JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Industry Message Forum need advice on song release please

Hi, In 1976 my band "BUST" recorded a 45 on which I wrote both songs. We paid for the studio time ourselves. The songs were published and registered with BMI. I was searching the internet and discovered the "A" side "Undying Love" was released in 2017 and 2018, In Germany I believe, on an album of various bands and songs. This album is also available as mp3 downloads on amazon UK. I placed the link below. My song is number 7, Undying Love' by "Bust" . My question is My publisher, a member of BMI, never informed me of this. In fact I'm not even sure I'm owed songwriters compensation. I'm pleased the song was included but if I'm owed a few dollars I'd still like to know. Can anyone inform me as to what to do to find out?
Thank you for your time and help
Stan
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Fun...me-Swinging-RB-Oddities/release/11504388

Only your publisher can answer that. Did you ever have a contract?

John

Because the 'relationship' with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) like BMI is not 'active', with lots of 'cuts' and 'releases' to market, instead being 'passive' with one or two compositions getting to market but not getting enough plays in revenue-generating venues, within a short time scale, the 'relationship' tends to go dormant.
The 'Registrant' who 'Registers' a Song Title, the names of the 'authors/composers', copyright owners, and Publishing Company name, tends to forget about the 'membership' and 'relationship', and time passes. People move and don't update their contact information. Phone numbers change. 1976? Land line phones disappear. Cell phones appear, and go through evolutions. Addresses change. The music biz goes into chaos and Publishers go out of business.
If the Song got enough plays to earn any Songwriting Royalties and Publishing Royalties the PRO would have paid them directly to the Songwriter of record and the Publisher of record, if they could contact them. If the check came back, undeliverable, they simply held the money. If either had 'disappeared', the contact no longer valid, they don't do much searching to find you. They have lots of people who do have money coming who have not updated their contact information and therefore are not 'contactable' in the passivity. By 'lots' I mean the overall quantity, not necessarily your one Song. Although...a few hundred Euros might be a nice shot in the bank account in 2020.
Have you checked with BMI?
Did you start your own Publishing Company and is that the Publisher Registered with BMI?
Or did you sign a Publishing Contract with an established Publisher? Is that Publishing Company still in business?
Has contact information changed since 1976?

Thank you for the information I am going to pursue it. I appreciate your help. Stan

If you got any cue sheets you can present to BMI? If you had airplay, you might be owed a few bucks. I mean 'few' as in literally. But, don't get your hopes up, I got thousands of spins in latin america, and I think I made 2 dollars. It takes billions of spins to make money from airplay. And, millions of downloads and CDs sold ot make mechanical royalties. If you are talking internet streams, pandora, spotify, you need to sign up with soundexchange, but the royalties suck, there, as well,

But, if your song is on a CD, you should have been sent a compulsory license and some upfront money for the pressing of CDs. I think that is done through Harry fox. though I didn't make much money when one of my songs was pressed to a CD, it was only 5000 copies, and I got 4.5 cents for each. Not a lot of money.

I've had releases on CDs, airplay on hundreds of ( mostly non commercial ) radio stations, and I still do, in various countries, and unless you got a mega hit, you probably not due much money. My ASCAP account is now up to 97 bucks, when it tops 100 they'll cut me a check.

Good luck.

Hi and thanks again for the info. I did contact my publisher and even if I'm not due royality I'm still proud of the review. The link will take you to review if interested in reading. The last paragraph mentions my song "Undying Love" by Bust. This was also my group of which I also sang lead on the recording.
Thanks
Stan
https://monkeyboxing.com/content/va...gFp358oyTf1hlZAqpOdLLOPnsra2SXLPzoWJBO2I