The world of music royalties is quite complex, but understanding how to generate revenues for the use of copyrighted music is essential to stay afloat and grow in this business. Nowadays, you can find different types of royalties, each associated with a type of copyright.

Just looking at the lyrics of a song, research has shown that: 

• 75% of listeners have high demand for viewing lyrics to confirm what the artist sings, more deeply understand the lyrics, and sing the song
• 50% of listeners view lyrics to figure out the structure, such as verse and chorus
• People like to view lyrics after returning home at night and before going to sleep rather than during the daytime.
• 37.8% of the user’s that have viewed lyrics will view the same lyrics repeatedly over time

If your focus is exclusively on growing the number of streams and cashing in on royalties generated by streams, then you're missing opportunities to increase other royalties, such as the royalties related to song lyrics (= residual income by simply publishing lyrics once in the right places).

In order to understand where royalties are generated and how the money flows, we need to take a closer look at music copyrights.

This article is a simplified explanation of the different types of copyrights in music, the royalties they generate, and how to collect them. (Alternatively, skip all of the backgrounds and go straight to the solution described at the bottom of this page).

Start with this video

What This Article Will Not Do

I want to take a moment to be clear. Following the steps will not increase the amount of usage your music will receive. You only earn royalties from your fans actually enjoying your music. If you need to grow your fanbase in order to increase your income, then place that higher on your to-do list and place these royalty activities second. The information in this article helps you to open the pathways for money to stream into your bank account—but you still need to turn on the cash flow (streams and sales) with your music first. The key to a music income is growing your fanbase slowly and steadily, and with the steps below, you will also grow your income as you grow your fanbase. 

Music rights and royalties: The basics

Music royalties are the payments made to rights holders, including songwriters, recording artists, and intermediaries like labels, publishers, or producers for the licensed use of their work. Royalties are generated depending on the type of usage and licensing. Before looking at the different types of music royalties, it’s key to understand how music rights work.

Music copyrights

There are actually two sets of music copyrights for each song and both are important if you want complete control of your music and your music royalties. 

For every song recording, there are two different sets of music copyrights associated:

1. Sound Recording (aka the "master recording" or "recording"): The rights related to the reproduction and distribution of the sound recording. They belong to the recording artist, the record label, and/or the recording studio (if the artist is unable to pay for recording services), or any other party that financed the recording.
   The reason that Master Rights exist as its own copyright is that if you record your own version of Michael Jackson's Thriller, recorded in the style of Ska-Punk, you are creating a different audio recording with different musicians, at a different studio, recorded at a different time, with different money, etc. Therefore, the master itself is a different piece of intellectual property, even though the melody and the lyrics of the song itself remain the same. It's the lyrics and the melody that take us to the next type of copyright: composition (songwriting copyright).
   
   If you are located in the USA and/or produce your music under US copyright laws, and if you are the rights holder for the sound recording of your music, then you may want to register that work with the US Copyright Office. Other countries have different copyright laws and different requirements to prove that a copyright exists.
   
   
2. Composition (aka "publishing" or "songwriting copyright"): The rights based on the lyrics, harmonies, and melodies of a song. They belong to the songwriter and/or the publisher.
   
   Imagine that you are recording your version of Michael Jackson's Thriller. In order to have permission to use the music and lyrics in the first place, you need to obtain permission to use the song itself, also known as the composition copyright. Even if your intent is to recreate the recording in a completely different style, there is still intellectual property contained within the lyrics and the melody of the song that is separate from the intellectual property contained in the sound recording. That “permission” you need to make a new recording of a song is called a “license.” Thankfully, there is something called a “compulsory license” that grants you permission under US Law for some usages. For example, a cover song DOES fall under this compulsory license, so all you need to do is pay the license fee and you’re automatically accepted.
   
   If your cover song is a replication reproduction of the original music composition (same melody, lyrics, and structure) and you are only releasing it on streaming platforms (not available for download or purchase anywhere, i.e. iTunes and Amazon) then the streaming services will handle any publishing royalty payments to the respective parties, as long as you list them in the metadata of your release. This is the most straightforward way to release a cover song (if slightly boring because it doesn’t leave you much room to play around with your own arrangement).
   
