What is a Performing Rights Society?

A Performing Rights Society (PRO) has your back collecting royalties from use of your copyright works in public. PROs monitor and distribute public performance royalties to registered composers and publishers. 

Why do I need a membership?

By writing a song that has been made public (Internet, radio, TV, live performances) you have become a composer. Creating a composer membership with a PRO allows your royalties to be accurately tracked and distributed. If you're in a band, each member given composer credit needs a membership. (Is your band a brand yet? Think about self-publishing your music.)

What is a music publisher?

A publishing company negotiates rates on composer's behalf and distributes royalties from compositional licenses. A publisher makes sure each time your song is used in any way, proper credit is given and royalties collected. Artists can self-publish or work with publishing companies.

What are digital royalties?

Royalties come from lots of places; PROs only track part of it. For music that is distributed online, SoundExchange is the leading digital royalty collector. Like the PROs, a membership is all that's needed to track and receive your payment. Each time your track is streamed online, 50% of that revenue goes to the owner of the sound recording copyright. (Is that you? On Record can help.)

What is a Copyright?

Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works.

What is a Sound Recording Copyright?

An SR Copyright is the legal registration of published or unpublished sound recordings. (DIfferent than the composition, which is done with PROs.)