Song selling takes place when a singer-songwriter earns
money in exchange for the rights to
use his or her original
music, often to a (more) famous, or up-and-coming, recording artist.
If a singer-songwriter has written a catchy song but seems to fall
short on vocal or instrumental ability, a listener might say, "you should sell your song." Hearing this can be extremely disheartening for singer-songwriters, especially those who are still developing their talents, or have not yet enjoyed their fifteen minutes of fame.