Marketeers, Attorneys.
The term catalog is used within the industry to distinguish new releases (frontline) from music that has been out for more than 18 months.
Catalog or Catalogue, as a term, is defined as a collection of musical compositions that have been released for more than 18 months and “Frontline” consists of the music that has been released less than 18 months ago.
Catalog or Catalogue, as a department, is a marketing department focusing solely on these products. This department can be found in Labels, Liscencing Companies & Audio Streaming Services.
A label’s Catalog Department controls every catalog recording that they own copyright for, and/or other catalog recordings on behalf of other copyright owners, under a limited license.
!! LABEL VS RECORD COMPANY !!
They manage the recording copyrights on behalf of the label’s artists and on behalf of third-party contractors. They manage the data of this department and work alongside neighboring-rights societies across the world.
They work closely with the marketing and sales departments but also with artist managers to create the best digital marketing strategies and campaigns for the label’s catalog.
Strategic, Project, Licensing, Distribution, Label, Synch, Classical, Legal
They make sure the record has been distributed to DSPs around the world; Spotify, Apple Music but also Gaana and Jioaavn (India), KuGou and QQ (China), etc.
*sometimes the part of the international sales is centralized for all labels under one group* For example, Sony's Global Digital Business & US Sales record division deals with international sales for all Sony Labels (RCA, Arista, Columbia, etc.)
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“My days change a lot depending on the state of the work and who I'm dealing with at that moment. Mainly, I have to be sure that the flow of catalogue data goes from the artist, passes through the record label, and reaches the companies that collect the fees due to the use of the songs.”
Neighbouring Rights Catalogue Manager @ Warner Music Italy
Who they work with and what they do
Legal
- Informs the catalog department about all the contracts
A&R
- They insert the data of the artists into the management system
Promotion
- Informs catalog when the label's artists perform live at shows, go on radio, and TV
General
- Coordination between the internal offices
Artist Team & Artist
- They work with management companies, managers, other record labels, and collecting societies
- Maintain relationship with the artists
Other
- Maintain relationship with their affiliates abroad
- Informs the catalog department about all the contracts
- They work with management companies, managers, other record labels, and collecting societies
- Maintain relationship with the artists
- Maintain relationship with their affiliates abroad
A&R
- They insert the data of the artists into the management system
Promotion
- Informs catalog when the label's artists perform live at shows, go on radio, and TV
General
- Coordination between the internal offices
- Distribute artists singles & albums to DSPs on time for the release
- Negotiate business partnerships with DSPs -- Examples:
° Reduced royalties rate per stream for artists of a specific label in exchange for free ad credits
° ‘Artist Social Boost’: DSPs are granted advertising access to an artist's Facebook or Instagram to run
ads offering their followers 3 months free premium. In exchange, the label gets a portion of the profit from the fans signing up through the artist's link
- Partner with DSPs for marketing initiatives such as:
° Billboard in Time Square
° Playlist takeovers
° Example: Olivia Rodrigo's Car Wash with Spotify in LA.
- Licence songs before release
- Make sure the metadata is complete (every detail about the song is filled out - producers, singer, date, title, etc.)
- Curate playlists on streaming platforms to promote their artists
- Establish the number of copies of an album that needs to be produced
- Make sure the production and delivery runs smoothly (with Production Dep)
A music supervisor reaches out to the label with interest in a song. They provide 3 elements for a possible contract and give a scene description and information on the use of the song.
With those elements in mind, the Sync Department defines the licensing fees for the use of that song. The amount usually depends mostly on the artist, scene description and length, and part of the song used.
The label asks for the artist's approval; both on the budget and the use of the song (which project it will be featured on).
Important to know: For a song to be used, it needs the approval of both the master recording (label) and the publisher. This means all songwriters have to approve the use of the song too! And if an artist is also a songwriter they need to approve it twice, once through the label and once through the publisher.
Once negotiated, the deal has to be sent to the publishers for approval.
This step is necessary legally to ensure that the Most Favored Nation (MFN) clause is respected.
If a music supervisor confirms the use of a song then the license is created.
On their side, they will have to pay a fee for the use of the composition (copyright to the publisher) and a fee for the master (to the label).
“For NY and LA, there is always a member of our team at shows to organize business encounters, escort our partners backstage. It’s kind of a concierge service”
- Tour and Special Events @Interscope
"When there is no covid I travel a lot so I am divided between being with the artist on tours and promotion - with visits to my offices for strategy and planning meetings around the world and in London with my team on a day-to-day basis when we are not traveling. My boss travels much more than I do so we are used to working remotely and maintaining constant communication."
Is a degree required?
Some of the recommended majors for the catalog department are marketing and communications.
Written by Fran
Published August 13th 2021
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