So what REALLY happens in a meeting with a music publisher?  How many songs do they want to hear?  Do they try to make you rich and famous?  Or do they try to make you quit songwriting?

Well…the answer is a little complicated.  Read on.

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It can be a real mystery, what happens in a meeting with a music publisher.

I remember living back in Arkansas, just starting to learn about publishing, and wondering if I’d ever get a meeting with a publisher.  And if I did… what would it be like?

Would I need to wear a suit and ride an elevator up to some corner office?

Would I hand him (or her) a bunch of songs, and he’d just skip from one song to the next after 10 seconds each?

Would he expect me to play a song live, or would it be okay to bring a CD?

Well, I’ve had the pleasure (and sometimes pain) of many publisher meetings in my 15+ years of living in Nashville.  And while they vary quite a bit, here are some things I’ve found.

Forget the business suits.

This is the music business, after all.  You want to be presentable, but (at least in Nashville) it’s a casual-dressing business.  The publisher might be dressed in anything from shorts and flip flops to business-casual.  As for you, you’re not there interviewing to be the VP of Accounting.  You’re there as a creative.  Be yourself.  But take a shower first.

Some publishers are more chatty than others.

On a first meeting, some publishers will want to dive right into your music.  I’m guessing this helps them figure out quickly if they want to get to know you more.  If your music isn’t any good, it doesn’t matter much how charming you are.

Other publishers like to chat quite a bit.  They want to know your story- where you’re from, who you’re writing with, how you got to Nashville, etc.  They may be trying to see if they like you as a person before they listen to your songs.  If you’re a jerk, they probably don’t want to work with you, regardless of how good your songs are.

Just relax and focus on the conversation.  If you’re too anxious to play your music, it could be annoying or off-putting to the publisher.  Be patient.  Be a good hang.

Maybe one song, maybe several.

Each meeting will most likely get to the music at some point.  So the publisher will ask if you brought any songs.  Even if you plan on playing your songs live, it’s best to bring a CD of material just in case.

Most publishers will NOT listen through the whole song.  They’ll get the gist of it- figure out what they think.  Some will hold their thoughts until they’ve listened to all the songs they want to hear.  Others will discuss each song with you one at a time, giving you their thoughts and possibly offering some songwriting advice.  Others will simply say something brief and noncommittal like “cool” or “nice” as they flip from one song to the next.

Rarely will they stare you down as they listen to your babies.  They might turn to the side, staring out a window or off into space.  Or they’ll reference the lyric sheet you wisely brought.

Don’t read too much into them staring off like this.  Don’t let it get in your head.  It’s just what they do.

What about the dream-crushing?

I have yet to meet a publisher who’s interested in crushing our songwriting dreams.  So even if they have zero interest in your songwriting, they’ll usually be kind.  Some are more blunt than others, but just because your feelings get hurt, it doesn’t mean they’re telling you to catch the next Uber to the airport.  It’s nothing personal.

Some will try to find something good to say about your songwriting.  To be kind.  Or to be encouraging.  If you really knock their socks off, though, you’ll probably know it.  They’ll get excited.  They’ll want to listen more and talk more.

The closed or open door.

At the end of the meeting, the publisher may simply thank you for stopping by and wish you well as they usher you out.  In this case, it probably means your music isn’t ready to solve any of their current problems.  Don’t let this response get you too low.  You’re not a failure.  But you still a have a lot more work in front of you.

However, the publisher MAY ask you to send them more stuff, stay in touch, or come back by in a few weeks.  If they say this, you should do it.  Don’t just assume they’re being nice but disingenuous.  They’re a pro, and they made the offer.  Take them up on it.  Don’t drop the ball by disappearing after one meeting.  And don’t let this response get you too high.  You haven’t arrived.  You still have a lot more work in front of you.

So, as you can see, not every publisher or publisher meeting is exactly alike.  But they all WANT to hear wonderful songs.  They all WANT you to be the answer to their prayers.  But no matter what happens in the meeting, keep working.  Keep writing.

So what about YOU? Have you had a publisher meeting?  What was it like? I’d love to hear your comments!

Also, if you’re ready to meet with a publisher, our next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up- but the deadline to enter a song is THIS WEDNESDAY THE 28TH!  (It’s an online event, so you can join us from anywhere in the world.)

Our next guest is Courtney Allen of BMG Nashville.  Courtney works closely with hit songwriters Travis Meadows, Wynn Varble, Lucie Silvas, and more.  If YOU have the country or pop song, SHE knows what to do with it!

And if you aren’t quite ready to step into this meeting, you can still win big.  Everyone who purchases a song-submission spot will get to watch the video replay of the event.  That means you’ll be a fly on the wall in a real publisher meeting.  You’ll get to see how a real publisher actually acts in a meeting.  It’ll make YOUR first publisher meeting a lot less scary!

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG BY THE DEADLINE THIS WEEK!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada, and a top 10 in Texas.  His songs appear on 5 industry-certified gold & platinum albums & singles… so far.  He also hosts a top-rated songwriting and music business podcast called, “The C.L.I.M.B.” which can be found on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.