Meet Robin Marni, a music producer, educator and a digit marketing specialist. I talk about how you can cultivate a thriving online presence, connect with your audience and build a loyal fanbase you can monetized. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for instights and tips.
Your Distributor Isn’t Collecting All Your Royalties
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Are You Missing Out on Music Royalties? Here’s What You Need to Know Introduction If you’re relying solely on your distributor (like DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby) to collect your royalties, you’re leaving money on the table. Many artists assume that getting paid by their distributor means they’re covered. But that’s only one revenue stream. The truth is, your music generates income from multiple sources, and if you’re not signed up with the right organizations, you’re not getting paid what you deserve. What Your Distributor Collects Distributors only collect Master Royalties. These royalties come from the use of your sound recordings on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. While these are important, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. What You’re Missing Out On If you own, wrote, or co-wrote your music, you’re also owed: 1. Performance Royalties These are collected whenever your music is performed live, streamed, or broadcasted on radio, TV, or venues. Who collects them: SOCAN, ASCAP, BMI, PRS, etc. 2. Mechanical Royalties These are earned every time your song is reproduced, whether through streaming, downloads, or physical copies. Who collects them: CMRRA, MLC, HFA, etc. 3. Neighboring Rights These royalties are for the public performance of your sound recordings in places like radio stations, clubs, or restaurants. Who collects them: SoundExchange, CONNECT, RE:SOUND, etc. 4. Sync Royalties These are payments for when your music is used in TV shows, films, ads, or video games. Why You’re Not Getting Paid If you’re not registered with the proper performance rights organizations (PROs), mechanical rights organizations, or neighboring rights societies, these royalties can’t find their way to you. And if your music is being synced, you’ll need to ensure you’re set up to collect those royalties too. Take Action Don’t leave money on the table! Make sure you: - Sign up with your country’s performance rights organization (e.g., ASCAP, BMI, PRS). - Register with a mechanical licensing agency like MLC or HFA. - Collect neighboring rights through organizations like SoundExchange or CONNECT. - Track and manage sync placements to ensure you’re compensated. Conclusion Your music works hard for you—make sure you’re getting paid for it. Distributors only collect a fraction of what you’re owed. By signing up with the right organizations, you can unlock all the revenue streams your music is generating. Thanks for reading Best Regards, Robin Marni Music Producer/Educator FOLLOW ME HERE |
Robin Marni
Meet Robin Marni, a music producer, educator and a digit marketing specialist. I talk about how you can cultivate a thriving online presence, connect with your audience and build a loyal fanbase you can monetized. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for instights and tips.
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