How are music royalties collected and paid out? Wondering particularly about classic musicians like Bach, but also for modern music of performers both alive and dead

Question

How are music royalties collected and paid out? Wondering particularly about classic musicians like Bach, but also for modern music of performers both alive and dead

In: 5

Answer 1

Most music royalties in the US are distributed through contracts with a performance royalties organization like ASCAP or BMI, who collect royalties from radio stations and streaming services and pass them on to composers. A songwriter will join one of these services. Payments for other sorts of uses *(like use in movies or television) need to be negotiated between the user and the copywriter holder, which can get complicated.

https://soundcharts.com/blog/bmi-vs-ascap#:~:text=over%203%20months.-,The%20verdict,slightly%20smarter%20choice%20for%20songwriters.