Dan Galen Hodges, Jr., D.b.a. And Eric M. Griffin, J.d. The Profession Of Publishing Music [ 4K 2024 ]
The romantic myth of the starving artist is bankrupt. Worse, it’s expensive.
Dan Galen Hodges, Jr. (d.b.a.) will tell you to incorporate yesterday. Eric M. Griffin (J.D.) will tell you to read the fine print three times. The romantic myth of the starving artist is bankrupt
The authors address the challenges of international publishing and strategies for maximizing royalties on a worldwide scale. The Profession of Publishing Music - Cognella Title Catalog viewed through the Hodges lens
The profession, viewed through the Hodges lens, requires an understanding of global revenue streams. Where once a publisher collected royalties primarily from mechanical sales (CDs, cassettes) and public performance, the digital era has fragmented these streams into micro-licensing, synchronization fees, and streaming royalties. The D.B.A. perspective is crucial here: it applies corporate strategy to creative assets. This involves the valuation of catalogs—treating a songwriter’s discography as a portfolio akin to real estate or stocks. cassettes) and public performance
Moreover, Griffin’s perspective illuminates the adversarial nature of the profession. Publishers must often litigate or arbitrate to protect their interests against infringers, unauthorized uses, or even their own distribution partners. The J.D. perspective also covers the drafting of synchronization licenses, mechanical licenses, and sub-publishing agreements across different jurisdictions. Griffin represents the reality that music publishing is a legal practice area as much as it is a business sector; a single ambiguity in a contract can result in the loss of millions of dollars in revenue.
