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It's a rough time for musicians and songwriters. While live music is shut down, you can at least make sure you're collecting all the money we're owed from various kinds of uses. In this thread, we're gonna show you some sources of FREE MONEY that you already earned.
Recording artists & independent labels, are you signed up with @SoundExchange? They collect digital performance royalties for sound recordings, from services like Pandora, Sirius XM, and webcasts! https://www.soundexchange.com/artist-copyright-owner/does-soundexchange-have-royalties-for-you/
Note that if you're an artist who owns at least some of your own masters, you're entitled to the "sound recording copyright owner share" as well as the artist share. If you're only registered with Soundexchange as an artist, you're only getting half of the money you've earned!
Another source of $ is the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund, which collects from a variety of sources, including for backing vocalists & studio musicians. See if you're on this list, and look for friends names too! https://www.afmsagaftrafund.org/unclaimed-royalties.php
Self-administered songwriters and independent publishers need to sign up for the new MLC, which was set up to collect mechanical royalties from digital services and is now up and running. https://www.themlc.com/how-it-works If you don't sign up, you're missing out on those mechanicals!
To make sure you get all you've earned, you can ensure that @MLC_US has the best data about all your compositions. Every self-published self-released musician who performs/records their own works on Spotify etc needs to do this too! https://www.themlc.com/play-your-part
Many DIY musicians who write & perform their own music don't register with Performing Rights Organizations. That's a big mistake--it's leaving money on the table. @ASCAP and @bmi are both open to any writer. Without joining a PRO, you're missing out on part of your royalties!
Once live music returns, remember that @ASCAP and @BMI both allow you to upload setlists after you perform live, so you get your share of the fees paid to PROs by the venues you play. If you don't report your setlists, you're again leaving money on the table.
Yes, it's a lot of acronyms and organizations to keep track of. Yes, it's boring admin work, a form of invisible labor that musicians and songwriters must perform to able to participate in the digital music market. But fundamentally, it's money that belongs to you. Go get it!
Oh, one more. https://unclaimed.org/search/ This one isn't specific to musicians, but because musicians move around a lot they may be extra likely to have money held by state unclaimed property offices.
