How do I shop my original songs to major artists?

Question by Steven R:

How do I shop my original songs to major artists?

I have quite a bit of original material that I major artists in the industry would be PERFECT to perform. The only thing is, I'm not quite sure how to go about shopping it to them. I've done a little research, and I've read on getting a publisher, and even finding an underground artist, and giving them the song to raise your popularity, but I would like some further clarification. I write hip hop, pop, and funky-pop material-great for bands, and solo artists. Does anyone have any experience in this field?




Best answer:

Answer by Rob
If you are a new, unpublished writer going through a publisher is your best bet. If you are an established writer with contacts in the music business, you may be able to effectively self-promote your songs to performers and offer a percentage of the publisher's royalties to the artist as an incentive to record your music. But, as a new writer, you don't have those contacts and it is best to get started through a publisher who can effectively promote your work to artists.

To clarify, by "publisher's royalties", I'm referring to the 50% that would normally go to the publisher for their role in promoting your music and getting it "placed." If you don't use a publisher, you are self-publishing and you can barter some of that 50% that would usually go to the publisher. So, you might propose to the artist that you will give them maybe 15 or 20% of the "publisher's royalties" if they record your song.

But all of that refers to being an established writer who has good contacts in the music business. And, even if you are established and self-publish, you will still use a publisher for the administrative role of collecting your royalties, for which you will give them about 10%. So, realistically, there's no such thing as keeping 100% because, as a self-publishing writer, you will likely barter part of it to the performer and you will pay a percentage to a publisher for the service of collecting your royalties.

Bottom line: If you are a new writer, use a publisher. They have the ability to promote your work much more effectively than you can on your own. It may seem hard at first to accept splitting royalties 50/50 with a publisher, but they perform an important role. Writing the music is the first step, but without effective promotion no one will be able to hear and enjoy what you have to share.

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