What Happens If I Don’t Register My Songs With the Right Organizations?

What You Miss If You Don’t Register

Organization

Missed Royalties

PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)

Performance royalties from radio, TV, streaming, live shows

The MLC

U.S. digital mechanical royalties from Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

SoundExchange

Digital performance royalties from Pandora, SiriusXM, etc.

Copyright Office (optional)

Legal ownership protection in court (not a royalty collector)

Publishing Admin (e.g. Songtrust)

International royalties and royalties from foreign PROs/CMOs



 What Is a Black Box Fund?

  • When a royalty organization can’t match a song to its rightful owner, it holds the money temporarily
  • If it remains unclaimed for a certain time (e.g., 2–3 years), that money may be reallocated to major publishers or distributed proportionally to others
  • You lose out permanently—even though you earned it


 Common Mistakes That Block Your Royalties

  • Not registering with a PRO or The MLC
  • Incorrect or inconsistent song metadata (wrong ISRC/ISWC, misspelled names)
  • Not claiming songs after they’ve been released
  • Using a distributor but assuming they collect all royalties (they don’t)
  • Not setting up a publishing entity (missing the publisher’s share of performance royalties)


 Pro Tips to Avoid Losing Money

  • Register with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) for performance royalties
  • Register with The MLC for mechanical royalties from streams/downloads
  • Register with SoundExchange if you perform or own the master
  • Use a publishing administrator to collect internationally
  • Keep your metadata consistent (same song titles, writer names, codes)


Bottom Line:
Your songs may be earning royalties right now—but unless you’re properly registered with the right organizations, you won’t receive a penny. Don’t let your money go unclaimed—register every song, every time.

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