Do I get paid when my composition is streamed?

Question

admin · Accepted Answer

Yes, royalties from streams are the fastest-growing source of income for songwriters.

Depending on whether the streaming service is Interactive or Non-Interactive, there may be 1 or 2 royalty streams payable.

Interactive Streaming Service: Users can freely choose songs, create playlists, and have full control, e.g. Spotify & Apple Music. This generates 2 royalty streams: (1) a performance royalty collected by your PRO or global rights performing society, and (2) a mechanical streaming royalty collected by Master Publishing.

Non-Interactive Streaming Service: Users can't choose songs or create playlists, similar to traditional radio, e.g. Pandora and iHeartRadio. This generates only 1 royalty stream: a performance royalty collected by your PRO in your registered territory or by Master Publishing for the rest of the world.