Exclusive Publishing Deal
Largest advance. Deepest commitment. Most serious publisher relationship.
An exclusive publishing deal music contract is the deepest publishing relationship a songwriter can sign. The songwriter assigns 100% of the publisher's share (50% of the song) to the publisher, keeps 100% of the writer's share (the other 50%), and agrees that every song written during the term belongs under the deal. In exchange, the publisher pays a significant advance, commits creative services, and aggressively exploits the catalog.
Exclusive songwriter deals are the model traditionally associated with professional staff writers in Nashville, London, and Los Angeles, and with top topline writers in Latin urban. They are not for every writer. They work when you are consistently writing at a commercial level, when you are willing to commit a defined term to one publisher, and when the advance actually moves your career forward.
MUSILOCK generates an exclusive publishing deal music contract covering the essentials: parties, catalog in scope (compositions written during the term, plus any pre-term catalog you include), full publisher's share assignment with writer's share retention, advance amount, recoupment structure including cross-collateralization where negotiated, term length with publisher option periods, minimum delivery commitment (number of songs per year), territory, creative services obligations, approval rights, and reversion provisions for unrecouped or unreleased compositions.
The trade-off at the center of an exclusive publishing deal is straightforward: you get a larger advance and a partner with real resources, in exchange for a deeper assignment that lasts longer. Read every clause — especially the option structure, delivery commitment, cross-collateralization, and reversion. The MUSILOCK template is drafted to current industry standards; it is not a substitute for a conversation with your own lawyer on a deal of this size.
Electronic signatures via SignWell are valid worldwide under the US ESIGN Act, the EU eIDAS Regulation, and equivalent frameworks across Latin America. Once both parties sign, the final PDF is stored in your MUSILOCK account. The bilingual template matters in a market where a Latin songwriter signing to a US major publisher needs both language versions to carry equal weight.
Biggest advance, deepest commitment.
The full songwriter deal — reviewed by a lawyer, signed online.
Create this contractFrequently asked questions
How much is a typical exclusive publishing advance?
Wildly variable — from low five figures for a writer with early traction to seven figures for a proven hit writer. Advances are a function of your track record, your expected earning power during the term, and the publisher's conviction. MUSILOCK does not suggest a number; the template captures whatever you negotiate.
What is cross-collateralization?
A clause allowing the publisher to recoup unrecouped advances from one song or album against royalty income from other songs or albums in the same deal. A song that earns big can be used to pay off the advance on a song that underperformed. Writers generally push to limit or remove cross-collateralization in their deals.
What is a minimum delivery commitment?
The number of compositions the songwriter commits to deliver per contract year — often defined in fractions (1.0 equals a full song written solo; 0.5 a co-write). Common minimums are 8-12 "full-song equivalents" per year. Failing to hit the commitment extends the term until you catch up.
Can I write for other publishers during an exclusive deal?
No — that is what "exclusive" means. Every composition you write during the term is assigned to the publisher. The only common exceptions are for co-writes where another writer is already signed to a different publisher, and in those cases standard industry co-publishing mechanics apply.
What happens if the publisher never recoups?
If the advance is never earned back, the songwriter typically keeps the advance and receives no further royalty income on the catalog. A properly-drafted reversion clause can return rights on unrecouped compositions to the writer after a set period. Push hard for that clause — without it, your unrecouped songs stay with the publisher forever.