Music Royalties

 Understanding Music Royalties: What Every Artist Should Know

Music royalties are one of the most important—and often misunderstood—aspects of the music industry. Whether you’re an independent artist, a songwriter, or a producer, understanding how royalties work is key to getting paid fairly for your work. If you’re creating music, you should be earning from it. But to do that, you need to know the different types of royalties and how to collect them.

There are several types of music royalties, but the two main categories are performance royalties and mechanical royalties.

Performance royalties are earned when your music is played publicly—on the radio, on TV, in a restaurant, or even at a live concert. These royalties are collected by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the U.S. If you’re not registered with a PRO, you’re likely missing out on money you’re owed.

Mechanical royalties are earned when your music is reproduced, like when it’s sold as a digital download, streamed on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music, or pressed on vinyl. These are collected by mechanical rights agencies, such as the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) in the U.S.

There’s also sync licensing, which happens when your song is placed in a TV show, film, commercial, or video game. These deals are negotiated individually and can pay out big, depending on the exposure and usage.

Royalties are often split between the songwriter, the composer, and the performer. If you’re collaborating, make sure to have agreements in place outlining who gets what percentage. Without that, things can get messy quickly.

The most important thing artists can do is register with the right organizations, keep track of their songs, and never assume that platforms are tracking it all for you. In reality, money gets lost all the time due to poor documentation or lack of registration.

At the end of the day, music is both art and business. If you’re putting your heart into your work, make sure you’re also setting yourself up to earn from it—consistently and fairly. Music royalties might seem complicated, but with the right knowledge, they can become a solid foundation for your career.

Issues With Todays Music

 What’s Wrong with Today’s Music? A Closer Look at the Industry’s Growing Pains

Music has always been a reflection of culture, emotion, and the human experience. Every era brought its own sound, message, and energy. But in recent years, many fans and critics alike have begun to express frustration with the state of today’s music. While there’s still great art being created, it’s hard to ignore the growing issues that are shaping—and in some cases, damaging—the music industry and the listener experience.

One of the most noticeable problems is the lack of originality. Turn on any mainstream radio station or browse a popular playlist, and it quickly becomes clear: many songs sound the same. From overused beats to repetitive hooks and formulaic lyrics, a lot of modern music feels manufactured rather than inspired. It’s not just about style—it’s about creativity being sacrificed for algorithmic success. Songs are now made with “TikTokability” in mind, chasing trends instead of starting them.

Another major issue is the overemphasis on image and virality over talent. In today’s music landscape, going viral often matters more than being musically skilled. Artists can rise to stardom off one catchy snippet on social media, regardless of whether they can perform live or write their own songs. Labels chase clout, not craftsmanship. The result is a wave of one-hit wonders and shallow content that lacks substance and staying power.

The streaming era also plays a huge role in how music is made and consumed. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have made music more accessible than ever, but they’ve also changed how songs are structured. Artists now aim for shorter intros, quicker hooks, and shorter overall track lengths just to get more plays. It’s a numbers game—and artistry often takes a backseat. Albums have become less cohesive, less meaningful, and more like collections of singles designed to chase streams rather than tell a story.

Lyrical depth has also taken a hit. While every generation has had its share of party anthems and superficial hits, today’s mainstream music often feels devoid of emotion or storytelling. Many songs rely heavily on auto-tuned vocals and vague phrases about money, fame, and fleeting relationships. There’s a lack of vulnerability, of raw human expression—the very thing that once made music timeless and relatable.

This isn’t to say all modern music is bad. There are still brilliant artists creating authentic, powerful work—but they’re often buried under a flood of noise. Independent artists, niche genres, and underrated talent exist, but they require more digging to find.

In the end, the issue isn’t that music is evolving—it always does. The problem is that we’re letting algorithms, trends, and short attention spans guide the direction. If we want music to truly matter again, we need to start valuing artistry over virality, depth over trends, and passion over popularity.