Distrokid and Songtrust is also a better option if you plan to release music more regularly, as the yearly fee covers all releases rather than paying with each release.Im an optimist and plan to release music regularly and for it to take off, so this is the option I used. Don't miss: ASCAP: An invaluable resource for every independent musician How does CD Baby Pro Publishing work? The CTR page features tracks by artists with very high CTR who have not received a lot of engagement on their uploads. However, while DistroKid might seem like a starving artist's dream come true, you'll have to pay a lot of hidden fees to get the most out of it. Collecting Publishing Royalties Without Distrokid How Do You Do It? Ditto offer publishing at $39/year and with a 10% commission on all royalties collected. You could probably forgo this, but I figured its best to let them stay on top of this in case a new platform comes out of nowhere. This site is for entertainment purposes. Neither CDBaby nor Distrokid collect performance royalties for you. DistroKid is a music distribution company that allows artists to get their music on online stores and streaming services while Songtrust is a publishing administration company that helps artists collect publishing, mechanical, and live performance royalties. This means that, while they are great for independent artists, if youre new and have low streaming and listener numbers its worth waiting before you invest in global royalty collection. The bad news is that other exclusive sync agencies might care you work with CD Baby and make you opt out of that service. In this Flocksy review Ill let you know what I liked, Read More Flocksy Review My ExperienceContinue, Im confident you can learn to sing. My recommendation for a music distributor would be DistroKid because they offer unlimited song uploads for a small annual fee without taking a percentage of any of your earnings away. If the above sounds like you, Ive put together a free course called The 6 Secrets To Spotify Success that you can check out to learn how to bump your numbers up all around the globe. Play Your Part continues with maintaining your works data and spreading the word with your peers. This means that you will still be paid a share of your performance royalties by your PRO but Songtrust also collects the music publisher share (for live perfomances and sync opportunities) from PROs and they collect mechanical royalties from streaming, online sources, radio, and physical reproductions. PRS and MCPS on the other hand charge a one-time payment of 100 so you should only really consider signing up to these services if you know youre going to get a lot of listeners engaging with your music and earning you royalties. Unlike some of its competitors, DistroKid does not review the releases you put out. This information is going to be a bit much if this is the first time you are diving into this. (Quick Answer). However, after all this, Im not just going to just leave you hanging like that. Mechanical royalties are paid out any time a physical or digital copy of one of your songs is made. Youll get it. Collects the master recording royalties and payments for you (ie: Collects the music publishing royalties for you (ie: performance royalties and mechanical royalties), Signs up you for and allows you to easily submit your music to performance rights organizations around the world, DistroKid does not collect and payout performance royalties for the public broadcasting of your music, DistroKid does not collect and payout mechanical royalties for digital streams and sales that your music makes, Your music is being played all around the world, Your music is being played thousands of times per month, You do not want to sign up and deal with PROs all around the world, You do not want to (or cant) sign a traditional publishing deal or create your own publishing company, Youd prefer a simple way to collect all your music publishing royalties and feel confident you arent leaving any money on the table, Your music is not currently getting very many plays per month, Your music is only being played in 1 or 2 countries. Bestfriendsclub.ca is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'bestfriendsclub_ca-banner-2','ezslot_4',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bestfriendsclub_ca-banner-2-0');report this ad. I will help you decide by giving you three scenarios. You can always change these things, but the initial input automatically sets you up in online communities with similar musicians. Sounds pretty good, but the only thing is that if you voluntarily decide that you want to leave Distrokid and stop paying the yearly fee they will still take your music down. