In a significant development for the global music publishing sector, independent music publisher Kobalt launched its new invite and application-only publishing platform, KOSIGN, in February 2025. The platform is strategically designed to empower emerging artists, producers, and songwriters by addressing the persistent challenge of uncollected publishing royalties worldwide.
Addressing the “Black Box” of Royalties
Industry estimates suggest that over $1 billion in publishing royalties are left uncollected annually. This substantial sum often remains untraced or unclaimed due to the complex and fragmented nature of global music licensing and administration. The problem disproportionately affects emerging artists, who often lack the resources, infrastructure, or industry connections necessary to navigate this intricate landscape effectively. Traditional publishing models can be inaccessible or offer terms that may not suit creators early in their careers, while entirely “do-it-yourself” administration can be overwhelming and inefficient on a global scale. KOSIGN aims to bridge this critical gap, offering a professional, technology-driven solution tailored to the needs of modern creators.
A New Model for Creator Empowerment
KOSIGN presents itself as a flexible alternative to traditional publishing deals. A cornerstone of its offering is a rolling term, providing creators with greater control and flexibility compared to lengthy, often restrictive, standard agreements. Crucially, the platform features a highly favorable 80/20 royalty split in the member’s favor, meaning songwriters retain 80% of the royalties collected through the platform. Furthermore, members utilizing KOSIGN retain 100% of their copyrights, a significant advantage for creators seeking to maintain full ownership and control over their musical works.
Leveraging Advanced Technology for Global Collection
The platform leverages Kobalt’s established and trusted technology infrastructure, which has long powered royalty collection for major artists and established catalogs. This technology facilitates global royalty collection directly from a multitude of streaming services and digital platforms, bypassing many of the traditional, slower collection societies and intermediaries. A key promise of KOSIGN is the expedited payment of royalties, claiming to typically process and disburse payments to members within three months of collection, a marked improvement over the often much longer timelines associated with traditional publishing administration.
Early Traction and Global Reach
Since its launch in February 2025, KOSIGN has demonstrated rapid early traction. According to Jason Feinberg, Senior Vice President and Head of KOSIGN, the platform has received thousands of applications from songwriters and creators spanning an impressive 88 countries. This early global interest underscores the widespread need for such a service. Feinberg also reported that the platform has already registered over 12,000 songs in its first few months of operation, indicating a significant uptake among eligible creators.
Defining a New Marketplace Category
Built upon Kobalt’s existing infrastructure, which is trusted by a roster of major artists and catalog owners, KOSIGN is positioned not merely as another administration service but as an initiative designed to define a new marketplace category. By combining the technological sophistication and global reach of a major publisher with the flexibility and creator-friendly terms typically sought by independent artists, Kobalt is attempting to carve out a distinct space in the music publishing ecosystem. This model seeks to offer a viable and scalable path for emerging talent to professionalize their royalty collection without relinquishing ownership or committing to lengthy, restrictive terms.
Outlook for the Future
The early success and rapid song registration numbers reported by KOSIGN suggest a strong market demand for transparent, efficient, and creator-centric publishing solutions. As the platform continues to onboard applicants and register works, its impact on the landscape of music publishing, particularly for independent and emerging artists globally, will be closely watched. Its ability to effectively capture a significant portion of the estimated $1 billion in uncollected royalties could represent a substantial shift in how value flows within the music industry, potentially empowering a new generation of creators.
