Master Royalties vs. Publishing Royalties

When an artist creates and releases music, revenue is generated from different sources. Two of the most common income streams for an artist are master royalties and publishing royalties - but what exactly do they mean?

Master Royalties

Master royalties come from the actual sound recording of a song.

These royalties are paid to the owner of the master recording, which is usually the record label or the artist if they own their masters. Whenever a song is streamed, sold, or licensed (e.g., in movies, commercials, or TV shows), the master rights holder receives a cut.

Platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube typically generate these royalties based on when music is streamed and played.

Publishing Royalties

Publishing royalties, on the other hand, relate to the composition: the underlying melody and lyrics of a song.

These royalties are paid to songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Every time a song is played on the radio, covered by another artist, performed live, or synced to media, publishing royalties are collected. Organizations like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC handle these payments.

Why Signing Up with a PRO Alone Isn’t Enough

Many artists assume that simply registering with a PRO (like BMI, PRS, or ASCAP) guarantees they’ll collect all their publishing royalties—but that’s only half the story. Publishing royalties are split into two equal shares:

• Songwriter’s Share – Paid directly to the writers/composers via your PRO.

• Publisher’s Share – Paid to a publisher, who then distributes it (minus commission) to you.

Because the publisher’s share can only be collected through a music publisher, artists who don’t have a publishing deal leave up to 50% of their earnings on the table, or they must sign away their rights.

Downsides of Traditional Publishing Deals

1. Long-Term Contracts – You may give away rights for many years, sometimes decades, limiting your control over future uses of your songs.

2. Loss of Sync Control – You often can’t approve or reject sync opportunities (TV, film, ads) without the publisher’s say-so... and you lose out on negotiating fees yourself.

3. High Commission Rates – Traditional publishers typically take 50% (or more) of your publisher’s share, significantly cutting into your income.

How to Collect Publishing Royalties

Monetunes helps artists efficiently collect a wide range of royalties generated from their publishing rights by managing and registering their music with over 200 CMOs and PROs worldwide. This ensures artists earn royalties from multiple sources, including:

• Streaming royalties: Earned from music played on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and others.

• Performance royalties: Generated when your music is played live at concerts, festivals, clubs, or even at public places.

• Sync royalties: Paid when your music is used in films, TV shows, commercials, and video games.

• Mechanical royalties: Generated when your music is reproduced on physical or digital formats like CDs, vinyl, or downloads.

• Broadcast royalties: Earned when your music is played on the radio, TV, or online broadcasts.

Master Royalties vs. Publishing Royalties: why does this matter?

Understanding master royalties vs publishing royalties is essential for any independent artist. It gives you the knowledge to protect your work, capitalize on opportunities, and build a long-lasting, profitable career.

Monetunes manages the entire process, consolidating payments and offering transparent quarterly reports, so artists do what they love while we collect what they deserve.

Sign up with Monetunes today and maximize your earnings every time your music is played.

Get started for free: https://app.monetunes.com/signup