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'bestfriendsclub_ca-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_8',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bestfriendsclub_ca-large-leaderboard-2-0');With that said, if your musical project is not (yet) getting much attention or streams, it may not yet make sense to sign up for Songtrust because, although they only take a small 15% percentage of any royalties they collect, there is a $100 setup fee. When finishing up a release, you can add on additional charges for services like Leave a Legacy, which will make sure your music stays online forever, even if you stop paying your subscription fee. ASCAP: An invaluable resource for every independent musician An example of this is: if your record label produces a CD or vinyl with your song on it, they have to pay mechanical royalties for each copy they make. However, Distrokid takes 20% of the YouTube royalties they find and collect. Once you upload your music to Spotify (and other streaming services and online stores) using DistroKid and your music gets streamed, that play generates these royalties: The master recording royalty is for audio file, where the publishing royalty is for the intellectual property (ie: the copyright) of the composition (ie: the songwriting, melody, chords, lyrics, etc). For example, if you plan to release a single each month it would likely be cheaper to go with Distrokid. Royalty Payments through SoundExchange vs Distributor Voting for playlists with the Playlist Spotlight feature can help artists get on DistroKid's Spotify playlists, and other artists can vote for your songs too. How Much Do Streaming Services Pay Per Stream? This way you wont lose any royalties! They each offer perks to music creators, and the decision on which perks are better is up to you as an artist. For the Pro fee + a 15% commission, CDbaby will take care of collecting your mechanical royalties for you and pay you just like they pay you the digital sales and streams. This is a lot like a dating app, except it matches artists to record labels. Yes, they USED DO issue licenses and collect mechanical royalties from the DSPs. Distrokid charges $7.95 a year (per album) for store maximizer. The streaming model of listening to music is categorised as a sort of public performance as the music is not owned by the listener and is similar to a radio play in that respect. *note if you dont have session musicians, that 5% just goes to the featured performer as well. Sync royalties are what you are paid if your song is used (synced) in a commercial, show, movie, video game etc. The platforms your music are posted on will generate royalties for you. The term mechanical royalties can be slightly confusing in todays world, but it comes from a time whenthe industry had to take a composition and mechanically reproduce it onto piano rollsor vinyl records. You'll also get free access to some of our best training including our Spotify Playlist Gameplan and the Music Royalty Collection eBook simply for becoming a member. Mechanical royalties are paid for the right to reproduce a composition through the process of recording, manufacturing, and distributing the work. Performance AND mechanical royalties. (I dont know how actively CD Baby pitches your music or how common placements are.). DistroKid distributes your music to all of the major streaming services and digital stores, including Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and many more. Joe is an Indie artist/producer based in Brighton. Non-interactive streaming royalties are paid out by any digital streaming service where the listener doesnt get to choose (interact) with the song. Your understanding should all come together at the end, but even if you only grasp half, youll understand more than most artists and be able to truly make an informed decision not only on CD Baby vs Distrokid, but on a lot of other business decisions that have to do with your music career. DistroKid recommend that you use the global publishing administration Songtrust. If youre hoping to make millions by just getting your music played on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, or Google Play, weve got some bad news: you wont, even if you've properly submitted your songs to a music distributor like DistroKid. This makes sense: in order to keep your music available in stores and on streaming platforms, you have to continue to pay an annual fee. Bestfriendsclub.ca also participates in affiliate programs with Bluehost, DistroKid, Loopmasters and other sites. Again, CD Baby is $9.95 per single and $29 per album - and that's before they try to upsell you. What Music Distributors Collect Publishing Royalties For Me? You'll need a music publisher or to work with a publishing administrator to get your mechanical royalties outside of DistroKid. Music on the home page of Slaps and the home page of each group is organized by what is currently popular on the website, and what is new in that category. Here youll select how many tracks you plan to release, and the distribution partners you want to send your release to. One of those avenues is through a non-profit, public performance rights organization like BMIor ASCAP. CD Babys music distribution model charges per release $9.95/single and $29/album and this is increased $29.95/single and $69/album when publishing services are included. You have made it to the end of a behometh of an article. If youre in the US, 100% of US mechanical royalties from streams goes to the newly formedMLC (Mechanical Licencing Collective). Well get more into admin publishing later, but it basically means that CD Baby will go out and collect your royalties from more services than Distrokid. To better understand which music distributor is right for you and how to maximize your music career, you first need a basic understanding of the different types of music royalties you can earn and how they can be collected. Historically, BMI is more centered around broadcast plays, such as plays on radio stations, while ASCAP, when it first started out, was better for sheet music publishers. Its up to you and where you are in your music career to decide where to distribute/publish your music. The differences my be that your label worries about all this for you or you may not be entitled to certain royalties if you only play cover songs etc. CDbaby vs Distrokid, it doesnt matter, if you want to collect these royalties you have to sign up for sound exchange either way. Record labels, artists and producers generally own The Master. My name is Matt and I release music under the name Best Friends Club. