AH Vault: Get a Job in Music Publishing!

For many of us pursuing a career on the business side of music, it wasn’t long ago that a position at a record label was the lone objective. This mindset may have been reasonable in the days of yore — back when the idea of a five-figure sales week being enough to regularly land the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart was almost laughable — but as the paradigm of the music industry evolves, so to must our mindsets. This is not to suggest that you should abandon the idea of working at a label; in spite of their current troubles, labels will eventually reinvent themselves, and there are labels out there now that are innovating and that can offer rewarding career opportunities. However, the industry also encompasses more thriving areas than ever before, and the types of careers spanning the business have never been so varied. By limiting your aspirations to a label position alone, you could miss out on a career path that you’re even better suited for.

Out of these thriving areas, publishing has been receiving most of the spotlight. In his interview with Billboard.biz, “Big” Jon Platt (now President of North American Creative at EMI Music Publishing), compares the potential for career longevity at publishing companies vs. record labels. He paints the publishing world as a place where executives are afforded more time to grow within companies, some staying with the same publisher for 15 years — a feat that’s rare to find within a record label. Furthermore, for those who want to play major roles in artist development, publishing is a top spot to be. While labels have understandably been trying to minimize their risk by targeting artists who are already as “developed” as possible, publishers have taken on greater roles as nurturers of talent. Had it not been for publishing companies and this openness to stick with new acts through the sometimes protracted development process, some of today’s biggest artists may still be unknown. Taylor Swift, for example, got her start by honing her songwriting abilities under the guidance of Arthur Buenahora at Sony/ATV Music Publishing before being offered her record deal. And in this Reuters article, Keri Hilson speak about how having first developed as a songwriter with Universal Music Publishing prepared her for the launch of her career as a solo artist this year after signing with Interscope Records.

So, how does one go about entering the publishing industry? The Artists House vault can offer some insight.

In addition to our video interview catalog, ArtistsHouseMusic.org offers a selection of articles and text-based interviews, and the list includes a comprehensive interview that Mike King (@atomzooey) did with Eric Beall on this very topic.

Beall began his tenure in the industry as a songwriter, penning songs for The Jacksons and Diana Ross (among others) and later transitioned to the business end of things, holding senior Creative positions at Zomba Music Publishing, Jive Records, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He is the author of “Making Music Make Money” (a must-read for anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of publishing) and “The Billboard Guide to Writing and Producing Songs that Sell”. Currently, he is an A&R for Shapiro, Bernstein & Co and an instructor of the Berklee College of Music’s online course, Music Publishing 101, which he also authored.

In the interview, Eric discusses some of the ways people can get into the publishing industry, the positions available, the growth publishing has been experiencing, the amount of jobs available, and the best ways to prepare for a job in publishing. The full interview can be found here: Get a Job in Music Publishing!