u2's record deal vs. publishing deal

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marik

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there's something i dont understand.

from what i have read, u2 were offered a publishing deal before a record deal. how does that work? why would someone want to publish their songs, if the songs weren't even on a record? where would this publishing be? would all the lyric show up in a book somewhere? was the publishing deal, just in case, they ended up getting a record deal?

could someone explain, thanks.
 
Don't publishing deals have to do with their songbook? And royalties from anyone who uses their music

Like how Michael Jackson owns the Beatles Songbook
 
If you have a publishing contract, then your songs can be performed by other artists. So that's why you can have a publishing contract and not a recording contract. In that case you can write songs and publish them, but you won't have any support beforehand to record them yourself. Instead, the publishing company tries to get other artists interested in performing your song.
 
LemonMacPhisto said:
Don't publishing deals have to do with their songbook? And royalties from anyone who uses their music

Like how Michael Jackson owns the Beatles Songbook

He doesent anymore
 
so u2 signed a publishing deal, thus enabling other artists to perform their songs- before they themselves were ever able to perform them on a record? seems strange to me.
 
marik said:
so u2 signed a publishing deal, thus enabling other artists to perform their songs- before they themselves were ever able to perform them on a record?

No, that's wrong.

U2's publishing deal enabled them to completely own their own work. This ensured that they received full royalties themselves and, more-so, protected them against their songs being used in advertising and also stopped other artists recording U2 songs without the band's explicit permission.

From memory, U2 have only ever allowed 2 commercials to use their songs:- Still Haven't Found was used by a charity organisation and Vertigo for ipod.

When a record company (or other third party) owns your songs - which is fairly common place - your songs could turn up in pet food commercials!
 
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