Guide · The business of songwriting
How do songwriters get paid?
Two royalty sources that US organisations describe are performance royalties, collected by a performing rights organisation (PRO) such as ASCAP or BMI, and digital mechanical royalties for streaming and downloads, collected by The MLC. There are other sources too. This page quotes each organisation's own description. It is general information, not legal advice.
Updated 20 Oct 2026
Performance royalties
ASCAP says it pays performance royalties when your music is played publicly by businesses around the world. BMI says songwriters join it to ensure they get paid when their music is publicly played. (ome.ascap.com and bmi.com/join, checked 20 Oct 2026.) ASCAP's join page offers a writer option, and ASCAP says that as a writer you can belong to only one US PRO at a time. See BMI vs ASCAP.
Digital mechanical royalties
The MLC says it administers blanket mechanical licences for eligible US streaming and download services, collects the royalties and pays them to songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers. It says connecting with it is free. (themlc.com, checked 20 Oct 2026.) Its page does not describe how it relates to a PRO.
Writer and publisher shares
ASCAP says its royalties are split 50/50 between writers and publishers. See music publishing for songwriters.
Other income (examples, not from the organisations' pages)
- Live performances and sales of your own recordings.
- Licensing a song for film, TV or ads.
- Each has its own rules, so check the terms of any deal.
A practical checklist (our suggestion, not from the organisations)
- Write the song and agree the splits. See the free split sheet template.
- Register the songs. See how to register a song.
- Keep your records up to date.
Be careful with promises
None of the pages quoted here promise any income. How much you earn depends on how much your music is played. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Keep the details together
In songdrafts every take of a song stacks on one card, in the order you add them unless you reorder them, with the lyrics and notes on the same song, so the details you need when you register are in one place.
Common questions
How do songwriters make money?
Two sources the US organisations describe are performance royalties through a PRO such as ASCAP or BMI and digital mechanical royalties through The MLC. There are other sources, such as live work, recordings and licensing.
Do I need to join a PRO to get paid?
ASCAP and BMI each say they collect performance royalties for the writers who join them (checked 20 Oct 2026). This page does not say whether a PRO is required. Ask a music lawyer or the organisation.
Is The MLC free?
The MLC says connecting with it is free.
How much will I earn?
It depends on how much your music is played. None of the pages quoted here promise a figure.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is general information, based on the organisations' own pages.
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