Rights. royalties. distribution.

Songwriter Ownership Guide: Protect Your Music & Get Paid

Your songs are valuable assets.
The Ownership pillar helps you protect your music, register your works,
and collect royalties so you’re recognized and paid for your creativity.

Start With the Royalties Checklist
SongChops 5-Pillar Roadmap graphic with Ownership highlighted, guiding songwriters on royalties, publishing rights, and music distribution.
The 5 SONGWRITER pillars

Why Songwriters
Need Ownership

Ownership is empowerment.

When you claim your rights as a songwriter and artist, you’re not just checking boxes—you’re giving your music a voice that carries beyond the page or the stage.

Every song has two hearts: the one you wrote (the composition) and the one you recorded (the master). When you understand and protect both, you turn your creativity into lasting value, and your self-expression into opportunity.

This pillar is about more than paperwork—it’s about confidence, clarity, and standing tall when the spotlight finds you.

Because when you know your worth, your songs can shine even brighter.

Being ready is as simple as a little bit of knowledge. And besides – it’s your money even if it is a dime!

The music industry is the
most confusing industry
on the planet.

ari herstand
the basics of songwriter rights

The Two Key Songwriter Rights

Sync has a negotiated up-front fee with a Master Fee paid to the artist and label and a Composition Fee paid to the songwriter and publisher based on agreed-upon splits . Both fees are paid based on who the owner and rights holder is. If you’re an independent artist, wrote the song and own the master recording – then everything would pay out to you!

Composition Rights

Covers lyrics and melody — the song itself.

Owners and rights holders are songwriters and publishing companies.

Two types of royalties paid: Performance & Mechanical

Performance royalties managed through Performance Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI.

Mechanical royalties managed through The MLC.

Sound Recording Rights

 Covers the actual recorded performance.

Owners and rights holders for the master recordings are artists and record labels.

Two types of royalties paid: Performance & Mechanical

Digital performance royalties managed through SoundExchange.

Mechanical royalties managed through your Distributor.

How Do Splits Work?

  • Songwriters/Publishers (Composition): Publishers get half of a song’s publishing royalty. Songwriters get the other half.
  • Songwriters/Publishers (Composition): Genres have different “rules.” In Nashville, everyone in the room is on the song regardless of word count or other criteria. In LA songwriters are added as the song builds (touches).
  • Songwriters/Publishers (Composition): keep the math simple and even splits: 4 people = 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% of half.
  • Artists/Labels (Sound Recording): Everything is negotiated. If you’re an independent artist and own 100% of the master, you determine percentages given to the producer, session musicians, your social person . . . even a charity!
  • Artists/Labels (Sound Recording): You can manage splits through your distributor and automatically pay this out without having to manage yourself. For example, 10% on sound recording royalties to your producer, 5% to a charity, etc..
the run down

2 Paths To Royalties

Performance royalties are paid when the composition is performed publicly.

This includes: Radio airplay, Live performances (by anyone), TV, bars, restaurants, or venues, Non-interactive streaming (Pandora, satellite radio).

Collected by: Performance Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI

Mechanical royalties are payments to the songwriter and publisher when a composition is reproduced or distributed.

This includes: Streaming (interactive platforms like Spotify, Apple Music), Digital downloads (iTunes, Amazon MP3), Physical sales (CDs, vinyl).

Collected by: The MLC

These are royalties paid when the recording is publicly performed on digital platforms — but not for terrestrial radio in the U.S.

Paid When: (1) •Songs are streamed on non-interactive platforms (like Pandora, SiriusXM), (2) Webcasts (iHeartRadio live stations), (3) Internet radio stations.

Collected by/Paid by:  SoundExchange (in U.S. only)

Paid to: Featured performer(s) (e.g. the main artist), Master owner (label or indie), Non-featured performers (e.g. session musicians – 5%).

Mechanical royalties for the master recording are earned when the recording is reproduced or distributed — just like for the composition — but the money goes to the recording rights holder (usually a record label or independent artist). on digital platforms — but not for terrestrial radio in the U.S.

Paid When: (1) A recording is streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, etc., (2) Someone downloads the recording, (3) Physical copies (CDs, vinyl) are sold (no middleman revenue).

Collected by/Paid by:  Distributor (digital or physical – for indie artists, could be you paying another songwriter for songs on your record)

Paid to: The record label or independent artist who owns the master.  Often split with the producer or featured artists, depending on contracts.

creating momentum

How to Register
Your Songs Correctly

  • Copyright your songs with the Copyright Office to protect your intellectual property.
  • Songwriter: register with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) for performance royalties.
  • Songwriter: register with The MLC for mechanical royalties in the U.S.
  • Artist: Sign up with SoundExchange for digital performance royalties.
  • Artist: Sign up with a distributor to send to streaming services (they supply ISRC codes).

Ready to Release Your Songs?

Once your rights are protected, it’s time to bring your music to life.
Learn how to record and share in the Pulse Guide.

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Download the free SongChops Songwriter Royalties Checklist to track rights, publishing, and payments.

Songwriter Royalties Checklist

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Download the free songwriting split sheet to insure all songwriter ownership percentages are documented.

Songwriter Split Sheet
Template

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Copyright
Guide

Copyright Guide
from the blog

Ownership & Royalties Articles

Ownership FAQs for Songwriters

An ISRC identifies a specific recording, like a unique fingerprint for each track or video. A UPC identifies the overall product, such as an album or single being sold. In short, ISRC tracks performances, while UPC tracks sales of the release. When you distribute your songs for streaming through a distributor, you’ll receive an ISRC. When you create a physical product, you’ll be asked if you want to purchase a UPC – and yes, you do. The more you can protect your intellectual property through standardized documentation, the better.

Heck no. As a matter of fact, you are your own publisher. You can collect publishing royalties as a songwriter yourself by registering with a PRO like ASCAP or BMI, The MLC for digital mechanical publishing royalties on the composition and SoundExchange for digital performance publishing royalties on the sound recording. Note, this is for domestic U.S. collection. You’ll need an admin publisher to collect your international royalties. But, they take a percentage, so you probably won’t need this when you start.

Streaming creates two main revenue streams: composition/publishing royalties and sound recording/master royalties. Sound recording or “master” royalties go to artists and labels via distributors. Composition or publishing royalties go to songwriters and publishers through PROs and The MLC. To receive both, register your works and ensure proper ISRC codes are included with each release of a Sound Recording. As a songwriter who is not also an artist, you may not have an ISRC for a song. That’s OK.

No — they’re different. Copyright is your legal proof of ownership, and registering with the U.S. Copyright Office is what gives you the ability to take legal action if your work is infringed on. Royalties are the payments you earn when your copyrighted work is used. Without registration, you can’t enforce your rights in court.

It depends. Did they help you write the song? That should always be your first question when trying to determine who is on the song as a songwriter. You can always give the band, the producer, or anyone else you’d like, points on the master recording (a percentage of the master recording royalties). But for songwriting, you should stick to the common rules for your genre. For example, Nashville, if you’re in the room, you’re on the song whether you contributed a word or not. The thought is the chemistry makes the song. Your getting coffee for everyone helped, so you’re in.

Your Song’s Message Needs To Be Heard

Capture your message in sound and share it so it can inspire change and transformation in others.

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