If you’ve written a rock song and want to earn income from it, here’s how to sell your rock song!

Multiple ways to win

Turn on the radio, walk through a department store, watch TV. Income-generating rock songs are seemingly everywhere! Some of those sources of income for your song include:

• Downloads directly from your own website

• Downloads through third party sites like iTunes.

• CD sales by distributors

• CD sales at live events

• Movie Royalties

• Cable TV Royalties

• Rock Radio Stations Airplay Royalties

• ASCAP / BMI / SESAC revenue from live band licenses

• Mechanical royalties on deck versions

• Royalties abroad

• Advertising usage fees

So you’ve written a rock song, now what?

What do you need to do to sell your rock tune? The first decision you’ll need to make is whether to self-publish and keep 100% of the copyright to your song or to allow your song to be represented by a music publishing company and let them handle the promotion. and / or licensing and collections paperwork.

You will then need to have a demo recording (also known as “a demo”) made to present your song to rock music publishers, producers, and record companies, or, if you are publishing on your own, you will need to hire a producer. to make a master recording or make a limited edition CD containing your songs.

A teacher can duplicate his demonstration, but the cost is much higher. If you can afford it and you definitely intend to exploit copyright, it may be the best investment.

If you only have lyrics, no melody, because you don’t write music, you will need to have a melody and an arrangement of chords written. You cannot avoid this; the only “people in the industry” who review the lyrics are known as “song sharks” and they will be happy to take your money, but they have a horrible reputation in the legitimate world of music. They will never get you a hit and worse, your song will always be tainted by your association with them. Almost all demo services will write music for a fee under a “work for hire” agreement that allows you to retain all rights.

Selling your song for cash, a bad idea

You’re reading this to find out how to sell your song, right? Unfortunately, songwriting can be a high-income cash business, but it’s not fast. It is illegal to sell songs directly to anyone, even music publishers. Especially music publishers! Why? Because back in the 1940s and 1950s, songwriters in distress were starving and selling their songs for ridiculously small amounts, in some cases just $ 10 or $ 15. The song publishers who bought them made millions while songwriters continued to starve.

To rectify this injustice, Congress passed laws preventing the total sale of a song and ultimately resulted in songwriters benefiting from the multiple payment avenues they now enjoy. Music publishers these days have totally cleaned up their act. His business now relies on being more of a mentor and agent for songwriters and both parties share the money the song generates.

Yes, you can assign your publishing rights and take advantage of available sources of income, but you cannot sell all of the copyrights or your share of the composition rights.

That covers the basics of How To Sell Your Rock Songs. Hopefully, it will put you on the path of doing a professional demo, signing your song with a music publisher who will give you a huge prize, and you will enjoy the royalties from your efforts for years to come!