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Music Publisher

A Music Publisher promotes artists' songs for commercial use, negotiates contracts, and secures deals across film, TV, and advertisements.

How do I become a music publisher

Get qualified to work as a music publisher with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.

Common questions

In Australia, a full time Music Publisher generally earns $1,550 per week ($80,600 annual salary) before tax. This is a median figure for full-time employees and should be considered a guide only. As you gain more experience you can expect a potentially higher salary than people who are new to the industry.

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The music industry has seen strong job growth in recent years. There are currently 13,200 people working in this industry and many of them are employed as a Music Publisher. Music Publishers usually work in larger cities and towns.

Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights

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A Diploma of Music Industry is a great qualification to have if you’re planning a career as a Music Publisher. This course covers various aspects of music performance and addresses a range of music genres. You could also choose to further your studies with an Advanced Diploma of Music Industry.

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Further reading

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Most popular music and dance courses

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Career spotlight: Advertising and marketing professionals

2nd October 2019

Music Publisher careers

A Music Publisher works with artists to get their songs used commercially. You’ll liaise with other industry professionals to promote your clients’ material and negotiate contracts on their behalf. Music Publishers represent songwriters and performers to secure recording deals and get their music played in films, television and advertisements. You might work with artists who are just starting in the music industry or have clients with a lot of experience.

Music Publishers need to have excellent people skills and be able to communicate with everyone from record industry professionals to singers and songwriters. You’ll have a lot of clients on your books so you’ll need to be a good at managing several tasks at once. Music Publishers need to be up to date with what’s happening in the music industry and have strong negotiation skills.