   For other usages, such as in a film or commercial, you need to get real permission. In order to get permission to use a copyrighted musical composition, you need to contact the copyright holder and obtain publishing rights. Publishing rights belong to the owner of the actual musical composition. The publishing side of music refers to the notes, melodies, chords, rhythms, lyrics, and any other piece of original music. If you wanted to use a composition AND a recording that you didn’t write or create, you’d need TWO licenses. One for the song, and one for the recording. This is the classic example of both types of copyright being required for the usage of a popular song (and the recording that popularized it). So when copywriting a piece of your own music, or requesting permission to use a piece of music owned by someone else, you need to keep in mind both types of copyright, Sound Recording, and Composistion.
   
   If you are the Publishing Rightsholder, meaning you are the owner of the songwriting copyright, or you have obtained control over the piece of music, you may want to register that work with your Performing Rights Organization (PRO).
   
   

Depending on the usage of these two music rights and the country, they can generate different types of royalties.

Type of music royalties

Every song has two basic types of copyrights attached to it… one for the composition of the song, and one for the recording of the song. The composition copyright pays the songwriter and publisher, while the sound recording copyright pays the artist that recorded the song and record label. There are various ways in which the rights that are granted by one of the copyrights will generate royalties.

The Sound Recording (Master) Royalties

The rights for the use of the Sound Recording copyright are called “Recording Rights.” Recording royalties are due whenever music is sold or streamed, performed publicly (with some limitations), or licensed for TV or film. 

Payments are made to recording artists, record labels, and producers whenever the sound recordings of their pieces are streamed, downloaded, or bought physically.

Reproduction

Reproduction royalties (sometimes called “distribution”) are paid when the recording of the song is sold (physically or digitally) or streamed. The royalty is paid for each use.

Unlike the similar mechanical royalties owed to the composition copyright, the reproduction royalty rate for the sound recording is determined through a negotiation between rightsholders (typically record labels) and service providers or retailers.

These rates are not disclosed publicly, but they are notably higher than the compulsory rates set for mechanical royalties. Streaming services, for instance, pay over 3.5 times more for their use of the sound recording than for the composition.

Performance

Performance royalties are generated for the sound recording whenever the recordings are broadcast over digital or satellite radio services. Unlike songwriters, recording artists in the U.S. do not collect performance royalties when their music is broadcast over traditional radio stations (i.e. using terrestrial-based radio transmitters), or in public venues. They only collect performance royalties for digital/Internet radio and satellite radio.

This is because the U.S. considers radio a promotional format that helps sell albums. This isn’t the case in other countries. Outside the U.S., recording artists collect what’s called “neighboring rights.” For more detail on this, read the article “What Are Neighboring Rights?”

There is a legislative effort underway to change U.S. law to force radio stations to pay a performance royalty for the sound recording, but so far it’s had very little movement or support.

Digital Performance Royalties

Digital Performance Royalties are a relatively new addition to royalty law as digital music streaming became more popular. Digital Performance Royalties, also known as Non-Interactive Streaming royalties are the “digital radio royalty” and are generated whenever your song is played on internet radio platforms like Pandora, SiriusXM, Satellite Radio, Cable TV Channels, and all non-interactive platforms.

Non-interactive means that the listener does not have control over what song gets played next on the “station”—this excludes Pandora Premium, Spotify, and other traditional streaming services where you can pick specific songs to play in your queue. So if you can’t control, or skip to the next tune, then you’re probably generating a Digital Performance Royalty. (Note this does not include non-digital radio, known as “Terrestrial Radio” such as your AM/FM stations.)

Digital Performance Royalties are regional to the United States through the collection society SoundExchange. These guys collect and distribute Digital Performance Royalties for all those non-interactive digital broadcasts I mentioned earlier. In the rest of the world, digital performance royalties are just a part of a larger landscape of neighboring rights that deserve their own section. 

So in short, to collect these US-based royalties, check out SoundExchange. And if you’re a non US-based artist you can still register with SoundExchange to benefit from US-based non-interactive digital royalties.

Note that PPL in the UK is affiliated to SoundExchange, so by registering with them you will also be reaping the benefits of this royalty.

Neighboring Rights

Neighboring rights are public performance royalties due to the sound recording copyright holder. Remember, every song has two basic types of copyrights attached to it… one for the composition of the song, and one for the recording of the song. The composition copyright pays the songwriter and publisher, while the sound recording copyright pays the artist that recorded the song and record label.

While “performance rights” refer to the right to publicly broadcast the music composition associated with a given song, the “neighboring right” is the payment due to the owner of the sound recording (typically the recording artist and/or the label) for that same public performance. Payments for neighboring rights are collected by large international collection agencies, just like performance rights are.

