How Mechanical Royalties Keep Your Earnings Flowing
Ever wondered how you keep making money after writing a killer song? Those payments are called mechanical royalties, and they’re like little cash registers ringing every time your song gets played!
What Are Mechanical Royalties and How Do They Work?
Here’s the deal: whenever your song gets reproduced—whether it’s downloaded, streamed, or even ends up on a classic CD—you earn mechanicals. It’s essentially a fee paid for the right to make copies of your work. Not bad, right?
The term “mechanical” dates back to the era of player piano rolls. But today, it covers any physical or digital copy, from vinyl records to ringtones. Basically, if someone hits play on your song, you’re earning!
Examples of How They Work
Just launched your first single with a DIY distributor like CD Baby or DistroKid? Congrats! Here’s the bonus: every time your fans stream that song on Apple Music or Spotify, you score both performance and mechanical royalties.
Performance royalties cover public plays (like a radio station), while mechanical royalties are earned from each copy made—whether it’s streamed or downloaded. It’s a double win!
Another example: Record Store Day rolls around and your fans grab your album on vinyl. Since those songs are physically reproduced on the record, so you’ll earn for this as well!
Simplifying the Collection
Collecting these royalties can be tricky, especially for independent songwriters. That’s where a publishing administrator like Woolyvard comes in. They handle registering your songs with music collection societies worldwide, ensuring you get paid what you deserve.
Want to Learn More About Mechanicals and Other Music Terms?
For more insights into mechanical royalties and other music publishing topics, check out our Glossary. Dive deeper into terms like CMOs and more!
