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What is EngineEars Publishing?

EngineEars Publishing is a service that registers your compositions with the right collection societies and organizations worldwide so you can collect the royalties owed to you as a songwriter, separate from the streaming and sales royalties you already earn through distribution. Think of it as making sure every dollar your song (not just your recording) generates actually finds its way to you.

 

Isn't this the same as my distribution royalties?

No. Distribution royalties are paid on the sound recording, the specific version of the song that was released. Publishing royalties are paid on the composition, the underlying melody, lyrics, and arrangement, every time it's streamed, performed, covered, or used elsewhere. You can be owed both at once, and most independent artists are only set up to collect one of them.

What kinds of royalties does this cover?

  • Mechanical royalties: Generated any time your composition is reproduced, including on-demand streams
  • Performance royalties: Generated when your composition is played publicly (radio, streaming, live venues, etc.)
  • Sync royalties support: Help with registration relevant to film, TV, ad, and game placements
  • International collection: Royalties owed from foreign performing rights and mechanical societies that U.S.-only registration typically misses

Do I still need a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)?

Yes. A Performing Rights Organization (PRO) only collects your performance royalties, and you still need to be a member of one directly, that part isn't something any publishing administrator can do on your behalf. What EngineEars Publishing adds is everything a PRO membership alone doesn't cover: mechanical royalties, global registration, and matching your compositions across services and territories so nothing gets left unclaimed.

Signing up with a PRO of your choice (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc.) is also how you get your IPI number, a unique ID assigned to every songwriter and publisher that's required for your compositions to be properly registered and matched to you internationally. Make sure you register with a PRO and have your IPI number on hand before or as part of enrolling in EngineEars Publishing.

Do I keep ownership of my publishing?

Always. Enrolling in EngineEars Publishing does not transfer, assign, or option your copyrights. You remain the songwriter and publisher of record. EngineEars is administering collection on your behalf, not acquiring any share of your composition.

What does EngineEars charge for this?

EngineEars retains 20% of the publishing royalties collected through this service as our fee; the remaining 80% is paid out to you. There's no separate subscription or upfront cost, the fee only applies to royalties that are actually collected on your behalf.

How do I sign up?

EngineEars Publishing is available directly from the release flow or in your Settings. Once you opt in, you'll update your compositions' credited writer and composer details so we can begin the registration and matching process on your behalf.

How long does it take to start seeing royalties?

Registration is typically quick, but collection societies themselves have their own payment cycles, some pay monthly, others quarterly, and international societies can take longer. Retroactive claims (for music you released before signing up) can take longer to process, since they depend on how far back each society's records go.

What if I already have a publishing administrator elsewhere?

You can't be registered for the same composition with two publishing administrators at once, societies will reject or split conflicting claims. If you're already signed up elsewhere, you'll want to complete or terminate that arrangement before enrolling the same catalog on EngineEars. Alternatively, you can explicitly mark in the release flow that EngineEars should not collect for particular records or for particular writers.

Does this cover music I released before joining EngineEars, or only new releases?

Both, in most cases. You can typically register your existing catalog as well as future releases, though how far back royalties can be recovered depends on each society's claim window and record-keeping. To collect publishing royalties on legacy releases, migrate your catalog to EngineEars distribution and enable publishing collection on your releases.

Will I be able to see what's been collected?

Yes. Collected publishing royalties are reported alongside your other EngineEars earnings so you have one place to track everything that is coming in from every source around the globe, rather than checking multiple society portals separately.

Is EngineEars Publishing required to distribute on EngineEars?

No, it's optional. You can distribute your music on EngineEars without enrolling in EngineEars Publishing, it's a separate, opt-in service for artists who want help collecting the composition-side royalties they may otherwise be leaving unclaimed.