“Neighboring rights” for performers essentially “sit next to” the performance right for songwriters in the eyes of the law, hence the rather strange legal term. They’re also sometimes called “related rights” because the right “is related to” the performance right. So any time a song is broadcast on the radio or TV, or played live in a bar or a concert, the recording artist/label is due “neighboring rights.”

It’s important to distinguish between terrestrial broadcast platforms (like radio, TV, and venues) and digital platforms (like Internet and satellite radio) when discussing performance royalties for sound recordings. That’s because not every country recognizes or pays terrestrial neighboring rights. The most notable is the U.S.. In this country, radio broadcasters and public venues need only pay public performance royalties on the composition (which pays songwriters and publishers), but not the performing artist or the label behind the sound copyright. On digital platforms like Pandora or SiriusXM, however, the U.S. does pay performers through an entity called SoundExchange.

Neighboring Rights (royalties) were established in 1961 at the Rome Convention to set minimum standards for neighboring rights of performers, producers, and broadcasters. However, to actually receive neighboring rights, you must be a citizen of one of the signatory countries. 

Canada, The United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Japan, Hungary, Greece, Italy, France, Sweden, Spain, and Poland are just some of the 97 current members. 

The United States is not a member. This means if you are a US Citizen, you will not inherently receive neighboring rights royalties at all, unless you register with a foreign society, such as PPL, as mentioned above. This also means that signatories will not receive neighboring rights from usage in the United States.

If you are a citizen of one of the 97 signatory countries of the Rome Convention, you WILL receive neighboring rights royalties through your local neighboring rights society. You can double check this by googling “Your Country of Residence” and “Neighboring Rights Society for Music Recordings” and you should get a featured snippet letting you know which society is applicable. For example, in the UK, your neighboring rights society is PPL.

Synchronization

Synchronization (or “synch”) royalties are owned when a song has been licensed for a TV show, film, ad, and so on. It is a one-time, upfront payment for the right to use the song, and the price is negotiated between the rightsholder and the company licensing the music.

The synch license generally initiates with the composition copyright, negotiating with the song’s publisher. If a specific recording of a song is also used, then a "master use" license is required from the record company for the sound recording.

Because sync licenses are one-time payments, they do not reoccur with use like performance and reproduction royalties.

Who collects Master (Sound Recording) Royalties?

Sound Recording royalties include those owed for distribution, performance, and sync.

Just as songwriters sign deals with publishers to exploit their copyrights, recording artists often sign deals with record labels. And like publishing deals, recording contracts typically award the recording copyright to the label in return for their funding, distributing, and promoting any resulting albums or singles. The label then pays the artist a percentage of any royalties earned, after repayment of any advance the artist may have received.

There are both major and independent record labels. Major labels are global in reach and own both publishing and distribution arms. They aggregate multiple “imprint” labels that do the work of finding, signing, and promoting artists while utilizing the parent company’s marketing, distribution, and funding capabilities.

The three major record labels are:

• Universal Music Group
• Sony Music
• Warner Music Group

Independent (or “indie) labels are smaller companies that focus on signing artists (often within a specific genre) and partner with other companies to assist with distribution and other services. There are literally hundreds of independent record labels.

Here are the different ways sound recording royalties are collected and paid.

Reproduction

Reproduction (or sometimes “distribution”) royalties are owed when music is sold or streamed. Unlike composition copyrights, these royalties are determined through a negotiation between rightsholders and service providers and retailers.

There are two ways artists can collect these royalties

1. Sign a record label contract, under which the label negotiates and collects licenses on behalf of the artist.
2. Remain unsigned, and rely instead on so-called “DIY” distribution services to place their music with retailers and streaming services to collect royalties.

With the shift from physical distribution to digital, specifically streaming, many digital distribution services have emerged that allow artists to place their music on any music service for a small fee. Examples include:

• CD Baby
• TuneCore
• DistroKid
• Vydia
• AWAL
• … among many others.

Part of the reproduction rights is something that is commonly called "Streaming Royalties"

These so-called streaming royalties are the fees paid out to the Master Rights owner of the song. In other words, if you “own your masters” there’s a royalty out there for you every time your master recording is streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more. 

Think of it as our “copyright owner’s royalty” since the master recording is YOUR intellectual property. So whenever Spotify or Apple Music uses your intellectual property for their profitable business, you deserve to get paid. That means if you are an independent artist that funded and created the studio recording of your song, then you own your own masters and get paid this royalty through your music distributor. 

