How Independent Music Publishing Works (Or Doesn't)

This week Ari sits down with Marc Caruso, the CEO and co-founder of Angry Mob Music, an independent music publisher based in LA. Aside from being an advocate for independent artists in the publishing world, Marc is a composer, producer, and Emmy-nominated music editor himself. He is also a board member and former President of the LA chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a member of The Recording Academy, and a member of The Motion Picture Editors Guild.

In this episode, Marc describes the evolving landscape of music publishing, particularly in the context of our streaming economy. He breaks down essential terms, like ‘music publishing’ itself, ‘copyright’, and ‘royalties’, before diving into the deeper complexities of the publishing world. Marc is incredibly transparent about how the money gets made at his publishing company—giving detailed accounts of how much sync licenses pay these days and what royalties look like for microsyncs on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Rounding out a more global view, Marc and Ari discuss Universal’s deal with Spotify, the MLC’s failed lawsuit against Spotify and what all this means for independent publishers and independent songwriters.

instagram.com/angrymobmusic

Chapters

00:00 The Shift from Sales to Streaming Economy
04:07 Understanding Music Publishing
12:50 The Role of Angry Mob Music
16:55 Revenue Streams in Music Publishing
21:30 The Importance of Sync Licensing
22:00 Sync Fees and Their Variability
29:44 Sync in Film and Advertising
34:34 Micro Sync and Social Media Platforms
39:41 Navigating Music Licensing for Creators
45:24 The Complexities of Music Rights on Social Media
49:11 The Role of Music Publishers and Advocacy
57:02 Inequities in the Music Industry
01:10:30 Empowering Independent Artists and Publishers

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

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