Melissa & MAB: This past May, I had some real life experience in this area. I have submitted to various music sites over the years, some of which tell me they will place my tunes with the proper people. One of my co-writers received the following e-mail from a Nashville publisher this past May: "Hi Andy , My name is --. I own a production and publishing business, ---. Your song, "Boys Be Wanting Me", was given to me by --. Cool track. I'm in the process of signing writer/producers to do work for hire for film/TV on an ongoing basis. What I need are full songs in the pop/EDM vein (a la Selena Gomez, Britney Spears, Kaskade feat, Skyler Grey, JLo, etc). Stylistically and lyrically they need to have a high end entertainment, fashion, cutting edge club sound. General non-specific lyrics. House techno/grooves. Up to date sounds, etc.
You'd be paid $475/song, upfront once a song was approved, and would keep 75% of writer's performance royalties. These would be work for hires so you wouldn't retain any rights to the songs but you'd get your upfront fee regardless of the tracks being placed and you'd get your back end indefinitely. I need a lot of songs at the moment so there's as much work as you'd like to do. If this is something you're interested in I'd like to hear more of your catalogue (that's in this vein). Links to download in an email are best. And, I'd like to find a time to find a phone chat. Let me know. Best, --.
I was at first quite pleased about this. Then, I started thinking about it. Frankly, I paid more than $475 for the professional demo of this song. And I was supposed to give it away for $475 and some nebulous performance royalties in the future? I discussed this with Andy, my collaborator, and he said not only should I accept this deal, but that I should send him the other songs we have done the last couple of years in this genre. And he insisted that I be the one that responded to this guy, because I had written the tunes. I thought about it a couple of days, and then responded to this publisher, who, by the way, is based in Nashville. "Swallow your pride", I said to myself. "Maybe this tune is the one that opens a whole lot of other doors".
So, I replied, referencing both Andy's name and mine, not to mention the song title, in the subject line of the e-mail. Told him we were interested in working with him. I was optimistic, because Andy had checked this guy out, and the guy has been successful placing tracks. I actually have 5-6 tunes in this genre. And all I got was silence. No response, nothing. Andy said to "wait a few days, see what happens". I did. Still waiting.
Anyway, here's a link to the YouTube lyric video. I think it's quite well done. I'll try to find somewhere else to place it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiC_DG_iTro
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