Note that a small portion of your streaming royalties is also paid out via your PRO, even if you are not the owner of the master recording. 

If you are signed to a record deal, and the label pays for your studio time, marketing budget, and touring budget… you most likely don’t own your own masters. In this case, the label gets paid the streaming royalties as the master rights owner, and the artist gets paid a negotiated percentage of the royalty based on the recording contract. 

Performance

In the U.S., recording artists only collect performance royalties from digital and satellite radio. These digital royalties are collected in two different ways.

One is through SoundExchange, a PRO-like organization charged with issuing blanket licenses to digital music services and collecting the sound recording performance royalty in return. SoundExchange then pays artists directly rather than through their record label.

But some digital music services choose to negotiate performance licenses with record labels directly rather than using the SoundExchange license. In these cases, the music service pays the record label and the record label then pays the artist per their contract.

Synchronization

Synchronization (or “Synch) royalties are paid to recording artists if the song they recorded is licensed for use in a film, TV show, advertisement, and so on. These royalties are collected by either an artist’s record label or, if unsigned, using any of the available online music licensing services.

The Composition (Publishing) Royalties

The composition copyright pays the songwriter and publisher.

Mechanical Royalties

The term “mechanical” stems from the first format that reproduced sheet music… player piano rolls, where the composition was “mechanically reproduced” into a product that could be sold. The term has since stuck and is applied even to non-physical formats like downloads and streams (each stream is considered a “mini-sale” of sorts). 

Mechanical royalties are generated through physical or digital reproduction (e.g. streams) and distribution of your copyrighted songs. This applies to all music formats, old and new, such as vinyl, CD, cassette, digital downloads, and streaming services. 

Record labels, streaming services, etc. pay a mechanical royalty every time they reproduce and sell a CD of the music or stream a song, AND for each time lyrics are displayed. 

Mechanical royalties are not paid out by your distributor. Instead, there are Mechanical Collection Societies (MCS) that pay mechanicals out to the artist directly (if you are independent) or to the record label if you are signed. It turns out that EVERY country has a mechanical collection society that pays these royalties.

In the USA, the standard mechanical rates are set by a panel of federal judges called the Copyright Royalty Board. These judges set royalty rates and re-evaluate them every five years. To establish a non-bias, the CRB hears from all interested parties during the proceedings, which include:

• Songwriters: represented by Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
• Music publishers: represented by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) and the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP)
• Record labels: represented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
• Digital media and streaming companies: represented by the Digital Media Association (DiMA)

Mechanical royalty rates differ based on the format. The mechanical royalty for physical album sales is 9.1 cents per unit sold. The mechanical royalty for a stream is a percentage of revenue earned by the streaming service and increases over time (11.2% of streaming revenue in 2018, to 15.1% of streaming revenue by 2022.)

Thankfully, there’s a service called SongTrust. SongTrust Collects Royalties From 98% of the Music Market and acts as your publishing administrator (not a publishing deal) that monitors your work globally, with direct relationships with 65 collection societies and pay sources covering 215 countries and territories. To learn more about publishing administration services and how they work, click here.

Before registering with services such as SongTrust, double check that your Performing Rights Organization (PRO) doesn’t already have a mechanical royalty collection baked into it. In the US, these are totally separate things, so if you’re registered with a US based PRO (BMI, ASCAP) then you will definitely want to register with SongTrust also. However, most notably, PRS for Music in the UK has a mechanical collection society associated with it. The Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) is a branch of PRS for Music. You have to register with them separately, but it is to your advantage to register with MCPS if you’re planning to become a PRS member.

Performance

Performance royalties are generated through the public use of the copyrighted songs themselves (not the recording). Examples of “usage” are when a song is performed, recorded, played or streamed in public (outside of a private circle of family and friends). Playing a recording of a song is considered a performance!

Note the difference made between a public performance and a performance within a private circle of family and friends. If you’re having a BBQ and you play music through your backyard speakers, you don’t owe a public performance royalty. But if you’re at a BBQ restaurant that is streaming music into the dining area, the restaurant owner does.

Public performance royalties collect from multiple sources. These include:

• Terrestrial radio station (AM/FM)
• TV and film broadcasts
• Bars/clubs/restaurants/shopping malls
• Concert venues (live concerts)
• Music streaming services
• Internet radio
• Anywhere else the music plays in public

Performance rates are negotiated on behalf of songwriters and publishers by Performing Rights Organizations (like ASCAP and BMI) charged with tracking, collecting, and distributing these royalties.