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, it just means youre on your own in pursing sync opportunities. Match with the search results: Distrokid and other similar services are only for distribution and collect mechanical royalties for digital streams and sales. These companies/agents pitch your music to music supervisors and other sync opportunities on your behalf. When you opt into this service, DistroKid manages your cover by obtaining a license for it and paying the original songwriter their royalties. So, when you only take advantage of one piece of the pie, you're essentially leaving other revenue sources on the table. The MLC is Sitting On $423 Million, How Songwriters Can Claim It For this reason, we recommend the Musician Plus subscription. Flocksy offers unlimited graphic design, copywriting, video editing, voice overs and other creative services for a fixed monthly subscription. That means if anyone uses any of your songs as background music in their video you will get a portion of the ad revenue on that video. Here are CDbabys prices: CD Babys pricing is a little more straight forward in terms of fees you directly pay. Its the one thing I very much dislike about Distrokid. This can be a plus or a minus depending on how often you release music. This means you receive royalties on all songs youve written even if youre not the one performing it. You never pay another fee. As of May 2021, you will be able to select whether or not you want your Leave a Legacy releases to remain online when you cancel your account. This means you can avoid long wait times, but it also means DistroKid wont help you preemptively avoid legal issues with your releases. Often times musicians hire sync licensing companies. The royalties are collected by DistroKid and are redistributed to yourself. If a listener chooses to listen to your song then both mechanical royalties and performance royalties are being earned however if your song is being streamed on a non-interactive platform (notably Pandora) then youre only eligible to collect performance royalties. Once your music is out in stores and available on streaming services, youll receive reproduction royalties through DistroKid. But I dont recommend that unless youre a hobbyist who only wants your music on services to show your friends and thats it. Oh, and dont forget that when you hire a publisher or publishing administrator, it adds even more bucks to your bill. Luckily, there is an easy, though pricey solution called Leave a Legacy. Editors note: This review was updated on July 12, 2021, to address an FAQ about artist accounts. A master refers to an actual audio recording of a song. You need a way to collect these royalties. Songwriters Just Got A Raise! Reproduction royalties are generated every time a master is used. Whether that same situation applies to you or not, the information is basically the same. That could be 1000s of dollars if a song blows up. Furthermore, if you do decide to learn to sing it will not only improve your voice, but also your approach to a lot of areas in life. The MLC will only collect mechanical royalties for digital U.S. streams and downloads for the DSPs that have signed a blanket license with the MLC. Required fields are marked *. Slaps.com is a daughter website of DistroKid that artists can use to discover music and support each other. . Performance rights organizations (PRO) collect performance rights royalties on behalf of publishers and songwriters. Both companies get you paid, but for different aspects of music consumption, while only DistroKid can upload music. If you dont care about any of these add-ons and just want to maximize your exposure and frequently release music for a low price, DistroKid will be your best friend. However, DistroKid is working on a publishing admin system for artists that may be available at a future date. Songtrust charge a $100 upfront fee and then charge a 15% administrative fee on all royalties. The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) - CD Baby Help Center I almost went with them, but in the end I went with Distrokid and Songtrust. DistroKid shares 100% of royalties with their artists and with DistroKid you keep all of your reproduction royalties. Ditto also offer global publishing administration like TuneCore and CD Baby, and like the other distributors you can only claim publishing royalties for works released through Ditto. Wheel of Playlist is a tool where artists can select which of their songs they want to see featured on DistroKids Spotify playlist. Does the MLC take the place of using CD Baby Pro Publishing? Unfortunately, they dont (yet). DistroKid and other similar services are only for distribution and collect mechanical royalties for digital streams and sales. Its the one time fee + commissions that cover a lot of what well go over below. Distrokid can also collect your streaming