Mechanical royalties are payments owed to songwriters that are typically paid through songwriter collection societies.
Downloads in the U.S.
Mechanical royalties from downloads that occur in the U.S. are included in the total for each download that appears in your sales statements. In order to arrange a payment, you must send details to the applicable songwriter or collection society.
Downloads outside the U.S.
Mechanical royalties from downloads that occur outside the U.S. are deducted from the actual amount you earn from music services. Once deducted, the administration of reporting and payment is handled directly by the music service and the applicable collection society.
PROs/Performing Rights Societies collect the following for their members:
If you are U.S. based, your PRO (BMI, ASCAP or SESAC) will collect and pay you the writer share of the following songwriting royalties directly:
- Live Performance and Broadcast (radio and television)
- Digital Performance (streaming and satellite radio)
- Public Performance (bars, clubs, and restaurants of a certain size)
If you are based outside of the U.S., your PRO will collect and pay you the writer share of the following songwriting royalties directly:
- Live Performance and Broadcast (radio and television)
- Digital Performance (streaming, satellite radio, and the performing rights share of downloads)
- Public Performance (cinemas, bars, shops, offices, etc.)
- Mechanicals (writer share in some territories only*)
Streaming
- If you are U.S. based, the mechanical royalties due from streams, downloads, and physical sales are not collected by performance societies like BMI, ASCAP or SESAC.
- If you are based outside of the U.S., the writer share of some of these mechanical royalties may be collected and paid to you as a writer member depending on which society you are affiliated with.
- In certain territories, especially in Europe and South America, fees for use in most TV shows are licensed by mechanical rights societies under a “blanket agreement” where broadcasters and independent producers can use all music registered at the society at a predetermined rate.
Any mechanical payments due from streaming services are handled directly between the music service and the applicable collection society. For more information, visit The Harry Fox Agency