Make Sure Every Stream Pays You: Collect All Your Royalties
- Legendary Mix
- Oct 2
- 3 min read
The Dream Scenario Every Artist Wants
Picture this: you upload a track through your distributor, and a few weeks later it catches fire. The streams start pouring in, your notifications blow up, and suddenly people are calling you the next big thing.
That’s the dream, right? But here’s the nightmare part: if your song blows up and you never registered it with the right organizations, you could be leaving more than half of your royalties on the table. And worse - after a few years, that unclaimed money won’t just disappear. It’ll get redistributed to the very major labels and superstar artists you’re trying to compete with.
Let’s break down exactly what happens when you don’t register your music - and how you can make sure every penny your song earns goes where it belongs: into your pocket.
What You Do Get Paid for With Just a Distributor
First, the good news: if you release your music through a distributor like DistroKid, TuneCore, or UnitedMasters, you’ll always get your basic streaming royalties. These are the payments for streams on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and YouTube.
But here’s the problem: streaming royalties are only one slice of the pie. If that’s all you’re collecting, you’re missing out on some of the biggest revenue streams available to independent artists.
The Royalties You’re Missing Without Registration
When you don’t register your song with the proper organizations, you’re leaving behind three major income streams:
Performance Royalties
Collected by: ASCAP or BMI
Earned when: Your song is streamed, played on the radio, performed live, or played in public spaces (like cafes or stores).
Mechanical Royalties
Collected by: SongTrust or a music publisher
Earned when: Your music is streamed or downloaded - every stream triggers a mechanical royalty in addition to performance royalties.
Digital Performance Royalties
Collected by: SoundExchange
Earned when: Your music plays on digital radio platforms like Pandora, SiriusXM, or internet radio.
These royalties don’t flow through your distributor. If you’re not signed up to collect them, they sit unclaimed.
The Black Box Problem (Where Your Money Goes)
Uncollected royalties don’t wait forever. They go into what the industry calls the “black box.”
If your royalties sit unclaimed for 2–3 years, they don’t come back to you.
Instead, they get redistributed to major labels and top-charting artists based on market share.
Translation: your hit song might actually be putting money into the pockets of Drake, Taylor Swift, or Universal Music Group - instead of you.
As an independent artist, that’s the last thing you want.
How to Protect Your Royalties and Get Paid
Here’s what every serious artist needs to do:
Join ASCAP or BMI → Collect performance royalties.
Register with SongTrust (or a publisher) → Collect mechanical royalties worldwide.
Sign up with SoundExchange → Collect digital performance royalties.
Use a distributor like DistroKid → Collect your basic streaming revenue.
When you combine all four, you’re covering every corner of your income potential. That means every time someone streams, downloads, performs, or broadcasts your song, you get paid.
Why Indie Artists Can’t Afford to Skip This Step
As an independent artist, every dollar matters. Skipping registration doesn’t just mean you’re missing “bonus money.” It means you’re missing the majority of the royalties your song is generating.
Think about it: one viral hit on TikTok or Spotify could rack up millions of streams worldwide. If you’re only collecting distributor royalties, you might see a nice check - but you’ll never know how much bigger it could have been.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Your Song Pay Someone Else
The music industry is complicated, but one thing is simple: if you don’t claim your royalties, someone else will. Your distributor gets you started, but organizations like ASCAP, BMI, SongTrust, and SoundExchange make sure you’re actually cashing in on everything your music earns.
If your goal is to turn streams into a career, registering your music isn’t optional - it’s essential.
👉 Don’t let your royalties disappear into the black box. Protect your art, protect your income, and set yourself up to win long-term.
Want more tips on getting the most out of your music?
Check out the LegendaryMix Blog
for guides on mixing, mastering, and building your career the smart way.
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