We have drawn up a set of the standard contracts that music publishers use on a regular basis, and which form the backbone of your business.  The contracts us traditional music publishing contract wording where appropriate, but have been updated where necessary to reflect the latest legal and commercial developments.

Songwriter Contract (singer-songwriter)

A contract to engage the exclusive songwriting serves of a singer-songwriter in return for the payment of a share of source-arising income.  The songwriter is engaged for one fixed period plus your choice of option periods, and must deliver one album per period (with your choice of control).  You can choose whether the copyrights are assigned or licensed to you, and the term of your rights period.  There is provision for the payment of advances if agreed, and you select all the royalty rates.  The contract contains standard accounting and audit rights, warranties, indemnities, termination rights, and the appropriate boilerplate.

Songwriter Contract (songwriter only)

A contract to engage the exclusive songwriting serves of a songwriter in return for the payment of a share of source-arising income.  The songwriter is engaged for one fixed period plus your choice of option periods, and must deliver a given number of songs per period (which are released).  You can choose whether the copyrights are assigned or licensed to you, and the term of your rights period.  There is provision for the payment of advances if agreed, and you select all the royalty rates.  The contract contains standard accounting and audit rights, warranties, indemnities, termination rights and the appropriate boilerplate.

Sub-Publishing Contract

A contract under which you engage a sub-publisher to administer your catalogue for a particular territory.  The sub-publisher keeps an administration fee of your choice, and you have full audit rights.  The contract contains standard accounting provisions, warranties, indemnities, termination rights, and the appropriate boilerplate.

Synchronisation Licence

A multi-purpose synch licence that can be used for any type of production, whether a film, TV programme, computer game, advertisment or other.  A wide or narrow range of rights can be granted, and you choose the licensed term, territory and the credit to be given.  In the boilerplate you can select the preferred termination and assignment provisions.

Sample Licence

A short form licence for granting sample rights in return for either a share of the copyright in the resulting song, or sample fees , or both.  The contract contains in short form accounting and audit rights, warranties, indemnitites, termination rights, and the appropriate boilerplate.

Single Song Assignment (stand alone)

A short form contract under which you take an assignment of the copyright in one or more songs from a songwriter in perpetuity on a one-off basis.  You pay a percentage of your reciepts.  Basic warranties and appropriate boilerplate.

Single Song Assigment (confirmatory)

A one-page confirmatory assignment of copyright for use when a songwriter is delivering songs under a pre-existing contract.

NDA (unilateral)

A comprehensive non-disclosure agreement for use when you are disclosing confidential information to a third party and you require the party to keep the information confidential.

NDA (mutual)

A comprehensive non-disclosure agreement for use when you and a third party are mutually disclosing confidential information and you each require the other to keep the information confidential.