Administration Agreement (Admin Deal)

In plain English: you still own the songs, but the administrator helps make sure they are properly registered, licensed and paid.

A publishing administrator may help with things like registering your songs with collection societies, issuing or processing licences, tracking income, and collecting publishing royalties from different countries.

For songwriters and independent publishers who do not need a full-service traditional publishing deal, an admin deal can be a more flexible and writer-friendly option.

The administrator is not usually buying part of your catalogue or taking ownership of your songs. Instead, they charge an administration fee for the royalties they collect.

That fee is often a percentage of the income collected, commonly somewhere around 10% to 25%, depending on the administrator, the territory, the services provided and whether an advance is involved.

This means the songwriter usually keeps most of the publishing income while getting help with the complicated back-office work of music publishing.

The Strategic Point

An admin deal is mainly about collection and administration, not necessarily career development.

Before signing one, check these points carefully:

• Collection vs. exploitation: A publishing administrator will usually help collect royalties. They may not actively pitch your songs for sync, set up writing sessions or develop your career unless those services are clearly included in the deal.
• Term: How long does the administrator control the administration of your songs? Simple admin deals may be relatively short (3 to 5 years is typical, though some simply roll over month-to-month), deals involving an advance or extra services may last longer.
• Territory: Is the deal worldwide, or limited to certain countries?
• Catalogue covered: Does the agreement cover your whole catalogue, only specific songs, or songs written during the term of the admin agreement?
• Data Dependability: An administrator can only collect properly if your song information is correct. Writer names, ownership percentages, publisher details and society registrations all need to be accurate. If your co-writing splits are unclear or disputed, royalties can be delayed or misdirected.