Learn — By WATMM Desk —
What is the publisher share?
The publisher share is the half of a song's performance royalties set aside for the publishing side, while the writer share goes straight to the songwriters. Here is how the two halves are paid, how deals carve up the publisher half, and why self-published writers leave it on the table.
Key facts
- Performance royalties are traditionally split between the songwriters (the writer share) and their publisher or publishing entity (the publisher share).
- A PRO such as ASCAP sends the writer share directly to the writer and the publisher share to the publisher or administrator.
- In a 50/50 co-publishing deal the writer keeps the writer share plus half of the publisher share.
The publisher share is the half of a song's performance royalties reserved for its publisher or publishing entity, while the writer share is the half paid to the songwriters themselves; Songtrust describes these royalties as traditionally split between the songwriters and their publisher (Songtrust). The two halves travel by different routes, and only one of them reaches you automatically.
How each half is paid
Your performing rights organisation pays the writer share straight to you. In Songtrust's example, ASCAP sends half the money directly to the writer and the other half to the publishing administrator (Songtrust). Ditto Music's publishing FAQ says the same: members keep receiving the full writer share (50%) from their PRO, while the publisher collects the publisher share (50%) (Ditto Music). New to PROs? Start with what a performing rights organisation does.
Mechanicals work differently. Ditto says its publishing arm collects 100% of mechanical royalties, not half (Ditto Music). See what a mechanical royalty is.
How deals carve up the publisher share
Every writer on a song has both a writer share and a publisher share, so a song with two writers carries four shares (Songtown). Songwriter Marty Dodson describes his 50/50 co-publishing deal: he keeps his writer share and half of his publishing share, and the publisher takes the other half (Songtown). He adds that many new writers sign straight publishing deals, where the publisher takes the whole publisher share. An administration deal is different again; we compare them in publishing admin vs a publishing deal.
The writer share is not what a deal negotiates away. In most deals the PRO still pays the writer share to you directly (Songtown).
What we think
The publisher share is the money independent writers most often leave uncollected, because nobody sends it to you by default. If you have no publisher and no administrator, the PRO only knows where to send the writer half. Either register as your own publisher with your PRO or use an administrator, and treat a deal that asks for the whole publisher share as a price you pay for something specific (advances, pitching, sync), not as standard paperwork. Record the shares on a split sheet the day the song is written.
Sources
- What are writer performance royalties?, Songtrust (primary source). Accessed 27 Oct 2026.
- I am a member of a PRO, will I still receive royalties directly from my PRO?, Ditto Music (primary source). Accessed 27 Oct 2026.
- How writers and publishers split royalties, Songtown. Accessed 27 Oct 2026.
Researched with AI assistance, written and checked by WATMM Desk.