Musicians can own their music, but ownership needs to be checked release by release. The useful answer is a documented account of the songs, recordings and permissions in your catalogue—not a general assumption that an independent artist owns everything or that a signed artist owns nothing.
If you need the basic definitions first, read the difference between a song, a master and a performance. This guide focuses on a practical audit you can carry out before a release, a licensing enquiry or a change of distributor.
1. Start with one release and its exact versions
Choose a track and list its released and unreleased versions: the original master, a live recording, a remix, an instrumental or an acoustic version. Do not assume the same paperwork covers every version.
Gather the credits, contributor conversations, signed agreements, distribution terms, licences and recent statements into a release folder. Make a separate list of what is missing. “Unknown” is a useful audit result; guessing is not.
This first pass should produce an organised record of evidence, not a legal conclusion from memory.
2. Create a rights worksheet
Use one row per recording, linking to a separate song record where several recordings use the same composition.
| Field | What to record | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Track and version | Full title, version and release date | Are we discussing the same audio? |
| Songwriters and shares | Agreed writers, shares and supporting document | Are the contributions and splits settled? |
| Recording ownership | Named owner or owners and supporting agreement | Who can authorise use of this master? |
| Performers and contributors | Names, roles, session terms and contacts | Are relevant permissions documented? |
| Third-party material | Samples, licensed beats or other incorporated material | What does the permission actually cover? |
| Commercial agreements | Label, publishing, licensing and distribution terms | Is anyone else’s consent needed? |
| Term and territory | Relevant dates, locations and restrictions | Does the requested use fall within them? |
| Payment routes | Who accounts to whom for which uses | Where should a missing payment be queried? |
| Outstanding questions | Missing documents, disagreements or unclear clauses | Who can supply or interpret the evidence? |
Include identifiers such as an ISRC where available to help match records, but do not use an identifier as a substitute for an ownership agreement.
3. Separate evidence from assumptions
Several common assumptions deserve a closer look:
“I paid for it, so all the rights are mine.” Check what the agreement says. In the UK, commissioned creative work is generally first owned by its creator unless otherwise agreed in writing, subject to the relevant rules and circumstances. The IPO explains commissioned work and first ownership.
“My name is on the artist profile.” That identifies how the release is presented. It does not explain co-writing shares, a label licence or the rights in a sample.
“The distributor accepted it.” Upload acceptance does not answer every permission question. Read the promises you made in the distribution terms and keep the documents that support them.
“We agreed it in a conversation.” Record the outstanding issue and get appropriate written confirmation. The Musicians’ Union provides agreement resources, including material relevant to song shares and session work.
4. Map income collection separately
Owning a right and having the information needed to receive a payment are different tasks. Once the ownership record is clearer, map the expected payment routes.
In the UK, PPL and PRS for Music serve different rights and membership roles. PPL’s comparison is a starting point; use the relevant organisation’s guidance to identify what applies to your work.
For each route, ask:
- Is the correct person or business registered?
- Does the track information match the release and agreements?
- Are the contributor details complete?
- Who provides a statement, and which uses does it cover?
- Is there an unexplained difference that needs a specific enquiry?
Do not assume that signing up to every organisation is the answer. Start with your role, the rights involved and the uses for which money may be payable.
5. Handle a licensing enquiry with the audit in front of you
Suppose a filmmaker asks to use a released track in a short film and its online trailer. Before quoting, establish which song and recording they mean, the intended uses, territory and duration.
Then work through the evidence:
- Identify who controls the composition and the recording.
- Check whether an existing exclusive agreement affects either permission.
- Review any third-party material and relevant contributor terms.
- Establish whose consent is required and who will communicate with the filmmaker.
- Put the agreed scope and payment terms into suitable documentation.
For the UK distinction between permission and transfer, see government copyright licensing guidance. A specific agreement may need professional interpretation; a spreadsheet cannot settle a disputed clause.
6. Make unresolved issues visible
Use a simple status for each release:
- Documented: the relevant evidence is gathered and consistent for the question being considered.
- Needs clarification: something is missing or ambiguous, with a named next action.
- Disputed: the parties disagree, so do not present the issue as resolved.
“Documented” should not mean automatically cleared for every possible future use. A licence for one project or territory may not answer a different request.
Keep the audit private where it contains contracts or personal details. Share only the relevant information with collaborators and advisers.
Keep the record useful
Update the worksheet when you sign a new agreement, release another version, change a collection arrangement or receive a relevant rights enquiry. An audit is most valuable when it saves you from repeating the same investigation later.
For the next practical step, choose your most important release and complete the first three sections. You will either have a clearer ownership record or a focused list of questions to resolve. Both are more useful than assuming the whole catalogue has the same answer.