royalties

The world is filled with artists, bands and songwriters. All are compelled to make music. Why? Because it’s in their soul. They have no choice. It’s a creative outlet, they feel it, breathe and hear in their head.

I have been creating music since I was a kid, and I will never stop. We musicians have to do it regardless of free streaming or whether we make money from it. But we should be paid for our creativity and there are ways even in today’s music market that a creator of music can make a living from it.

“How?”, you ask? The first thing a creator of music has to do is realize that it is a business. Your business of creating music. Like any other business, your business needs capitol to operate. You need a sound business plan and a good product. In this case the good product is good music.

Okay, so you have recorded the tracks at home and think they are good enough for the world to hear. This is generally not correct unless you are one hell of a studio engineer. When you’re done recording take your session files to a great studio. That’s right great – not good. Have them remix and re-master for you. Radio compresses files so if your tracks are thin and goes to radio they will sound thin. The ole’ saying is “If you are going to do something do it right…”.

Now you have a great product. That’s the start of being in business. So now you think you can go to CD Baby and the world will hear you and want your product. Wrong again. You think that people will see your release and want to hear it. There are literally not millions or billions but TRILLIONS of songs on Spotify and other streaming services. How are they going to find you?

So now you think “Ah Ha!”, social media and I will get fans. You will find a lot of other fellow musicians but rarely fans that will buy your music.

The answers are simple. Radio is still the best way to get and artist heard and gain fans. Yes there are a lot of radio promotion companies out there. Some good and some not so good. You want mass airplay around the world. After all, we are all connected globally now.

Don’t promote your music locally or just in your country. Promote it globally. Find a good publisher who knows what they are doing. They will track down your airplay royalties worldwide. Yes, airplay royalties. Radio actually pays you to play your song. The BBC network 1 thru 6 is the largest radio network in the world. If you get picked up on the main BBC networks they pay in the hundreds of dollars for each spin. A hit song can generate thousands in airplay royalties.

That’s one way to make money off your music. Then after radio is playing your music contact them. Tell them you are coming to their town and want to perform. Ask them what some of their advertising venues. They will be happy to tell you and in most cases be happy to do a 3 way call with the venues. Radio will tell the venue you are playing on their station. If they are playing you in Warsaw Poland then you are a star in Warsaw. Use that status. Radio wants the venue’s advertising dollars. You want a good paying gig. You go to the well-advertised gig, get paid and sell out all your merchandise. Radio got paid so they are now your friend and will play anything you send them. The venue had a full house and want you back. It’s a win-win for all.

Make Money from your music. Radio promotion, airplay royalties, paid performances, merchandise sales.

Stephen Wrench, President, Musik and Film Records, recently answered the prevailing question, ‘How does a DIY artist get paid for songwriting and airplay royalties?

I deal with a lot of artists who have spin reports and reports of airplay. I am often asked, “Where are my airplay royalties?” The song was named “My Friend”. Now, there are probably 50,000 songs worldwide named “My Friend”; how is ANY collection society going to collect royalties on this?!? I then ask them if they sent in a properly coded MP3 with their registration. In most cases, they didn’t seem to understand what I meant by asking this.

There are 3 major songwriter collection associations in the U.S.; as well as a few other companies advertised on other sites. They all tout, “we collect world royalties”. One would think it would be easy to track airplay with ISRC numbers, bar codes, and digital tracking.

If you want to get paid for airplay royalties, then you need to code it properly. Here’s how if you’re in QuickTime: right click on the mp3, then click Properties, and click on Details. From here you type in the correct registered title, album artist, album, year, and genre. When you get to publisher and composer, type in the registered writers names / publishers names and affiliation. Then, and only then, will they be able to track the release and collect your royalties.

I have numerous artists, including myself, who belong to US songwriters associations. Many of us have complained that we are not getting paid airplay royalties from the US societies that “claim” to collect airplay royalties worldwide. Proper coding may be one of the issues, here’s another possibility.

About 3 years ago I charted a top 40 hit in the UK and Europe. I waited and waited and waited for my airplay royalties. I eventually contacted my songwriter’s collection society, which I have been a member of for decades, and I was asked for the airplay information. So I provided them with spin and airplay reports; not once, not twice, but several times. Still anxiously awaiting my royalty check, I worked my way up the corporate ladder for answers as to why I was not getting paid.

I was finally verbally informed, by my collection society, that they only monitor 5% of Billboard reporting stations. I was also informed that they only monitor major releases, worldwide. I pressed on for more answers, “You mean I have provided you with spin and airplay reports and you will not collect my royalties”? I was told they would not actively seek to collect my royalties; but if they were to receive a check, it would be forwarded to me.

What kind of songwriter’s representation does the US have? How is it possible, in this digital age, to ONLY monitor a 5% sampling of Billboard reporting stations and NOTHING overseas? Extremely perplexed, I sought answers about world publishing collection societies and what societies ACTUALLY collected royalties for the average songwriter.

What I found, was that songwriters can collect their airplay royalties even if minuscule, but not with the US societies. With a US society, you will only get your royalties if you are with a major label and spun on billboard reporting stations. I recommend joining PRS, in the UK, they are serious about a writers royalties and not in bed with major labels.

Contact promotions@musikandfilm.com for more information.

By: Stephen Wrench

Musik and Film Records, President

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Make Music and Money Too?!?!

Wanna get paid your Songwriting and Airplay Royalties?