NASHVILLE |
DT: MARCH 5, 2014
FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MIKE GOWEN
‘THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING’
BY VETERAN MUSIC PUBLISHER AND INDUSTRY EXPERT
RANDALL WIXEN
ARRIVES THIS APRIL IN A THIRD EDITION
VIA HAL LEONARD
“Could be the most valuable writing partner you’ll ever hook up with.”
—Tom Petty, from the foreword to THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING
The third edition of veteran music publisher and industry expert RANDALL WIXEN’s widely praised book THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING (Hal Leonard, $24.99) arrives this April, with an array of new topics pegged to the ever-changing music industry landscape. The new subjects include: the value of music (how and why streaming yields so little income to content creators), monetizing YouTube, and the difficulty of calculating and verifying new statutory streaming rates (*full list of these topics below*). The book will be available at all major chains, including Amazon: http://tiny.cc/qpq5bx.
Explaining his inspiration for an expanded third edition of THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING, WIXEN says, “Industry paradigms continue to shift at a rapid pace, and as we move to subscription and streaming models from ownership models, there is a need to help people understand what is happening and what steps to take to ensure they make as much money from their efforts as possible.”
THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING, which explains essential information about protecting and profiting from music copyrights, is written for the lay musician/songwriter but with enough substance to be worthwhile for those already holding positions within the business. The late, great Ray Manzarek of the Doors described previous editions of Wixen’s book (2005, 2009) as “Clear, lucid, tight, and concise.”
NEW TOPICS COVERED IN THIRD EDITION:
- Streaming and downloads hitting the big time while physical continues to fall
- Access vs. ownership models
- Pan European licensing
- The consolidation of labels/publishers
- Compulsory licenses and NOI (Notice of Intent) process dysfunction
- Artists now serving 35 year termination notice to their labels for master recordings and publishers for songs
- Branding and commercial advertising becoming increasingly acceptable and an important revenue stream
- The value of music, and how and why streaming yields so little income to content creators
- Monetizing YouTube
- The difficulty of calculating and verifying new statutory streaming rates
- Success of new distribution models (Tunecore for indie music releases, Louie CK grosses $1M overnight by self-releasing comedy special, PSY turns 1+BN views into $8M ad dollars)
- Locker/cloud storage
- Pandora suing ASCAP for lower rates
- Explosion/importance of mobile tech, music apps (Shazam, Songkick, etc.) becoming a large part of a consumer’s music experience
RANDALL WIXEN, one of the most respected names in the music industry, is the founder of Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. in Los Angeles. With a sister company, Wixen Music UK Ltd. in London, the companies administer the song catalogs of many top artists from the last 50 years, ranging from George Harrison, the Doors, Neil Young and Tom Petty, to the Black Keys, Andrew Bird and Fitz & The Tantrums.
MORE PRAISE FOR THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING:
“For the aspiring songwriter or the professional charged with guiding artists’ careers, this book is an invaluable tool for navigating the murky waters of music publishing. It is an investment that is guaranteed to pay dividends for years to come.”
—Jim Guerinot, Rebel Waltz Management/Time Bomb Recordings
“Randall exhibits a unique talent for presenting necessary technical information and easy-to-read, practical, and pragmatic format. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to obtain a working knowledge of the music publishing industry and a very painless way.”
—Gary l. Gilbert, Esq. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE GUIDE TO MUSIC PUBLISHING
Hal Leonard
Inventory # HL 00122219
ISBN: 9781480354623
For more information on Randall Wixen:
http://wp.Wixenmusic.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Plain-Simple-Guide-Publishing-Edition/dp/1423468546
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wixen-Music-Publishing-Inc/208860115796912
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