PMApub / Academy lessons / Module 5

The Role of Publishing Administrators

By PMApub Academy · Last reviewed 2026-10-13 · About 6 min read

The problem: royalties are scattered around the world

When a song is performed, streamed or reproduced, the composition earns money for its writers and publishers. In theory you could collect all of it yourself. In practice, collection is handled by societies that operate country by country. Examples include GEMA in Germany, JASRAC in Japan and SACEM in France, along with the performing rights organizations and mechanical rights bodies in the United States.

Registering your songs directly with every relevant society, tracking usage reports and chasing payments would be close to a full-time job. Many independent songwriters never do it, which means money for their songs can sit unclaimed or go unreported.

What a publishing administrator actually does

A publishing administrator, often called a pub admin, handles the paperwork and collection on your behalf. Companies such as Songtrust and Sentric work in this space, and PMApub offers an admin service as well. Typically an administrator will:

• Register your compositions with collection societies and rights databases around the world.
• Monitor usage and match reported uses to your songs.
• Collect the publisher's share of performance royalties, mechanical royalties and certain other income, including international shares.
• Pass the money on to you after deducting an agreed fee.

The exact services vary by company, so read what is covered and what is not. Some admins also pitch songs for sync licensing, but many do not, and that is a separate service from administration. Your writer's share of US performance income is normally paid to you directly by your performing rights organization, so you stay a member of one.

Administration is not the same as selling your songs

This is the most important distinction. In an administration arrangement, you generally keep ownership of your copyrights, and the administrator is paid for doing the collection work. That is very different from a traditional publishing deal, in which a publisher may take a share of ownership in exchange for an advance and creative or promotional support.

Do not assume, though. Some agreements include terms that last for a set period or have notice requirements for ending the relationship. Confirm in writing what rights you keep, how long the agreement runs, and how you can leave.

Understanding the fee

Administrators normally keep a percentage of what they collect. The percentage varies by company and plan, and some companies charge different rates for performance and mechanical income or add a one-time or annual registration fee. Because these terms change, check each company's current published terms rather than relying on a figure from an article.

When comparing options, ask:

1. What percentage is kept, and on which income types?
2. Are there sign-up or per-song fees?
3. How often are statements and payments issued?
4. Is there a minimum payout threshold?
5. What happens to my registrations, and to royalties earned during the term, if I leave?

When it makes sense to hire one

Imagine Maya, who has released six songs she wrote herself and whose music is starting to stream in several countries. She is registered with a US performing rights organization and the MLC, but she has no way to claim money from societies overseas. An administrator could register her songs abroad and collect those international shares.

If you have only a handful of songs and almost no international listening, the fee and effort may not yet pay off. Some artists wait until activity grows. Others register early so that nothing is missed. Neither choice is wrong, but it should be deliberate.

Remember that an administrator does not replace your own US setup. You still need your songwriter registration and the other items on a royalty checklist, which the next lesson covers.

Getting your information ready

Whichever company you choose, preparation makes onboarding faster and prevents errors. Gather the following:

• Exact song titles and any alternate titles.
• Every writer's legal name and, where applicable, their performing rights organization affiliation.
• Ownership splits agreed by all co-writers, ideally in a signed written agreement.
• ISRCs for the recordings linked to each composition.

Splits are where most disputes begin. If two registrations claim different percentages for the same song, payments can be held or delayed. A qualified music attorney can help you document splits, and an accountant can advise on how royalty income should be reported.

For labels, managers, and teams

For a label or management team, publishing administration is mostly about discipline and delegation. A fictional imprint, Nightshift Records, signs writer-artists and has to decide who controls each song's publishing.

First, sort the rights. A label that owns masters does not automatically own the compositions. Unless a signed agreement says otherwise, the writers or their publishers do. Never register a composition on a writer's behalf without written authority.

Collect a signed split sheet for every song before anything is registered. It lists each writer, their ownership percentage and their performing rights organization. Because conflicting registrations can cause payments to be held, the split sheet should be the single source for your admin, the MLC and every PRO.

Decide whether each writer signs up individually or whether you manage a roster under one administration agreement. Either way, read the term, notice period, exit terms and what happens to registrations and post-term collections when the agreement ends. A music attorney should review these before signing.

Reconcile regularly. Compare administrator statements against distributor reports and PRO statements, and ask for an explanation of any song with streams but no matching income. Keep a catalog register listing every song, writer, split, ISRC, registration status and date, and assign one person to maintain it.

Finally, track who gets paid what. Pass-through of writer income to artists should follow written terms, and an accountant can advise on reporting and any withholding for your situation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming an administrator takes ownership of your songs without reading the agreement, or assuming the opposite without checking.
• Skipping your own PRO and MLC registrations because an admin is signed up.
• Registering songs before co-writers have agreed and signed off on splits.
• Comparing administrators on the headline percentage alone and ignoring sign-up fees, payout thresholds and income types covered.
• Overlooking the agreement's term and notice period, which can make leaving harder than joining.
• Using different titles or writer names across registrations, so usage fails to match.
• Waiting until music is widely streamed abroad before registering, then discovering unclaimed income that is hard to trace.
• Treating the admin as a sync agent when sync pitching is not part of the service.

Action checklist

1. Confirm in writing who owns each composition and each master.
2. Sign a split sheet with all co-writers for every song.
3. Join a US PRO as a writer and register your songs there.
4. Register your compositions with The MLC for US digital mechanicals.
5. List the countries where your music is actually streamed or played.
6. Compare at least two administrators on fees, term, exit terms, payout schedule and services.
7. Have a music attorney review any administration agreement before signing.
8. Prepare titles, writer names, PRO affiliations, splits and linked ISRCs in one spreadsheet.
9. Submit your catalog and check that the registrations match your sheet.
10. Review statements each period and chase any song with usage but no income.

Key terms

• Composition: The underlying melody and lyrics of a song, owned by its writers and any publishers.
• Publisher's share: The portion of composition income that goes to the publisher entity, as distinct from the writer's share.
• Writer's share: The portion of composition income that goes to the songwriter.
• Publishing administrator: A company paid to register compositions, track usage and collect publishing income on a writer's behalf, usually without taking ownership.
• Performing rights organization (PRO): A society such as ASCAP or BMI that licenses public performances and pays writers and publishers.
• Mechanical royalty: Income paid for reproducing and distributing a composition, such as in a download or an interactive stream.
• Collection society: An organization that collects royalties for rights holders, usually within a country or territory.
• Split sheet: A signed document stating each writer's ownership percentage in a song.
• Copyright ownership: Legal ownership of a work, which can be kept by the writer even while an administrator collects income.
• Sync license: Permission to pair a composition with visual media such as film, TV or advertising.
• Term: The period an agreement lasts, often with notice requirements for ending it.