Sony Music Publishing is the largest music publisher in the world by market share. The company was formed from the 2012 acquisition of EMI Music Publishing by Sony/ATV (which rebranded as Sony Music Publishing in 2021). Its sync licensing division places songwriter catalogs across film, television, advertising, video games, trailers, and streaming media. Sony Music Publishing is best suited for established songwriters and producers with commercial releases, streaming traction, or catalogs with proven sync value.
How Sony Music Publishing Sync Works
Sony Music Publishing is a full-service music publisher, not a production library or upload platform. The company administers copyrights, pitches catalogs to music supervisors, and negotiates sync licenses on behalf of its signed writers. Creative sync teams operate from offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Nashville.
The sync division works proactively. Sony Music Publishing's creative team maintains direct relationships with music supervisors at studios, networks, ad agencies, and gaming companies. They pitch specific catalogs against incoming briefs, facilitate custom writes when a supervisor needs original music, and handle all fee negotiation and clearance paperwork.
The company's catalog depth is unmatched. Sony Music Publishing controls or administers the Beatles catalog, Michael Jackson's Mijac catalog, the EMI catalog (which includes classics from Queen, Carole King, and Motown hits), and a massive roster of contemporary songwriters across pop, rock, hip-hop, country, and Latin genres. This scale means the sync team can offer music supervisors nearly any style from any era.
Real-World Example
A country songwriter signed to Sony Music Publishing has a catalog of 30 songs. A TV network needs a specific track for a scripted drama series. Sony's sync team negotiates a $12,000 sync fee, clears the publishing side, and coordinates with the label for master clearance if needed. The writer receives their negotiated percentage of the sync fee plus backend PRO royalties when the episode airs.
For a global advertising campaign, the same songwriter's track might generate $100,000 or more in sync fees. Sony Music Publishing handles all clearance, negotiation, and licensing paperwork across multiple territories. The writer receives their share per their publishing agreement.
Use our sync licensing fee calculator to estimate potential sync fees for different usage types.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
Sony Music Publishing is not an entry point for independent artists. The company signs writers who already have commercial releases, streaming traction, or established industry relationships. For independent artists, understanding Sony Music Publishing matters for several reasons:
- It represents the top of the publishing market: Sony Music Publishing is the largest publisher globally. If your goal is a major publishing deal, you need to build a catalog and audience that attracts A&R attention. Co-writes with established writers and placements with mid-tier sync libraries are stepping stones.
- Administration deals provide global reach: Sony Music Publishing administers catalogs it does not own. If you build a catalog with real commercial value, an administration deal can provide global royalty collection and sync pitching without transferring ownership. These deals typically require a minimum catalog size and revenue threshold.
- The EMI catalog integration changed the market: The 2012 EMI acquisition consolidated enormous catalog power under one publisher. This means fewer independent large-scale publishers exist. Independent artists should understand that the publishing market is highly consolidated at the top, which makes mid-tier and independent publishers more important for early-career writers.
If you are seeking your first sync placement, start with platforms that accept open submissions. Read our guide on how to get your first sync license and our comparison of sync licensing companies vs music libraries.
Platform Features
- Global creative sync offices: New York, Los Angeles, London, and Nashville
- Proactive pitching: Dedicated sync teams across film, TV, advertising, gaming, and trailers
- Unmatched catalog depth: Beatles catalog, EMI catalog, Mijac catalog, and contemporary songwriter rosters
- Custom write capabilities: Assigns signed writers to create original music for specific briefs
- Administration services: Global royalty collection and sync pitching for administered catalogs
- Cross-label clearance: When master rights are with a Sony label, sync and master can be cleared together
Potential Drawbacks / Things to Consider
- No open submissions: Sony Music Publishing does not accept unsolicited music. You cannot upload tracks or email demos for consideration.
- Publishing deals transfer rights: Signing a publishing deal typically involves transferring ownership or administration of your compositions. Review deal terms carefully. Learn more in our guide to music licensing agreements.
- Exclusivity is standard: Sony Music Publishing deals are exclusive. You cannot pitch the same compositions to other publishers while under contract.
- Corporate scale means slower response: As the largest music publisher, Sony Music Publishing processes an enormous volume of catalogs and briefs. Response times can be slow compared to independent publishers.
- Negotiating leverage matters: Standard splits range from 50/50 to 75/25 in the writer's favor. Writers with stronger catalogs and streaming numbers negotiate better terms. New signees with less leverage may receive less favorable splits.
Related Resources
- Sync Licensing Companies Directory - Browse more sync licensing companies
- Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Estimate licensing fees for your projects
- PRO Directory - Find your performing rights organization
- How to Get Your First Sync License - Step-by-step guide for independent artists
- Music Licensing Agreements: Types, Terms, and Red Flags - Understand publishing deals before signing
- Visit Sony Music Publishing for roster info and company details
Company Type and Licensing Model
Sony Music Publishing is a full-service music publisher, not a production music library or an upload platform. The company administers copyrights, pitches catalogs to music supervisors, and negotiates sync licenses on behalf of its signed writers. This is a fundamentally different model from production music libraries like BMG, Universal Production Music, or Warner Chappell PM.
