The Essential Guide to Music Rights & Royalties

Understanding music rights and royalties is one of the most critical skills any artist, songwriter, or producer needs to master. Without this knowledge, you may be leaving significant money on the table or, worse, unknowingly giving away rights that should generate income for years to come.

The Two Main Types of Music Copyright

Every recorded song contains two separate copyrights: the composition copyright and the sound recording copyright. The composition covers the melody and lyrics, while the sound recording covers the actual recorded performance. Both generate separate streams of royalties.

The Four Main Types of Music Royalties

1. Mechanical Royalties — Paid when your music is reproduced (streamed or downloaded). Digital mechanical royalties are collected by services like Spotify and Apple Music. 2. Performance Royalties — Generated every time your music is publicly performed or broadcast. Collected by PROs (Performing Rights Organizations) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. 3. Synchronization (Sync) Royalties — Earned when your music is licensed for use in TV, film, video games, or advertisements. 4. Print Royalties — Generated from the sale of sheet music or digital notation licenses.

How Nagmix Protects Your Rights

At Nagmix, we handle rights registration, royalty collection, and publishing administration on your behalf. Our global network ensures you receive every dollar you're entitled to, across all platforms and territories worldwide.