What is Johnson Evans & Headrick, P.C.?

Johnson Evans & Headrick, P.C. manages 5 data types including contact submissions.

What is the difference between a sync license and a master license?

A sync license covers the underlying musical composition (the words and music), typically controlled by the music publisher. A master license (or master use license) covers the specific sound recording, typically controlled by the record label. To use a recorded song in visual media, you need both. We handle both sides of the deal — composition and master — so placements clear without delay.

What should a music licensing company look for in a catalog acquisition?

Catalog acquisitions require careful due diligence on ownership chain, registration status, existing license agreements, termination exposure under 17 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 304, and any co-ownership arrangements. Termination rights in particular can significantly affect the long-term value of an acquired catalog and must be accounted for in deal structuring. We conduct the diligence and structure the acquisition to reflect the risks and value revealed — not the headline price alone.

What is copyright termination and why does it matter for a catalog?

Termination is a statutory right under 17 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 304 that allows authors (or their heirs) to recapture rights previously transferred or licensed — regardless of what the contract says. For catalogs acquired decades ago, termination exposure can mean that a significant share of the catalog's value reverts to the original author or heirs within a specific statutory window. We analyze termination exposure at diligence, not after acquisition.

What are royalty structures and how do they vary?

Royalty and participation structures determine how catalog revenue flows back to rights holders. Common structures include flat-fee licenses, per-unit royalties (a set amount per copy or stream), percentage royalties (a share of revenue), and advances against royalties (an upfront payment recouped from future earnings). Controlled-composition clauses in label deals cap the rate paid to publishers on album cuts. Each structure has different long-term value implications — we draft the structures that resist erosion across re-licenses and renewals.

What is publishing administration?

A publishing administration agreement grants an administrator the right to collect royalties, issue licenses, and enforce rights on behalf of a music publisher — typically for a commission (often 10–25%) over a defined term and territory. Sub-publishing agreements extend administration across international territories through local societies and affiliates. Key terms include the commission rate, the territory, the term, the collection rights, and audit provisions. We structure these arrangements to maximize collection while preserving the owner's long-term control.

Music Licensing & Publishing

The commercial side of music, structured to hold its value.

Music publishing and licensing is the commercial engine of the music industry — the deals that turn a catalog into recurring revenue, a sync placement into a long-term licensing relationship, and a song into a transferable, financeable asset. We advise music publishing companies, licensing companies, labels, and rights-holding entities on the full range of commercial music transactions: sync and mechanical licenses, royalty and participation structures, catalog acquisitions and sales, copyright ownership and termination exposure, and the IP strategy that governs how a catalog is deployed, protected, and monetized over time. Nashville is a music capital, and our team has deep experience with the commercial side of the industry — the deal structures that determine whether a catalog holds its value across decades or erodes with each agreement.

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Sync · Catalog · Royalty

Music IP Strategy & Monetization

01 · Orientation

A catalog is an asset — the licensing structure is what makes it revenue.

Sync Licensing

A sync license requires rights from the music publisher (composition) and the master owner (recording) — two separate licenses, each with its own territory, media, term, and fee. We structure and negotiate both sides so placements clear cleanly and revenue flows back to the rights holder.

Two-Side

Royalty Structures

Royalty and participation structures — flat fee, per-unit, percentage, advance against royalties, and controlled-composition caps — determine how catalog revenue flows. We draft the structures that protect long-term value and resist erosion across re-licenses and renewals.

Flat · Per-Unit · %

Catalog Acquisitions

Catalog acquisitions require due diligence on ownership chain, registration status, existing licenses, co-ownership, and termination exposure under 17 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 304 — which can significantly affect long-term value. We conduct the diligence and structure the deal to account for it.

DD · Termination

Clean copyright ownership — written, signed assignments and valid work-for-hire agreements under 17 U.S.C. §§ 101 and 204 — is the foundation of every catalog. We resolve ownership ambiguity before it becomes a dispute, not after.

§ 204 · Work-for-Hire

02 · Scope of Practice

What we handle.

Sync & Mechanical Licensing

Structuring and negotiating synchronization licenses for film, TV, advertising, and digital media — plus mechanical licenses for reproduction and distribution — across the composition and master rights on both sides of the deal.

Royalty & Participation Structures

Drafting royalty, participation, and revenue-share structures — flat fee, per-unit, percentage, advance against royalties, and controlled-composition provisions — that protect long-term catalog value across re-licenses, renewals, and downstream deals.

Catalog Acquisitions & Sales

Conducting due diligence on ownership chain, registration status, existing license agreements, co-ownership, and termination exposure — and structuring the acquisition to account for the risks and value revealed.

Publishing Administration

Structuring publishing administration and sub-publishing arrangements — territory, term, commission, collection rights, and audit provisions — that govern how a catalog is administered across territories and collecting societies.

Copyright Ownership & Termination

Resolving copyright ownership — joint authorship, work-for-hire status, chain of title, and contributor agreements — and advising on termination exposure under 17 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 304 that can recapture rights transferred decades ago.

Music IP Strategy

Developing portfolio-level IP strategy for music rights holders — registration, enforcement, licensing program design, and the long-term deployment of a catalog across platforms, territories, and revenue streams.

03 · How We Work

How we approach the work.

Partner-led from intake. Counsel that moves as fast as the matter requires — and prepares for the resolution that may never require a courtroom.

Inventory & Valuation

We inventory the catalog — compositions, masters, registrations, existing licenses, co-ownership, and termination exposure — and map the rights landscape that will govern every downstream deal.

Structure & License

We structure and negotiate the licensing and royalty arrangements — sync, mechanical, administration, and participation — that turn the catalog into recurring revenue while preserving long-term ownership and control.

Acquire & Diligence

For catalog acquisitions and sales, we conduct the diligence on ownership and termination exposure, structure the deal to account for it, and close with a clean chain of title and documented risk.

Enforce & Monetize

When rights are infringed or a license is challenged, we enforce through cease-and-desist, DMCA takedown, and federal litigation — and defend clients against overbroad or unsupported infringement claims.

04 · Representative Results

A representative track record.

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Sync Program

Multi-Year

Structured a multi-year sync licensing program for a music publishing client — controlling territory, media, term, and reversion to monetize the catalog across film, TV, and advertising while preserving long-term ownership.

Music Publisher · 2024

Catalog Acquisition

Diligenced

Conducted due diligence on a catalog acquisition — ownership chain, registration status, existing licenses, and termination exposure under 17 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 304 — and structured the deal to account for the recapture risk revealed.

Catalog Sale · 2023

Royalty Structure

Re-Structured

Re-structured a royalty and participation arrangement for a rights holder — replacing an eroding per-unit structure with a participation and advance structure that protected long-term catalog value across re-licenses.

Rights Holder · 2025

05 · Lead Counsel

Shareholder · Nashville

Michael A. Johnson

"A catalog is an asset — the licensing structure is what makes it revenue. The deal terms written today decide whether a catalog holds its value across decades or erodes with each agreement. We structure them to hold."

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06 · Common Questions

Before you call.

A sync license grants a content producer the right to use a musical composition in visual media — film, TV, advertising, or digital content. It typically requires separate licenses from the music publisher (for the composition) and the record label or master rights holder (for the specific recording). Key terms include territory, media type, term, exclusivity, and the license fee. We structure and negotiate both sides so the placement clears cleanly and revenue flows back to the rights holder.