Royalties are generated whenever your music is used. Whether it is streamed, broadcast, downloaded, performed live, sold or licensed income is generated. Because you are a writer, you earn royalties from the composition (the underlying song). If you also release recordings as an artist, you may earn additional income separately from the master side – but these are two different revenue streams, and we as a publisher deal with the income from the composition while your record company or distributor deals with the recording income.
Publishing relates to the songwriting side of music – the melody, lyrics, and composition. Publishers work with writers and composers, who may or may not also be performing artists. A publisher’s role is to register your works correctly worldwide, track and collect all possible composition royalties that your works generate, license your works to third parties for use in film, TV and advertising, and generally protect your rights.
A recording (the “master”) is the audio file created when the composition is performed and captured. Writers own the composition, whereas performers, producers, or labels typically own the recording. These two rights generate different royalties.
A non–featured artist is someone who performs on the recording but is not the main credited act. For example, remixers, session players or backing vocalists. They might earn certain “neighbouring rights” royalties on the recording side, but they are not normally considered writers unless they contributed to the composition, and in the case of remixers, if the original composers agree to give them a share (which is rare). This operates both ways of course, since a remixer of your composition is not normally entitled to a share of royalties.
A featured artist is one of the main performers credited on the recording. Featured artists often receive a larger share of recording income. This has no automatic link to songwriting – a featured artist is not necessarily a writer unless they contributed to the composition.
The master is the final, official version of a recording. Whoever owns the master controls how that recording is licensed and monetised. This is separate from ownership of the composition.
Truelove Music works primarily with writers and composers, specialising in electronic music. We register your compositions worldwide, collect royalties from every territory directly, resolve copyright issues, handle claims and disputes, and promote your works for sync and licensing opportunities. Many of our writers are also artists, but our core role is protecting and monetising the composition rights.
Royalties are generated whenever your music is used. Whether it is streamed, broadcast, downloaded, performed live, sold or licensed income is generated. Because you are a writer, you earn royalties from the composition (the underlying song). If you also release recordings as an artist, you may earn additional income separately from the master side – but these are two different revenue streams, and we as a publisher deal with the income from the composition while your record company or distributor deals with the recording income.
Neighbouring rights are royalties generated from the public use of a recording, benefiting performers and master owners.
Just like PROs, every country has its own Neighbouring Rights Collective Management Organisation (CMO) that collects these royalties internationally.
Neighbouring rights relate to the recording, not the composition.
Publishing royalties flow from PROs and CMOs in each country, through our international network, and then to Truelove Music for distribution to you. Payment schedules vary – most major societies pay quarterly or biannually, and each territory reports at different times. Some societies pay very soon after the exploitation takes place (sometimes within as little as six months), some have policies to pay much more slowly
A sample is any use of someone else’s music in your new track, and this applies to both parts of a piece of music:
1. The recording (master) – using any portion of the original audio
2. The composition – using recognisable elements of the song itself (melody, lyrics, chords, hook, riff, etc.)
This means:
* Even if you don’t use the original audio (for example, you re–sing or re–play the part), you may still be sampling the composition.
* Even very small, distorted, sped–up, chopped, or heavily processed audio can still be a sample of the recording if it is recognisable.
* If the musical idea is clearly derived from an existing song, it counts as a use of the composition, even if you recreated it yourself.
Writers often assume they’re “safe” if they re–record a vocal or re–play a melody – but if the underlying composition is still recognisable, it is still a sample, and permission is required.
There is also a prevalent myth that a snippet of less than a few seconds is “safe” to sample or copy, but in fact using the tiniest snatch (such as, say, a Michael Jackson “whoop”) would put you in breach of copyright.
Sample clearance means getting legal permission to use someone else’s work – and this applies to both sides of the copyright:
1. The master recording (owned by a label, artist, or producer)
2. The composition (owned by writers and publishers)
Truelove Music is frequently involved in helping our writers to clear samples, and we also are frequently approached by third parties to clear samples from our writers’ catalogues.
There is no hard and fast rule as to the final agreed terms of a sample clearance. They are often rejected. Sometimes someone may demand 100% for clearing a three word hook. Some others might demand only 10%.
A cover is a new performance of an existing composition, recorded without using or sampling the original recording. You are recreating the song –not copying the audio – so you do not need a sample clearance.
However, the composition still belongs to the original songwriter(s). Traditionally, you could release a cover simply by obtaining the appropriate mechanical licence and ensuring the writers were credited and paid.
But the landscape is changing.
Today, many publishers and songwriters require advance approval before you release a cover, especially when:
* The original writer has their own upcoming cover or remix planned
* They want to control how and when the song re–enters the market
* They want to avoid multiple competing versions in the same space
* The cover significantly changes the style, genre, or intended meaning
* The release strategy of the original or its catalogue is sensitive or time–specific
So while covers don’t involve the original recording and aren’t considered sampling, writers must still respect the composition rights – and increasingly, this means that approval from the publisher and the original writers may be required. And they have no obligation to give permission, or even to give a reason for their refusal.
A recording (the “master”) is the audio file created when the composition is performed and captured. Writers own the composition, whereas performers, producers, or labels typically own the recording. These two rights generate different royalties.
PROs pay writers for the live performance of their compositions – including DJ sets, club sets, concerts, and festivals.
You only receive this income if you submit your set lists, because this is how PROs track usage.
Truelove Music has long campaigned for technology to do this job, and there are increasingly sophisticated systems for identifying usages in clubs, at festivals, on TV and radio, and in retail premises, but to be sure that you are getting paid for what you play it is vital to submit setlists. Truelove Music works with all our performing DJs and artists to collect and submit setlists to the PROs on their behalf, and this can make up a valuable part of some clients royalties.
Royalties are generated whenever your music is used. Whether it is streamed, broadcast, downloaded, performed live, sold or licensed income is generated. Because you are a writer, you earn royalties from the composition (the underlying song). If you also release recordings as an artist, you may earn additional income separately from the master side – but these are two different revenue streams, and we as a publisher deal with the income from the composition while your record company or distributor deals with the recording income.
We investigate claims, handle infringements, manage disputes, and ensure your compositions are protected worldwide. This includes pursuing unauthorised uses, negotiating settlements, and ensuring you receive appropriate credit and royalties.
You can join us by contacting Truelove Music directly via our website contact page or email. We will guide you through the agreement process, explain the terms clearly, and ensure everything is set up correctly for your compositions to be represented globally.
