Music Tectonics Should Music Publishers Be Worried about AI?
Oct 7, 2025
Monica Corton, a seasoned music publishing executive and CEO of GoTo11 Entertainment, shares her vast insights from over 30 years in the industry. She breaks down the basics of music publishing, including song vs. master copyrights, and explains how digital changes have shifted revenue streams. The conversation dives into the challenges and opportunities AI presents for publishers, discussing the importance of proper licensing and potential monetization strategies. Monica also offers practical advice for collaboration between publishers and tech companies.
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Song Copyrights Outlive Masters
- A song has its own copyright separate from a master recording and publishers control the song copyright.
- Publishing income can last for the life of the composer plus 70 years, creating long-term value for songwriters.
Performance Royalties Drive Publishing Revenue
- Performance royalties are usually the largest revenue stream for publishers, collected by PROs like ASCAP and BMI.
- Mechanical and sync royalties matter too, but streaming's low per-stream rates shifted focus toward sync and other income.
Digital Shift Shrunk Mechanical Income
- The transition to digital radically reduced mechanical income because listeners cherry-pick singles instead of buying full albums.
- That structural change pushed publishers and artists toward sync and other revenue sources.