Music publishers and songwriters can make their income by licensing their songs to businesses for using their songs. Licensing is the paid usage of a work (in our case, a song) for a limited purpose, time and territory. The types of licenses are (1) Mechanical license (2) Performance license (3) Synchronization (Sync) and (4) Print.

Music created for one particular use can be licensed for many other uses, all of which may earn royalties for years to come for the rightsholders. Whether rightsholders publish their own music or have their music controlled by other 3rd parties, the opportunities for licensing are plentiful. A party who actively seeks out these opportunities can generate a substantial income for both publisher and composer. How is music publishing monetized?