Synchronization

If you’ve ever watched a TV show or commercial, or seen a movie, or streamed a video online, you’ve probably noticed the amount of music they use. Well, the use of this music has a cost, and the payments made for the rights to use music in this way are called a Sync Royalty.

The term “sync” is used because the producers have to pay a license fee to synchronize the songs to their audio or video. This means that any time the marriage of music and visual images occur, a sync license is necessary.

There are no set rates for sync licenses like there are with mechanical and performance royalties. They are fully negotiable with custom rates for each. Factors include the popularity of the song, the production budget, the stature of the artist, and other factors like the timing and prominence of the song in a particular scene.

Sync licenses are one-time payments. So we de-emphasize sync revenue when evaluating a catalog and we suggest others do as well, because there’s no telling if a song that was licensed last year will get licensed again in the following years. It’s different from streaming by fans, which is more predictable and measurable.

(Note, music placed in TV or films also generates a performance royalty when broadcast. This is separate from the original sync license granted to place the music in the movie/show.)

Who collects Composition (Publishing) Royalties?

Composition royalties mainly include Public Performance royalties, Mechanical royalties, and Sync royalties. Here’s how they are collected/distributed:

Songwriters typically sign publishing deals that grant the publisher ownership of the composition copyright in return for the task of exploiting it and collecting the royalties it earns (splitting the proceeds with the songwriter, usually 50/50).

The three major publishers are

• Universal Music Publishing
• Sony/ATV
• Warner/Chappell

There are also hundreds of independent music publishers. Increasingly, many songwriters are also self-published and pay publishing administration services to track and collect their royalties.

How this money flows differs slightly depending on the royalty.

Mechanical Royalties

Mechanical royalties are collected in different ways depending on the format. For physical and digital sales, the mechanical royalty is typically passed on to the publisher through the record label after it collects payment from retailers.

For digital downloads and streaming mechanicals, there’s a new organization called the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), launched in early 2021. Streaming music services pay a blanket license to the MLC, who then finds and pays the songwriters and publishers owed.

The MLC is a non-profit designated by the U.S. Copyright Office that will collect and distribute mechanical royalties under a blanket license for streaming and download services starting Jan. 1, 2020.

Similar to how Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) are charged with collecting and distributing public performance royalties, the MLC has been dubbed an “MRO” (Mechanical Rights Organization), although that’s not its formal designation. 

How it works: https://www.themlc.com/how-it-works / Recording Academy MLC Webinar on Facebook

In addition to administering the blanket license for mechanical royalty payments, the MLC maintains a public database of musical composition ownership information. Songwriters and publishers can update their records in the MLC directly to ensure their information is accurate, and can even confirm such granular details as ownership splits and other information.

If the songwriter has a publishing deal, the publisher will collect the mechanical royalties and pay the songwriter his/her share based on their agreement (typically 50/50).

Performance Royalties

Performance royalties are licensed and collected by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs). Songwriters and publishers register with these organizations to collect performance royalties due them whenever a song is played in public. This includes the playing of a song on radio (AM/FM, streaming, or satellite), in a concert hall or in a restaurant, and on television shows and commercials.

These PROs pay both the publisher and the songwriter for their respective share of the performance royalty that they collect. There are three main PROs in the U.S.:

• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
• BMI (Broadcast Music, Incorporated)
• SESAC is a private, invite-only organization, while BMI and ASCAP are quasi-governmental organizations operating under legal frameworks known as “consent decrees.”

Established by the Department of Justice nearly 80 years ago, the consent decrees state that ASCAP and BMI must offer licenses to everyone on equivalent terms under a blanket license.

Internationally, each country typically has just one PRO.  Examples include:

• PRS For Music (UK)
• GEMA (Germany)
• STIM (Sweden)
• SOCAN (Canada)
• SACEM (France)

If you are not affiliated with a Performing Rights Organization, you are missing out on two valuable music royalties: Songwriter Royalties, and Publishing Royalties. Once you are affiliated with a PRO, register your songs to begin receiving your songwriter and publishing royalties. Here is a video that explains how to do that: How to Register on BMI.

Synchronization

Since synch fees are negotiated between publishers and those who wish to use their music, publishers typically collect the licensing fee and pass along a share to the songwriter.

In some cases, songwriters without publishers may receive synch payments directly from music licensing platforms as well.

Who typically owns a music copyright?

