Alianait x Hitmakerz - Episode 4: How do I make sure I’m collecting all my royalties?

Written By Thor Simonsen

Featured Artist: Shauna Seeteenak

If you’re an artist, collecting royalties might be overwhelming. It can easily get very complicated, so let’s try to simplify it here in this video.

Watch the full English video here: https://youtu.be/c154dXxpU-o

Watch the full Inuktitut video here: https://youtu.be/6MiEIpMqI-Q

First off, what are music royalties?

Basically, a music royalty is a tiny amount of money that is generated when someone listens to your song, either at concerts, on Spotify, on the radio, or in tv shows and films. The amount is very small, but as people begin playing your song a lot, the royalties start to add up. They’re automatic, too, so you don’t need to do anything to continue making money through your songs after they're registered.

Before we move on, let’s talk about the three main types of royalties:

  1. “Composition” royalties for the songs you write;

  2. “Performance” royalties for singing or playing on a recording; and

  3. “Ownership” royalties for selling a recording that you own.

If you are the only songwriter, performer, and owner of a recorded song (which is called a “master”), then you’re eligible to collect 100% of all three royalties.

If someone else helped write the song, then you would split the songwriting royalties with them. If someone else performed on the track with you, then you would split the Performance royalties with them.

If someone else co-owns the recording, then you would split the Ownership royalties with them. The “owner” of a recording is usually the person who paid for it to be made. If you’re a producer or if you paid for the studio time, this would be you. If a label paid for it then it’d be them. (By the way, at Hitmakerz, we always make sure that the artist keeps their masters because the ownership is very valuable.)

In order to begin collecting royalties, it’s important that you register your songs properly.

In Canada, that means signing up with SOCAN and making sure to register each song. SOCAN will give each song a unique “ISWC” code which can be used to track down where your music is being played so you can get paid.

Signing up with SOCAN is the first step in collecting your royalties (https://www.socan.com/WriterApplicant/). It also helps make the songs more easily available for licensing and sub-publishing, which we talked about in a previous video.

Once the songs are registered with SOCAN, you’ll be collecting your Songwriting royalties. However, in order to collect the remaining Performance and Ownership royalties, there’s a handful of other organizations — called Collective Management Organizations, or CMO’s — where you’ll need to register the songs as well.

We’ll now show you 3 ways to do this.

The option that’s right for you will depend on what stage you’re at in your music career.

First, if you’re just starting out as an artist and you don’t have a lot of songs out yet, the simplest way to collect all of your royalty money is probably through your digital distributor.

You see, in order for your music to generate royalties through streaming, they have to be available on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. In order to get your music up onto those platforms, you need to use a digital distributor like CD Baby or Tunecore. Both of these platforms have a “pro publishing” option which collects all your remaining royalties for you (as long as they’re registered with SOCAN, of course). If you choose this option, you can feel pretty confident that you’re collecting all your royalties.

Second, if you have some music on streaming platforms and you’ve already registered them with SOCAN, you can use a website called SongTrust to collect all your remaining royalties (https://app.songtrust.com/signup/?_ga=2.153564926.731270773.1643749716-1330770019.1642603210&_gac=1.188634458.1643749716.Cj0KCQiA0eOPBhCGARIsAFIwTs4GLE2a50YMNO6G5EfGKfmiOGYSIVC7tWEYhsBRAhfnMnAdtkVt4kMaApbXEALw_wcB)

Third, if you’ve got a big catalogue or if you’re working with a team or label, the best option might be to sign up and register your songs with each of the different organizations individually.

The organizations we recommend signing up with are: 

To see an overview about how to do this, go each website link listed above.

This third option is definitely more complex and requires more administration work, but it also makes your catalogue information easier to access and gives you more control over which organization collects what.

In order to collect as much of your royalties as possible, It’s a great idea to create a list of all your songs, including information about who wrote each song, who performed on it, and who owns the recording. Setting up a list (or “catalogue”) like this takes work, but it will help you stay organized over time.

Keep in mind too that in order to collect the royalties from your concerts, you’ll also need to register each performance with SOCAN.

At some point in your career, you’ll hopefully have a manager or label to help you manage your catalogue. But whatever way you choose, remember that collecting royalties is important, because they are a great revenue stream that can help you make a living as an artist.

The songs can continue to make money for you forever, as long as they continue to be played, and as you write more songs and become more successful, the money you make from royalties will only grow.

We believe you’re capable of having an amazing music career, and we hope you found this episode helpful! Thank you for watching! If you have any questions or if you’d like additional resources, please go to www.hitmakerz.com/alianait. Qujanamiik!

ᑕᑯᓐᓇᒐᖅ 4 = ᖃᓄᖅ ᖃᐅᔾᓂᐊᖁᖓ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᒪᖔᑕ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᒃᑲ?

ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᔫᐃ ᓇᐅᔪᒃ

ᐃᖏᖅᑎᐅᒍᕕᑦ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᓲᖑᓗᑎᑦ ᑭᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐱᒡᒐᓇᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ. ᓇᓗᓇᕈᓐᓇᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᑏ ᑕᕐᕆᔮᓴᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᕿᑎᐊᕋᓱᓪᓚᕗᑦ.

ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᖏᐅᓰᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᑉᐸᑦ?

ᐃᒫᖑᕗᖅ..ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅ ᓄᐊᐸᓪᓕᐊᒐᓛᐸᑦᑐᖅ ᐃᖏᒐᐃᑦ ᑐᓵᔭᐅᒐᐃᒐᒥ Spotify-ᑯᑦ, ᓈᓚᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ, TV-ᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓗ ᑕᕐᕆᔮᓴᒃᑯᑦ. ᖃᑦᑏᓇᐅᒐᓗᐊᑐᑎ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑐᓵᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᓕᖃᑕ ᐃᖏᒐᑎᑦ ᓄᐊᑉᐸᓕᐊᒍᓐᓇᑦᑐ. ᓱᒋᐊᑐᖏᓚᑎ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᐋᕿᓯᒪᑦᑎᐊᖃᑕ.

ᐊᓯᐊᓅᓚᐅᖏᓂᑎᓐᓂ ᐅᑯᐊ ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᑲᐃᓐᓇᓚᕗᑦ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᔪᑕᐅᒍᓐᓇᑦᑐᑦ.

  1. ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎᓄᑦ. ᐃᖏᐅᓯᓄᑦ ᐃᕝᕕᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓄᑦ

  2. ᐃᖏᖅᑎᓄ. ᐃᖏᕈᕕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᓯᒪᒍᕕ; ᐊᒻᒪᓗ

  3. ᓇᒻᒥᓂᓕᓐᓄᑦ. ᓂᐅᕕᐊᓴᖃᓪᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᕝᕕᑦ ᐃᖏᒐᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂ.

ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᒍᕕᑦ, ᐃᖏᖅᑎᐅᒍᕕᓪᓗ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖁᑎᖃᕈᕕᑦ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒻ (ᑕᐃᔭᐅᓲᖅ "master") ᑕᕝᕙ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᓂᐊᖁᑎ () ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑉᐸᓕᐊᔪᓂᒃ.

ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᕈᕕᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᑎᓪᓗᑎ ᐊᕝᕙᓗᐊᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᒐᔭᑐᑎᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᓄᐊᑉᐸᓕᐊᔪᓂᒃ,

ᐊᓯᐊᓂᒃ ᐃᖏᖃᑎᖃᕈᕕᑦ ᐊᕝᕙᓗᐊᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐱᒐᔭᑐᑎᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑎᓄ ᓄᐊᑉᐸᓕᐊᔪᓂ.

ᓂᐱᓕᐅᓯᒪᔭᐃ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᓪᓚᕆᒋᖏᑯᕕᐅ ᐊᕝᕙᓗᐊᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᒐᔭᑐᑎ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᓕᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᐊᑉᐸᓕᐊᔪᓂᒃ. 

ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖁᑎᓖᑦ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᑭᓖᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ. ᐋᕿᓱᐃᓯᒪᒍᕕᑦ() ᐅᕝᕙᓗ ᐊᑭᓖᒍᕕᑦ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᖅᕕᒻᒥ ᑕᕝᕙ ᐃᕝᕕᐅᒐᔭᖅᑐ. ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑕᐅᑉᐸ ᐃᕝᕕᑦ label-ᖓᓄᑦ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅᑖᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ (ᐊᒻᒪᓗ Hitmakerz-ᑯᓐᓂ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖃᑎᐸᑦᑕᕗᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑏᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᑑᑎᖃᑎᐊᖓ.

ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᒍᒪᓂᐊᕈᕕᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᓇᒧᖓᒪᖔᑕ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᑎᐊᓪᓗᑎ.

ᑲᓇᑕᒥ  SOCAN-ᑯᑦ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᕐᓗᑎ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖕᒋᒐᑎᑦ ᐋᕿᓪᓗᒋᑦ() 

SOCAN ᖃᐅᔨᓴᑎᐊᓲᖅ ᓇᒥ ᐃᖏᒐᑎᑦ ᑐᓵᔭᐅᒻᒪᖔᑕ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕋᕕᑦ

ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᓗᑎᑦ SOCAN-ᑯᑦ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᕙᓕᐊᓂᐊᕋᕕᑦ. ᐱᔭᕆᐊᑭᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᒐᔭᒥᔪ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᒍᒪᓐᓂᖃᑕ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᖃᐅᒥᔭᕗ 

ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ SOCAN-ᑯᑦ ᐊᖅᑭᑉᐸᑕ..ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓲᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᖏᑎᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᓕᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᐊᑎᓲᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᖏᑐᑦ - ᐊᑎᓖᑦ Collective Management Organizations, CMO's - ᑕᕝᕘᓇᑕᐅ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᐊᖅᑮᒋᐊᖃᒻᒥᔭᑎᑦ.