Licensing Model
Sony Music Publishing operates on a per-placement negotiation model. There is no subscription pricing, no blanket license, and no per-track catalog browsing. Every sync license is individually negotiated based on:
- Usage type: Advertising placements can reach six figures. Film and TV placements range from $5,000 to $50,000+. Trailer placements depend on campaign scope.
- Territory: Global licenses cost more than single-territory licenses.
- Duration: Longer license periods carry higher fees.
- Exclusivity: Exclusive use within a category or territory increases pricing.
The company also operates SyncShop (syncshop.sonymusic.com), which represents Sony Music artists' recordings and visual content for use in films, trailers, television, commercials, games, and apps. SyncShop covers 130 years of content from labels including Arista, Columbia, Epic, Masterworks, RCA, Sony Latin, and Sony Nashville. Offices in over 40 countries provide local licensing support.
Catalog Size and Genre Coverage
Sony Music Publishing controls or administers over 3 million songs. The catalog includes:
- The Beatles catalog
- Michael Jackson's Mijac catalog
- The EMI catalog (Queen, Carole King, Motown hits)
- Contemporary songwriters across pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, country, electronic, orchestral, and Latin genres
- Recognition Music Group catalog (45,000 songs, formerly the Hipgnosis portfolio), acquired in July 2026
This scale means the sync team can offer music supervisors nearly any style from any era. In Q2 2026, Sony Music Publishing generated $728 million in revenue, up 6.7% year over year. Streaming accounted for approximately $426 million of that total.
Client Base
Sony Music Publishing's sync division serves:
- Major film studios (including 20th Century Studios, Sony Pictures, New Regency Entertainment)
- TV networks and streaming platforms (including Apple, CBS Television Network, Discovery, Fox Entertainment, Showtime Networks, Sky)
- Global advertising agencies
- Video game publishers (including Sony Interactive Media, EA Games)
- Trailer houses
- Production companies (including All3Media, Cinetel, Hasbro, Mattel, Tyler Perry Studios)
- Digital and social media platforms
How Sony Music Publishing Pays Artists
Sony Music Publishing compensates writers through traditional publishing deal structures:
- Sync fee splits: Writers receive their negotiated percentage of sync fees. Standard splits range from 50/50 to 75/25 in the writer's favor. Writers with stronger catalogs and streaming numbers negotiate better terms.
- Performance royalties: Sony Music Publishing registers works with collection societies worldwide and collects performance royalties on behalf of writers. The publisher takes its percentage per the agreement, then distributes the writer's share.
- Administration fees: For administration deals (where Sony collects royalties and pitches sync but does not own the catalog), the publisher takes an administrative percentage of collected income. These deals typically require a minimum catalog size and revenue threshold.
- No upfront buyout for most deals: Unlike production music libraries that pay per-track fees, Sony Music Publishing typically does not pay upfront fees for catalog acquisitions. Signing involves transferring ownership or administration rights in exchange for global collection and sync pitching services.
In March 2026, Sony Music Publishing promoted Michael Riggs to SVP, Licensing and Income Tracking. Based in Nashville, Riggs leads the Licensing, Sync Administration, Global Income Tracking, and Client Audit teams. His focus is on strengthening tracking operations and matching capabilities for digital deals.
Comparison: Sony Music Publishing vs Other Sync Companies
| Feature | Sony Music Publishing | BMG Production Music | Universal Production Music | Warner Chappell PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company type | Music publisher | Production music library | Production music library | Production music library |
| Catalog size | 3 million+ songs | 200,000+ tracks | 240,000+ tracks | 200,000+ tracks |
| Licensing model | Per-placement negotiation | Per-use, blanket, custom | Per-use, blanket, custom | Per-use, blanket |
| Open submissions | No (A&R and acquisitions) | Yes (website form) | No (publisher representation) | No (invitation only) |
| Upfront fees to writers | Rare (deal-based) | Yes (work-for-hire) | Yes (work-for-hire) | Yes (work-for-hire) |
| Sync fee splits | 50/50 to 75/25 | 50/50 to 75/25 | Varies by agreement | Varies by agreement |
| Custom writes | Yes (assigned writers) | Yes (SYNC+ bespoke) | Yes (music direction) | Yes (custom division) |
| Parent company | Sony Group | Bertelsmann | Universal Music Group | Warner Music Group |
Videos
Similar Sync Licensing Companies
- BMG Production Music - 200,000+ tracks with SYNC+ unified service
- Universal Production Music - World's largest production music company
- Warner Chappell Production Music - 200,000+ tracks across 130+ labels
- Slipstream - Largest independent licensing platform with 1 million+ tracks
- Concord Music Publishing Sync - Independent music publisher with sync division
- Universal Music Publishing Sync - UMPG's sync licensing division
- Extreme Music - Production music library distributed by Sony Music Publishing
