2-16) List the criteria publishers use in accepting new material.

When a publishing company decides to include a songwriter’s song in its catalog, it negotiates a contract with the writer that includes provisions, terms and conditions that are mutually agreed upon by the writer and publisher as fair and equitable. These items of inclusion are often viewed from the standpoint of the writer, but arriving at what is fair and equitable for the publisher is as important and needs some analysis as well.

A publisher must, even before a contract with a writer is signed, first decide if the material presented to it is worthy of the publisher’s acceptance. One way of deciding on the song is when the demo is played for the publisher for the very first time and whether or not there is an instant liking of the tune. Does the song, in other words, grab and hold the attention of the listener? The publisher reasons that the general public may react in the same way and accepts or rejects the song using this as a basis.

The publisher also looks at whether the songwriter has had past successes since songs are also bought by the general public simply on fan appeal. Platinum-selling artist/songwriter/producer Babyface, for instance, would have no trouble in getting his material accepted by any publisher in the world simply because his material is actively sought out by his many fans. Just putting his name on a project attracts millions of his fans to purchase the productions.

Along the same line, publishers decide to sign up a songwriter and his composition based on what artist they feel will likely record the song, or what producer they can get to produce it. Publishers also need to know before accepting a tune is whether the song fills a particular need in their catalog, or whether the song has a quality to it that for years to come will have others clamoring to re-record it.

The final criteria sounds more like an act of desperation, but some publishers use the “best of the worst” scenario in making their decisions. If the publisher has spent most of the workday dredging through a pile of CDs that feature one reject after another, is there at least ONE song that stands out above the others thus making the day worthwhile?