royalties from YouTube and SoundCloud too. For each single or album you release, you pay a one-time fee that keeps the music available in perpetuity. The MLC is now the only organization in the US (designated by law) to collect and distribute mechanical royalties. But in all honesty,these are the exact tools that I personally use, love, and recommend to anyone including my own friends and family. Does DistroKid Register with BMI or ASCAP? Do I Have to as an Artist? So theres no real need to compare there. However, the caveat with this is that if you cancel your membership, or switch banks and forget to let DistroKid know, all your music will be removed. So, youre not truly locked in you just have to go through the hassle and cost of switching. Mechanical royalties are also paid on streaming services. Without a publisher administrator, your performance and mechanical royalties will remain uncollected. ASCAP VS BMI - Distrokid Is Not Enough - Indie Music Academy LUCKILY, you dont have to miss out on mechanical royalties if you go with Distrokid. Music Publishing Tips | Publishing vs Music Distribution - Songtrust if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'bestfriendsclub_ca-medrectangle-3','ezslot_7',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bestfriendsclub_ca-medrectangle-3-0');To better understand the difference between the kind of money that each of these services collect, it is important to understand music publishing and what money is owed to you once your music is streamed. This means that streaming services pay performance royalties through performance rights organizations who then distribute them to songwriters and publishers. You get a member number and you use that to register any songs that you write or co-write. Earnings Reports (16 articles) How and When Do I Get Paid? and here is a $10 off link for Songtrust. You can also send a direct message to the artists behind each of the presented songs and let them know you liked their song. DistroKid does not collect and payout mechanical royalties for digital streams and sales that your music makes. Your email address will not be published. We dont think so. If youre a songwriter you should definitely sign up for a PRO. With BMI Affiliates, you'll get discounts with FedEx and Berklee online courses. You can register (and check on your songs) at themlc.com. In the example of a Spotify stream, Spotify pays the master recording royalty portion to DistroKid, who then pays you those royalties for your ownership of the recording. Technically CDBaby will help you register with a PRO. When each quarter ends, BMI and ASCAP divide the money from those blanket licenses and payout artists based on the percentage of usage they got in the entire music industry. It doesnt matter which tier you choose on either platform. An example of this is: if your record label produces a CD or vinyl with your song on it, they have to pay mechanical royalties for each copy they make. So each stream on a service like Apple Music is a repetition of the master and DistroKid collects the money earned. Ill have to zoom out a bit before we dive into a direct comparison of Cd Baby vs Distrokid, but stay with me and I promise you it will be worth it. . The purpose of a PRO is to ensure that any public performance of an artists song is rightfully paid for, and this includes more than just live performances. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Some distributors offer this service as part of their yearly subscription. To learn more about this, check out my article: Is DistroKid A Publisher? The higher percentages could earn you multiple thousands in extra revenue if your music takes off. Songtrust is a publishing administration company that helps artists collect publishing, mechanical, and live performance royalties. +The MLC Is Sitting on $423 Million. Related to sound recordings AND underlying compositions. If you want to stop paying the yearly fee, you can always transfer and host your songs to another distributor in the future. These are generated from every single sale outside of the United States. They charge a 1 time setup fee of $100 and then they collect all of your mechanical royalties for all of the songs and projects you register. So if someone plays a Paul McCartney song at a live venue the PRO pays Paul McCartney and whatever publishing company he is/was signed too. They dont care if you work with other sync agents. CDBaby charges a one time pay per upload fee for each single or album and takes a 9% commission on digital sales. Lets dive in to the world of music royalties. With this service Distrokid will add your songs to YouTubes Content ID library and then scan for matches. PROs collect performance royalties. Thanks for the support. Does Distrokid Collect Your Performance Royalties? However, you can pair Distrokid with SongTrust to get the same results. Ive simplified as best I can, but the music industry is notoriously confusing. However, that isnt right for every musicians situation. Pick the one that fits you best. We can help you collect all the publishing royalties you're owed worldwide including mechanicals from interactive streams on Pandora. DistroKid vs. TuneCore We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. I have been working on my singing voice for over 2 years, but I have recently becomeobsessed with the idea of deepening my everyday speaking voice.