a specific web address/company name? Or do i just call and write random record labels in NY, Nashville, and LA?
Like i said everything i look up seems like a scam.

Post by **Ron** » Thursday Jan 08, 2004

Sorry EAWD, I misunderstood your question. I didn't realize that you were asking who to contact.

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Thursday Jan 08, 2004

Try the two books I was telling you about. They both have over 16,000 contacts in each and that's what we've been using for some stuff we're working on.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Friday Jan 09, 2004

Honestly, you're on your own as to whom to contact. I'd find a good sourcebook as mentioned unless you know somebody (I'm sure you know how THAT goes). Be advised that you'll likely send LOTS of demo's, and kiss LOTS of a**, but the payoff COULD be very worth the effort if you have a commercial song. A few years ago I had an e-mail discussion with the woman who wrote "Wide Open Spaces" for the Dixie Chicks, which was #1 for 6 weeks on the country chart... it was worth $100,000 per week in royalties while it was #1. That was just HER cut (publishers take half). That doesn't count the trip up to #1 or the trip down, and that was 5 years ago. And that's just the country chart... the pop chart pays even more.
I wasn't witholding info... the whole system's pretty vague, and depends a lot on the opinion of 1 or 2 people. I know that sucks, but the saying in Nashtown is that you have a way better chance of being struck by lightning. That said, they treat writers nice while they're in town, I always feel like a pro when I go there.
Another trick I've heard is to come up with some novel way of getting attention with your submission, like wrapping it up in gift wrap, or sending a copy every day for a month, stuff like that. You have to stand out somehow.
The problem is that millions , and I mean millions of people have written a song. People normally don't write 'em for no reason, they write what's in their hearts, and it touches them and they think it might touch others, so they try to get it published and sold. However, not everybody is so good at writing a commercial song, so there's lots of chaff with the wheat. They don't care how sweet the song is, or how touching, or how much you bare your soul. They care if they can SELL it, that's it. Quality doesn't necessarily sell... but we all knew that.
I guess the best advice is, write sellable songs (whatever THAT means), then keep pestering the right people. Sorry I can't help much more than that until you have a "bite."------>JMS

Raul Duke · Post by **Raul Duke** » Saturday Apr 17, 2004

chevelle shows good initiative, you should give a shot evenaswedrum. I bet he's even got a car and a phone where he may be contacted.

Raul Duke · Post by **Raul Duke** » Saturday Apr 17, 2004

chevelle shows good initiative, you should give a shot evenaswedrum. I bet he's even got a car and a phone where he may be contacted.