For so long the overlooked spine that held the music industry together, publishing deals are now making headlines. Yet behind the big names and the big cheques, independent publishers are offering songwriters and artists flexibility and freedom. In this special report, Music Week meets the sector’s nimble dealmakers...

Publishing deals are always big news. In addition to the investment in a songwriter, the artistic trust and creative relationships these agreements represent, they are the under-appreciated backbone of the industry.

However, ...