Build your catalogue with intent — and make every song more valuable.

A&R in publishing is about discovering and developing songwriters, composers, and creator-led catalogues — then helping that work travel further through stronger collaborations, smarter positioning, and long-term growth. We focus on creative progression and publishing-ready outcomes: clean works, clear splits, and a catalogue that can compete locally and globally.

• Talent scouting + partnerships (writers, composers, indie labels)
• Creative development (feedback, direction, writing rooms, camps)
• Industry engagement (masterclasses, workshops, panels, community)

How We Help

1. Discover & assess: Review demos, catalogues, and portfolios to evaluate creative and commercial potential.
2. Partner & contract: Negotiate and finalise publishing agreements and composer/publisher partnerships.
3. Develop the craft: Provide constructive feedback on lyrics, melodies, and compositions, and advise on artistic direction and market positioning.
4. Create opportunities: Coordinate writing camps, sessions, and co-writing opportunities — including cross-company collaborations across DMP entities.
5. Show up for the culture: Host and participate in publishing education initiatives (masterclasses, workshops, panels).

Getting Started

Send a short intro + links to your best work (3–5 songs), plus:

• your role (writer/producer/composer/label)
• where you’re based + your key collaborators
• any existing catalogue info (works list, splits if available)
• what you want next (development, co-writes, publishing deal, catalogue growth)

Get Your Music in the Right Rooms — Cleared, Protected, and Paid Properly.

Your songs deserve to travel — into films, series, ads, games, and trailers — without you chasing paperwork. We connect the right music to the right brief, negotiate fair fees, and keep the admin airtight so placements build both audience and income. Clean metadata and ready-to-use assets speed approvals and get money moving faster.

• Creative pitching to live briefs across film/TV/brands.
• Global network, transparent fees, no clearance headaches.
• Cue sheets and usage tracking handled end-to-end.

How We Help

1. Brief & fit: map catalogue to upcoming opportunities.
2. Pitch & negotiate: targeted submissions, fair terms.
3. Clear & deliver: rights cleared fast; masters/metadata QC’d.
4. Track & pay: usage monitored; payments reconciled.

Getting Started

Send top tracks (incl. instrumentals/stems), moods/tempos, and any recent briefs or references.

Pre-Cleared. On-Brief. African-Led — Music That’s Ready When You Are.

Our catalogue blends African originality with global library depth, so you can find the exact feel in minutes, not weeks. “Pre-cleared” means legal wait time drops close to zero — great for broadcast, social, and brand content on real-world timelines.

• Fast search by mood, tempo, usage, territory.
• Blanket or needle-drop licensing to suit the budget.
• Broadcast-ready music files, alternates, and separates.

How We Help

1. Search support: share scene, vibe, VO space — we shortlist fast.
2. Rights fit: advise on licence, territories, term.
3. Supply assets: deliver masters/versions ready for picture.
4. Wrap & report: paperwork aligned; usage tracked.

Getting Started

Share the brief, timings, references, and delivery date; we’ll return a tight shortlist.

Your Song. Your Splits. Protected Everywhere — No Royalties Left Behind.

Royalties get lost when registrations and splits aren’t spotless. We register compositions worldwide, keep your data clean (ISWCs, splits, publisher codes), and resolve conflicts before they cost you. One typo can block a payment — we obsess so you don’t have to.

• Global registrations with relevant PROs/CMOs.
• Data hygiene that reduces misses and disputes.
• Conflict detection, counter-claims, and reconciliation.

How We Help

1. Catalogue audit: identify gaps in works, splits, IDs.
2. Register everywhere: align data across societies.
3. Monitor & fix: catch duplicates, conflicts, credits issues.
4. Collect & report: reconcile statements; explain what’s owed.

Getting Started

Send your works list, split sheets, PRO/CMO details, and any prior statements — or just what you have.

Every Spin. Every Territory. Accounted For — Then Paid.

If your recordings are played on radio, TV, or in public spaces, you’re owed neighbouring rights (often called “needle-time”). Performers (lead, featured, session, backing) and master rightsholders share this income. It covers broadcast/public-performance and non-interactive plays; it doesn’t include on-demand streams. We register locally (e.g., SAMPRA) and internationally (PPL, SoundExchange, GVL, and more), clean up credits and splits, chase back-claims, and issue clear quarterly statements.

• Built for performers and master rightsholders.
• Local + global collections across a broad CMO network.
• Back-claims, dispute resolution, and transparent reporting.

How We Help

1. Onboard & register: capture roles/credits, ISRCs, releases, mandates.
2. Clean the data: align repertoire and splits; auto-register new releases.
3. Collect everywhere: track broadcast/public-performance income.
4. Recover & report: file claims for missing plays; deliver quarterly statements.

Getting Started

Share ISRCs, performer roles, rightsholder details, release info, ID docs, and a signed LOA/mandate (we’ll provide the template).

Music That Moves Brands — Without Moving the Goalposts for Creators.

Campaigns need music that sells the message and respects the culture. We license the right record or craft an original — with usage strategy baked in (media, territories, term). Smart windows and cutdowns stretch impact without overspend, and zero-risk clearance keeps production on schedule.

• Brief-driven searches or original composition.
• Negotiated fees that reflect real value.
• Approvals and paperwork handled end-to-end.

How We Help

1. Interrogate the brief: audience, message, usage.
2. Search or compose: present options or build bespoke.
3. Clear the rights: approvals, quotes, terms secured.
4. Deliver & track: masters/alternates + clean documentation.

Getting Started

Send script, timings, media plan, and references; we’ll propose routes and budgets.

Your Money. Your Music. Your Dashboard — Clear, Timely, Real.

No more guessing. Our Curve-powered processing ingests data from DSPs, broadcasters, and societies; matches it to your catalogue; applies splits; and serves clear dashboards. You’ll see what came in, where from, and how it’s trending — with exportable statements when you need them.

• Multi-source ingestion with automated matching.
• Real-time view, quarterly statements, CSV/PDF exports.
• Anomaly flags for duplicates and missing payers.

How We Help

1. Ingest & map: connect sources; match to your works/recordings.
2. Validate: flag anomalies and reconcile issues.
3. Allocate & split: apply terms, territories, and splits.
4. Visualise & report: dashboards plus scheduled statements.

Getting Started

Provide prior statements, contract terms/splits, and payout details to configure your dashboard.

Clear samples, enforce rights, and keep the paperwork airtight.

Our job is to handle rights enforcement and clearances — so you can stay focused on making hits. Whether your song has been sampled without permission or you’re sampling a classic, we make sure your rights are respected and your paperwork is solid before anything goes live.

• Rights enforcement across broadcast, digital, and live use
• Sample clearance support for adaptations and remakes
• Infringement handling and legal coordination

How We Help

1. Review & assess: identify ownership, usage, and potential infringements.
2. Clear & license: secure approvals and negotiate fair terms.
3. Enforce & resolve: manage takedowns or settlements with proper documentation.
4. Advise & protect: guide you through sampling, remixing, and reuse requests.

Getting Started

For sample clearances, email samples@downtownmusic.africa with details of your recording and references and if you’ve heard your music used without permission, send the link or usage info to samples@downtownmusic.africa — we’ll take it from there.