#157: Music's Biggest Names Selling Out

The Career Musician

Why are celebrity music artists selling their publishing catalogs at an alarming rate? Take a deep dive with Nomad & Lola, two independent music artists who have also worked in the music biz for over 30 years with some of the biggest stars in the industry.

There are several reasons why celebrity music artists are selling their publishing catalogs at an alarming rate. First and foremost, the music industry has been undergoing tremendous shifts in how revenue is generated due to streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Traditional revenue sources such as record sales have been steadily decreasing while streaming royalties make up a much larger portion of the music industry income. This shift has been particularly difficult for independent musicians and songwriters, who often rely on having control of their publishing to generate more revenue.

Furthermore, the move towards streaming services has also meant that artists are no longer making as much money off of their recorded works due to the low royalty rates associated with streaming. As such, many artists see selling their publishing catalogs as a way to generate revenue in the short term, while still maintaining ownership of the original works.

The takeaway for today's Career Musician is simple – Do as much as you can to diversify your income streams for sustainability. Whether you're an artist, member of a band, composer, producer, or support musician for other acts, publishing, and all of the intricacies there-in is a vital part of YOUR long term success in the industry!

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