Am i correct thinking this way
Just the process of uploading songs on audiojungle…this makes me a music publisher right? as i’m basically promoting songs for sale
Correct me if i’m thinking wrong? just wanted to see if that statement is correct
much appreciated
Yes and no. I am not 100% sure BUT for me publication of song (e.g. via AudioJungle) makes you a publisher.
BUT this term is used in some institutions like PRO where it has different definition, e.g. to be a publisher, you have to register there as a publisher.
I think it makes Envato the publisher since they issue licenses and collect income for licenses on your behalf. To be a proper publisher they should also be actively looking for ways to use your music in different projects like tv adds, film soundtracks etc. but I dont think they do, unless attracting new customers through google adds counts…
I guess that if you take the literal meaning of a word, you can call yourself anything you want. For instance, I could take some snaps on my smartphone, upload them to a stock photography site, make a few sales and then call myself a professional photographer. I’m a photographer because I took a photograph, and I’m professional because I made some money. I’m sure that you and most people in the photography industry would agree, that in real terms, that doesn’t make me a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination.
For some really great information about the role of a music publisher, read this great article in the Sound On Sound magazine:
https://www.soundonsound.com/music-business/music-publishing
Having said all that, publishing is simply the process of making something available to the public, which is what happens here at AJ, but as @boomopera has said, in your scenario, the publishing is being done by Envato, since they are supplying the means and platform on which to sell your music. If you were to set up your own website and sell your music like bensound did, you would have a better claim to be able to call yourself a music publisher. Even then, I would be inclined to be more specific and call you a ‘stock music publisher’ since the term ‘music publisher’ is so well established within the industry to mean the role explained in that SOS article.
Just wondering though, what is the source of your question? If you are looking into intellectual music rights and performing rights organisations and wondering who is entitled to what is commonly (but slightly inaccurately) referred to as “the publishers share” of your music, unless you have signed a contract with a music publisher (see the above article^^), then you are entitled to 100% of both the writers share and the publishers share for any recording which is performed publicly where royalties are due and subsequently collected on your behalf by your Performing Rights Organisation (PRO for short).
When someone uses the term “publisher” in the music industry in normally refers to music libraries aimed at TV, adverts and trailers etc. The composers who make content for those are not called “publishers” in that case either. A publisher in the music industry is a business that you sign your tracks over to for them to promote them to get placements/licensing deals.