Building a Music Catalog That Pays for Decades

Most musicians focus on writing the next song. Professional composers focus on building a catalog. In this episode, composer Michael Elsner explains the mindset and systems behind building a music catalog that continues generating opportunities for years. With more than 3,000 placements in film and television, Michael shares how songs written decades ago are still producing royalties today. You’ll learn the difference between the song mindset and the catalog mindset, how to multiply the value of each track with alternate versions, why evergreen music stays relevant for years, and how metadata and industry relationships help your catalog keep working long after the music is written. If you want to build a sustainable career in sync licensing, this episode breaks down the strategy behind creating a catalog designed to grow in value over time.