Music Glossary

Whether you're a songwriter, artist, publisher or music professional - the business of music and rights is confusing! So we created a glossary to help.

63 articles

Written by Chloe Dennet, Piper Scott and Robert Clement

Administrator

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Advance

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

A&R

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Arrangement

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Author

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Arranger

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

CAE Number

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Catalog

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

CMO (Collective Management Organization)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Composer

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Composition (AKA Composition Rights)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Compulsory License

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Co-Publishing Agreement

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Copyright Registration

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Copyright Royalty Board (CRB)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Co-Writer

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Cue Sheet

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

CWR

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Digital Music Distributor

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Digital Service Provider (DSP)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Exclusive Songwriter Agreement

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

First Use (Mechanical License)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Interested Parties

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Interactive Streaming Service

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Interpolation

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

ISRC

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

IPI Number

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

ISWC

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Key Man Clause

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

License

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Licensee

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Licensor

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Letter of Direction (LOD)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Manager (aka Music Manager)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Master Recording

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Mechanical License

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Metadata

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Micro-Sync Royalties

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Music Modernization Act (MMA)

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Music Supervisor

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Neighboring Rights

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Non-Interactive Streaming Service

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Notice of Intention (NOI)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Parody

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Performance Royalties

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Producer (aka Music Producer)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Production Music

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Public Performance

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Publisher Share

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Public Domain Song

Written by Robert Clement. Updated over a week ago

Record Label

Written by Piper Scott. Updated over a week ago

Recoupable Advance

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Rights Holder

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Sampling

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Splits

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Shareholder

Written by Robert Clement. Updated over a week ago

Sound Recording

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Sub-Publisher

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Synchronization License (aka “Sync License”)

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Work for Hire

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

Writer’s Share

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago

YouTube Content ID

Written by Chloe Dennet. Updated over a week ago