Music Publishers
Key Figures
Figures are published for NAICS 512230 directly.
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Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acquiring and registering copyrights for musical compositions in accordance with law and promoting and authorizing the use of these compositions in recordings, radio, television, motion pictures, live performances, print, or other media. Establishments in this industry represent the interests of the songwriter or other owners of musical compositions to produce revenues from the use of such works, generally through licensing agreements. These establishments may own the copyright or act as administrator of the music copyrights on behalf of copyright owners. Publishers of music books and sheet music are included in this industry.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Definitions. Public domain.
Which code does this activity belong in?
Music publishers acquire and register copyrights for musical compositions, then license these works for use in recordings, radio, television, motion pictures, live performances, print, and other media. They represent songwriters and composition owners to generate revenues through licensing agreements, either by owning the copyrights themselves or administering them on behalf of owners. Publishers of music books and sheet music fall within this industry. This differs from sound recording studios, which capture and produce the audio performances themselves rather than managing the underlying musical compositions.