The Truth About Independent Songpluggers

Tips & Resources by Brent Baxter, Songwriting Pro on July 15, 2019

With publishing deals getting harder and harder to come by, more and more songwriters are considering hiring independent songpluggers. Is this a good idea? Let’s talk about that today!

First off, what are independent songpluggers?

Independent songpluggers don’t work for a major publishing company - they work for songwriters. (Although some may have their own publishing company in addition to taking on clients.) They pitch your songs and attempt to secure cuts. They typically do NOT take a share of your publishing up front. The songwriter pays the plugger a monthly retainer. It’s kind of like a reverse publishing deal.

In a normal publishing deal, the publisher pays the songwriter a monthly advance and pitches his or her songs in exchange for publishing (ownership) of the songs.

With an songplugger, you keep your ownership. In some deals, though, the songplugger will also earn some publishing and/or a monetary bonus if they get a major cut or the song reaches certain sales or chart positions. It’s an incentive for the plugger to not just get you cuts, but get you the BEST cuts possible.

So... songpluggers DO pitch your songs. But what do they NOT do?

Every plugger and deal is sure to be different, so you’ll need to clarify all this on the front end. Do NOT hire an indie songplugger and just assume they’ll do everything a regular publisher will. For example, I would not expect an indie songplugger to:

*Schedule my cowrites
*Give song feedback / fixes
*Assist in the demo process

However, I would expect my plugger to provide a PITCH LOG. This is a record of when they pitched your song, to whom, and the response they received. Here are a few other things a good independent songplugger can do for a writer:

*Expand your song’s reach.
A legit songplugger has connections you don’t. That’s the whole point. They can get songs heard by people who can say “yes.” No songplugger can guarantee a cut, but the best can get them at least a fair listen.

*Raise your songwriting profile and legitimacy.
If you’re working with a reputable - I repeat - reputable - songplugger, they will get your songs heard by music business professionals. More people will hear your songs and hear your name. Also, as you’re looking to book cowrites, having a legit songplugger makes you more attractive. There’s a better chance that if you write a great song, it’ll get into the right hands. What potential cowriter doesn’t want that?

There’s a catch, though...

The best songpluggers know that they can only properly represent a certain number of ongoing clients honorably. They are conscientious professionals who want the best for their clients, so they aren’t going to work with too many of them at any one time. If they’re getting paid, they want to give their clients and their songs the attention they deserve.

Also, the best songpluggers know that their careers are only as good as the songs they represent. So they don’t take just any client with a checkbook. They are picky about who they represent. Bring in too many dud songs, and their connections will stop taking their calls. No more meetings... no more songplugging business.

So, if you’re considering shopping for an indie songplugger, I’d ask about their:

*Track record.
What cuts have they actually gotten? Any recent cuts or “name” artists? It may be an uncomfortable conversation, but you must ask.

*Network.
Who are their strongest industry contacts? Who are their golfing buddies? The stronger and wider their network, the better chance they can actually get you cuts.

If you’re interested in finding out more about independent songpluggers, I have a great opportunity for you. On Tuesday, August 13, I’m hosting a “Know The Pro” event with successful independent songplugger, Shane Barrett. And if you're interested in how standard publishing deals work, I have an additional "Know The Pro" event on August 20 with hit music publisher, Tim Hunze of Anthem Entertainment (formerly Ole' Music). This is your chance to hang out online and ask YOUR questions to a real sungplugger and a real music publisher.  Together these pros have secured cuts by artists including George Strait, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and many, many more!

This is YOUR chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with real-deal music professionals, and I hope you won't let it slip away.

Here's the best part: these events are FREE for Frettie subscribers! So if you're already a Frettie subscriber, you'll receive an invitation to these events. If you are NOT a Frettie subscriber... what are you waiting for? Heck, it's only $5 a month!

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND JOIN FRETTIE AND THESE EVENTS!



God bless,

Brent