Motown Music Publishers

[mysterysinger]

I'm always confused by the relationship between music publishers associated with Motown [[and indeed Jobete). We have names such as Stein and Van Stock, Stone Agate, Stone Diamond and others and not unreasonably certain writers tend to be associated with each publisher.

But I'd welcome any insight into how these relationships worked [[probably all differently) alongside Jobete and Motown Records. Wonder if anyone in the know if able to provide a simple guide.

Looking at a web site "Temptations Songs With Earlier Histories Than The Hit Versions" has all sorts of links you can follow and I plumped for Stone Diamond and a song at random called "Boombastic" from 1995. It turns out that one of the writers was King Floyd who had an alum released on VIP in the 60s. But there are 7 music publishers associated with it including Jobete and Stone Diamond.

I'm not sure there's a simple explanation for/to answer to these relationships but I'd welcome knowledgeable insight if possible.

"Boombastic"
https://musicbrainz.org/work/14bfd2f...6-b3966dffe3ff

"Temptations Songs"
https://www.songswithearlierhistorie...e-temptations/

[reese]

Stein and Van Stock was so named because Berry wanted to have a company that sounded old and distinguished. Under this one, he published such MOR compositions as FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE.

[drewschultz88]

Just as an umbrella company like Disney can own multiple subsidiaries [[Marvel, Lucasfilm, etc.), an umbrella organization in the music world can own multiple publishing companies. The publishers are tasked with representing use of the composition [[not the recording, which is managed by the label) in film/TV/commercial/etc. placements as well as shopping songs to be covered by multiple artists. As Reese mentioned, Stein & Van Stock was set up with that name specifically so they could shop MOR compositions around without others realizing it was a Motown-related composition. Discogs claims that the Stone Agate / Stone Diamond groups were set up in the early 70s when Jobete switched it's Performing Rights Organization affiliation from BMI to ASCAP. This way, Jobete was with ASCAP while Stone Agate / Diamond was with BMI. For some time, I believe ASCAP was looked at as more of an organization for MOR / Pop while BMI was looked at as more of an organization for R&B / Country songs. PROs are the organizations who collect broadcast royalties for radio and television usage, then pay out from those broadcast residuals to songwriters and publishers. This way, Motown could still have a foot in both doors with those two PROs and their perceived markets in the industry. These days I feel like a lot of those genre walls have come down, and ASCAP and BMI have even started doing collaborative work to make licensing compositions smoother when portions of control are split between ASCAP and BMI representation simultaneously.

I found out about that ASCAP / BMI switch from discogs - because it's user generated some of it may not be 100% accurate, but it's a good start to diving into all of it. Here's all the text from the Discogs pages for reference:::


Stone Diamond Music Corp.
Profile:
Publishing company. Incorporated 17 March 1972. A sister company to Jobete Music Co., Inc. owned by Berry Gordy and his sister Esther Gordy Edwards
Sometimes credited as: Stone Diamond Music Corporation or Stone Diamond Mus. Corp.
Affiliated to BMI.

Stone Agate Music Division
Profile:
US music publisher.
Stone Agate Music Division was formed in 1971 [[along with Stone Diamond Music Corp.) by Motown when their main publishing entity, Jobete Music Co., Inc., switched its affiliation from BMI to ASCAP.
Sometimes printed as: Stone Agate Music Div.

Jobete Music Co., Inc.
Profile:
A California-based publishing company founded in Michigan during 1959 and associated with many Motown songwriters via ASCAP, although there are examples of BMI handling royalty rights for Jobete Music Co., Inc. [[see Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - A Pocket Full Of Miracles).
In 1997 50% of the company was acquired by EMI Group Plc, which in April 2003 acquired the outstanding equity. Since then it was integrated into EMI Music Publishing and, currently, remaining assets of Jobete Music are owned by Sony / ATV Music Publishing, which acquired EMI Music Publishing in 2012 [[first in a consortium with investors and Michael Jackson's estate, eventually becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary in 2018).
The publishing catalogue, which includes hit songs from such performers as the Temptations and Diana Ross and the Supremes, was owned by the Jobete Music Company and its sister company, the Stone Diamond Music Corp., collectively known as the Jobete companies. Both companies are owned by Mr. Gordy and his sister Esther Gordy Edwards.
For its sister companies, please see: Jobete Music Co. and Jobete Music, Inc.
Name variations as found on this profile:
- Jobete MC Inc
- Jobete Music Co., Inc.
- Jobete Music Co. Inc.
- Jobete Music C., Inc.
- Jobete Music Company Inc.
- Jobete Music Company, Inc.
- Jobete Msc. Co., Inc.
- Jobette Music Co., Inc.

[mysterysinger]

Thanks for the comments which are helpful. In the case of "Boombastic" I wondered how/why 7 publishers have an involvement and how this could pan out in terms of any revenues from sales/broadcasting of the record assuming they each receive anything. Could it be classed as a Motown/Jobete song?