Why Independent Artists Need Music Publishing (And How We Handle It)

Most independent artists focus on distribution—getting their music on Spotify and Apple Music. But here’s what separates artists making real money from those earning pennies: they understand music publishing.

The Two Types of Music Royalties

When someone streams, downloads, or uses your music, two different royalties get paid:

1. Recording Royalties (Sound Recording)

• Paid to the owner of the recording (usually you, as an indie artist)
• Split between artist and distributor
• Examples: Streaming royalties from Spotify, download sales from iTunes

2. Publishing Royalties (Mechanical & Performance)

• Paid to the songwriter/publisher
• Paid even if you didn’t record it (someone else could record your song)
• Examples: Radio play, sync in films/TV, streaming royalties to the writer

The Problem: Most Indies Leave Money on the Table

Imagine you write, produce, and record a song. When it gets streamed:

• You get recording royalties as the artist
• But the songwriter/publisher royalties go… nowhere, if you’re not registered

This means you’re losing 50% of potential revenue.

Even if you wrote it, sang it, and produced it, you have to register as the publisher to get paid.

How Music Publishing Works

The Players:

• Songwriter — writes the lyrics and/or melody
• Publisher — registers the song and collects royalties on behalf of the songwriter
• Performing Rights Organization (PRO) — collects performance royalties (radio, live, streaming)
• Mechanical Rights Organization — collects mechanical royalties (streaming, downloads, covers)

The Flow:

1. You write a song and release it
2. You register it with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC in the US; PRS in UK; similar in other countries)
3. When someone streams it on Spotify, publishing royalties flow to your PRO
4. Your PRO collects and pays you quarterly

Publishing Income Streams

Assuming you wrote your own music, you earn publishing royalties from:

Income Type	Amount	Example
Streaming (Spotify, Apple)	$0.001-0.005 per stream	100,000 streams = $100-500
Sync licensing (film, TV, ad)	$500-50,000+	Commercial uses
Radio play	$0.01-0.50 per play	1,000 radio plays = $500-5,000
Downloads (iTunes)	$0.06-0.09 per download	1,000 downloads = $60-90
Covers of your song	Performance royalties	Someone else records your song
YouTube Content ID	$0.002-0.01 per view	1M views = $2,000-10,000

How Wreemongar Handles Publishing

Here’s what makes Wreemongar different:

1. Publishing Registration Support

• We help you register your publishing information correctly
• Ensure songwriter/producer splits are accurate
• Link your PRO account to Wreemongar

2. Metadata Excellence

• Detailed writer, producer, and publisher credits
• Proper ISRC and ISWC codes
• This ensures payments find you

3. Publisher Backend Integration

• Publishing royalties tracked separately from recording royalties
• Real-time visibility into what you’re earning
• Dashboard shows both revenue streams

4. Multi-Territory Support

• Music publishing is collected per country
• We ensure you’re registered in major territories (US, UK, EU, etc.)
• Some countries pay different rates

5. Sync Licensing Support

• Built-in tools to license your music for film/TV/ads
• Higher-paying opportunities than streaming
• Direct access to sync opportunities

What You Need to Do

If you’re a songwriter:

1. Register with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, PRS, etc.)
2. Register your songs with your PRO’s publisher affiliate
3. Update your metadata with Wreemongar to include:
   • Songwriter name and percentage
   • Producer name and percentage
   • Publisher name
4. Ensure ISRC and ISWC codes are included

If you’re collaborating:

1. Agree on splits BEFORE recording (e.g., 50/50 songwriting)
2. Document it in writing
3. All collaborators register with the same or compatible PRO
4. Include the splits in your Wreemongar metadata

If you’re producing for others:

1. Negotiate your publishing percentage upfront
2. Have it documented in the production agreement
3. Register with your own PRO as a producer/publisher

Real Math: How It Adds Up

Scenario: You release an indie album

Recording royalties (from distribution):

• 100,000 Spotify streams × $0.003 = $300

Publishing royalties (from PRO):

• Same 100,000 streams × $0.001 = $100
• Plus YouTube Content ID on your official video = $200
• Plus 1 sync license placement in a podcast = $500

Total: $1,100 (vs. $300 if you ignored publishing)

Over a year with multiple releases, publishing can exceed recording royalties.

Common Publishing Mistakes

❌ Not registering with a PRO — you literally give away money ❌ Incorrect songwriter splits — if split is 50/50 but you only register 100%, your collaborator gets nothing ❌ Using the wrong ISRC code — songs get mixed up in collection systems ❌ Not updating metadata — collection orgs can’t match payments to your songs ❌ Forgetting collaborators — they don’t get paid, create legal liability for you

Getting Started Today

1. Join a PRO if you haven’t already (takes 15 minutes)
2. Register your songs with your PRO as the publisher
3. Update your Wreemongar metadata with all credits
4. Track your publishing dashboard in Wreemongar for real-time data
5. Keep documentation of all splits and agreements

The Bottom Line

Publishing is where artists who understand the industry make real money. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the difference between “I released a song” and “I’m building sustainable revenue from my music.”

Don’t leave half your money on the table.

Register your publishing today. Wreemongar makes it simple.