What's the difference between a publishing company and a record label?
A publishing company manages the composition of a song—the music and lyrics written by the songwriter(s).
A record label manages the recording—the actual audio performance of that composition.
To license a song properly, you often need permission from both: the publisher (for the composition) and the label or licensing company (for the recording). Each party earns royalties for the rights they control.
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How does music licensing work?
Music is protected under two types of copyrights:
The Composition: the melody and lyrics, owned by the songwriter and music publisher.
The Recording: the specific performance of that composition—such as a Tency Music re-recording.
To legally use a song, you must get permission for both the composition and the recording, unless it’s in the public domain:
The recording is licensed through the producer or record label (such as Tency Music).
The composition is usually managed by a music publisher and/or music rights societies (e.g. ASCAP, BMI, SESAC in the U.S., PRS in the UK, SACEM in France).
For U.S. users, we also offer a streamlined option through our partner, Easy Song Licensing, to help secure the necessary cover song license.