The songwriter is always the initial owner of the song’s copyright, but copyright can be transferred to other parties when the artist is signed to a record or publishing deal. Things can get complicated when there are multiple parties involved, so don't hesitate to get legal advice.

Independent Recording Artist

An independent recording artist who writes their own music and funds their own recordings (whether through paying for studio time or recording DIY at home) will own both Composition ("Songwriting") and Sound Recording (Master) copyrights.

Artist Signed to a Record Deal

A signed artist usually forfeits their Sound Recording copyrights to the record label when signing their record deal. In exchange, the record label will fund the studio time and production cost up-front for the artist. This might sound like a sweet gig, but don’t forget that many record deals are 360 deals where a percentage of the artist’s non-music earnings will also be taken by the record label to recoup the recording costs. In addition, many record deals also include a baked-in publishing deal so the next section will also apply.

Note: In a 360 deal, a recording label not only takes a share of the artist’s music sales, but also percentages of revenue from other ventures, such as concerts, merchandise, television appearances, or publishing. It's this "all in" nature of the contract that has earned the nickname "360 deal." This is all in the goal of recouping what they “spent” on breaking a new artist and launching their career.

Artist Signed to a Publishing Deal

An artist signed to a publishing deal forfeits their songwriting copyright ownership to the publishing company. For signed artists, this means that the Label/Publisher will own and control the musical composition in addition to the master recording when they acquire publishing rights. Non-performing songwriters are often signed to a Publishing Deal in order to write songs for other artists. These professional songwriters get paid a salary (aka a “Writer’s Draw”) from the publishing company to cover bills, rent, etc. One important thing to note is that while songwriters lose their publishing control and royalties to the publisher, they still retain credit as a songwriter and will still receive the songwriting portion of their performance royalties from their Performing Rights Organization.

How to Copyright Music

The way to copyright music differs per country. Let's stick to the USA. In the USA you need to copyright music through the US Copyright Office, and that costs money! Before you go spending a bunch of money at the US Copyright Office, make sure that your song is even eligible for copyright. This is straight from the US Copyright Law:

“You can copyright music, copyright lyrics, or copyright both. You may copyright a new song or a new version or arrangement of an existing song. The song must be your original work, meaning that it must have been created by you and must show some minimal amount of creativity.

You can’t copyright a song title or a chord progression. If you make an audio recording of your song, you may copyright the sound recording in addition to your copyright in the song itself.”

To be clear, you can’t copyright your song ideas, only the songs themselves. To become the copyright owner of a song in the USA (or under US-law), you need to register an account at the US Copyright Office via their online portal: eCO.

There is an excellent guide on Legal Zoom® for copyrighting music that I want to point you to. Check it out here.

Registering your music for copyright does not grant you access to a single penny of your music royalties. In order to get paid, continue reading the rest of this guide.

HOW TO CASH IN ON THESE ROYALTIES?

1. Getting set up with a publishing administrator (like Songtrust) — one that will register and collect on your works with sources all over the world — is an important first step in ensuring you're collecting the royalties your lyrics have earned. Learn more about Songtrust's songwriter offerings by clicking here.
   
   
2. Also, get your lyrics on Genius, Musixmatch, and LyricFind. (CRITICAL)
   • Getting your lyrics on Genius is fairly straightforward. Register as an artist and start posting your lyrics.
   • Musixmatch has more formalities and guidelines to follow, but the rewards are also larger! Start off using a special artist account to simplify DIY lyric submission for artists. Musixmatch is an important source used by a large number of internet platforms for displaying lyrics. 
   • LyricFind is more challenging to access for indie artists and smaller labels. You can submit lyrics as fan-based contributions via email... but time-synced lyrics require other submission routes (e.g. through Othersideofmusic.com).
3. Realize that if your existing service is not able to process time-synced lyrics, you are missing potential revenue! So, either select a service that (correctly) publishes time-synced lyrics, or take care of this yourself. Don't assume... verify that it is done correctly (it's otherwise your loss of potential revenue)!

Solutions for submitting (time-synced) lyrics to Musixmatch, Genius, and LyricFind

Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

We have a few online tools to help you publish your lyrics to Musixmatch, and Genius. We also have a special agreement with LyricFind to submit time-synced lyrics that you can benefit from. 

• Online tool to check & fix Musixmatch submissions for common errors
• Online tool to convert Musixmatch submission to Genius (once submitted to Musixmatch)

 ... OR ...

Place an order on Fiverr

Share your lyrics and song details with us, and we'll take care of the rest (we provide this service through Fiverr.com)

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