Publisher Direct Licensing Deals in the music industry refer to agreements where music publishers directly license their musical works to digital service providers or other entities, rather than going through traditional collective management organizations (CMOs) or performing rights organizations (PROs)¹. This approach allows for more direct negotiation of terms and rates between the publisher and the licensee, potentially leading to more tailored agreements and faster royalty payments². Recent examples include Spotify's direct licensing deals with major publishers like Kobalt³.