Publishing Administration Deal
You keep your songs. A professional collects the money for you.
A publishing administration deal — or admin deal — is the lightest-touch publishing agreement a songwriter can sign. The songwriter keeps 100% ownership of the compositions. The administrator does not own a share. Instead, the administrator registers the songs with PROs and mechanical societies, collects royalties worldwide, chases down unpaid income, and takes a commission — usually 15% to 25% of what they collect.
For an independent songwriter generating streaming income, live performance royalties, and the occasional sync, an admin deal is the standard way to make sure money actually ends up in your account. Registering with PROs in every country yourself, following up on missing royalties, and pursuing neighbouring-rights bodies is effectively a full-time job. The admin takes that on and gets paid a percentage of what lands.
MUSILOCK generates a publishing administration deal covering the essentials: parties, catalog covered (specific songs or the whole current and future catalog), territory, term length, administrator commission rate, what income streams the administrator handles (mechanicals, performance, sync, digital), advance payments if any, audit rights, and termination conditions. The artist-friendly structure is preserved: ownership stays with the songwriter throughout.
This is the right agreement if you want professional collection without giving up any ownership of your songs. It is different from a co-publishing deal (where you assign part of your publisher share) or an exclusive songwriter deal (where you assign full publishing). The MUSILOCK contract picker helps you compare side by side so you pick the tier that fits your career stage.
Electronic signatures via SignWell are legally valid worldwide under the US ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS Regulation. Once both parties sign, the finished PDF is stored in your MUSILOCK account. Bilingual output is important here: publishing administrators often work across Spanish- and English-language markets, and both versions of the contract are equally enforceable.
Keep your catalog. Get paid on time.
Admin collects worldwide. You keep 100% ownership.
Create this contractFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between admin and co-publishing?
In an admin deal, you keep 100% ownership and pay the administrator a commission (15-25%) on what they collect. In a co-publishing deal, you assign part of your publishing share (commonly 50% of the publisher's share, or 25% of the total song) to the publisher in exchange for an advance and administration. Admin is lighter, co-pub deeper.
Does a publishing administrator pay me an advance?
Usually no. The classic admin deal has no advance — the administrator only earns when they collect. Some admins pay small advances to lock in catalogs they want. If an advance is offered, the contract needs to spell out whether it is recoupable from your royalty share and on what schedule.
What happens to my songs when the admin term ends?
They stay yours. You never assigned them. At the end of the term, the administrator stops collecting and registrations can be moved to a new administrator or handled directly. A "collection tail" clause sometimes allows the outgoing admin to keep collecting on income earned during the term after termination — check that clause carefully.
Do I need a PRO if I have an admin deal?
Yes — you still need to be registered as a writer with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SGAE, SAYCO, SACEM, etc.). The admin handles the publisher side and often registers as the publisher on your behalf. Writer-side membership stays with you.
Can the admin deal cover my whole catalog, old and new?
Yes, if you agree to it. Many admin deals cover all existing compositions plus anything written during the term. You can also limit scope to specific songs or a specific release. The MUSILOCK template lets you define the catalog scope precisely.