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Rights, royalties and the business · updated 2026-08-16

MASTER VS PUBLISHING

Master income comes from the recording (streams, syncs, sales). Publishing income comes from the underlying song.

Contract paperwork, a pen and a vinyl record on a desk in a music office

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for master vs publishing — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material.

RELATED TERMS IN RIGHTS, ROYALTIES AND THE BUSINESS

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