ᖃᐅᔨᑲᐃᓂᐅᓴᔪᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᒍᓇᒪᖔᑕ ᐱᖓᓲᓕᖃᖓᓗᒋᑦ..

ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐹ, ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᕈᕕᑦ ᐃᖏᖓᑦᑕᓂᒥ ᐊᒥᓲᖏᑐᓂᓗ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᖃᕈᕕᑦ  ᐱᔭᕆᐊᒃᓛᖅ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᓗᓂ ᐊᑐᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᓲᑦ digital distributor.

ᑕᑯᒋ..ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᓂᐊᕈᕕᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓰᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᒋᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ Spotify-ᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓗ Apple Music-ᑯᑦ. ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᑕᐃᑯᖓᕈᒪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑎᑦ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᓲᑦ digital distributor ᓲᕐᓗ CD baby ᐅᕝᕙᓗ Tunecore. ᑖᑯᐊ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᓖᑦ ᓇᑭᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓄᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᓇᖅᑐᑦ (ᐃᖏᐅᓰᑦ SOCAN-ᑯᑦ ᐊᖅᑭᓯᒪᑉᐸᑕ). ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓂᐊᓂᕈᕕᑦ ᑖᑯᓄᖓ ᓄᑕᐅᑎᐊᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓕᑎᑦ.

ᑭᖑᓪᓕᒻᒥ..ᐃᖏᐅᓯᖃᕇᕈᕕᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ Spotify-ᑯᑦ ᐋᕿᔅᓯᒪᓪᓗᒋᑦ..ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑎᓕᒃ SongTrust ᐊᑐᕐᓗᒍ ᑕᕝᕘᐊᑕᐅ ᓄᐊᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᓇᒧᔪᑦ.

ᐱᖓᔪᐊᓂ..ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᖏᒐᖃᕈᕕᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᓇᕙᓕᐊᖅᑎᖃᕈᕕᑦ.. ᐱᐅᓛᖑᒐᔭᖅᑐ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᓗᑎ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖏᐅᓰᑦ ᐋᕿᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᔨᒌᖏᑐᓄᑦ ᓱᕕᐅᕕᓄᑦ

ᐅᑯᐊ ᓱᕕᐅᕖᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᕗᑦ..

  • ACTRA RACS (ᐃᖕᒋᖅᑎᓄᑦ)

  • CMRRA (ᐃᖏᖅᑎᓄᑦ..ᐊᖏᕈᑎᓄᑦ)

  • ConnectMusic (ᓇᒻᒥᓂᓕᓐᓄᑦ) 

  • LyricFind (ᐃᖏᖅᑎᓄᑦ)

ᑐᑭᓯᑎᐊᓂᐊᕋᕕ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᕕᔅᓴᐅᒻᒪᖔᖅ.. ᑕᑯᒋᐊᕈᒃ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑯᑦ www.hitmakerz.com/alianait

ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᖓᔪᐊ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᑐᓛᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎ ᐊᑐᐃᓇᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᒐᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᖅᓴᐅᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ.

ᓄᐊᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᐊᕈᕕᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐ ᐃᖏᐅᓯᑎᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᓕᖅᑲᖓᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᖏᐅᓰᑦ, ᑭᓇ ᐃᖏᖃᑕᐅᕙ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᒃᑯ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖃᖃ. ᑕᐃᒫ  ᐊᕿᓱᐃᓪᓗᓂ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᑐᔪᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᐊᑦᑎᐊᕉᓕᖃ ᐃᑲᔪᕋᔭᖅᑐᖅ.

ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᒍᓗ ᓄᐊᑦᑎᒍᒪᓗᓂ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᖅᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᑎᑦ, SOCAN-ᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᒥᔪᖅ ᖃᖓᑐᐃᓐᓇ ᑕᑯᕋᓐᓈᑕᐅᒍᕕᑦ.

ᖃᖓᑭᐊᖅ ᐅᐊᑦᑎᐊᕈ ᐃᑲᔪᑕᐅᒍᒫᒥᔪᑎᖃᐃ ᓲᕐᓗ manager ᐅᕙᓗ record label ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᕝᕕᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᒋᔭᖓᓂ ᐊᒍᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐳᐃᒍᖅᑕᐃᓕᒋᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᐃᑦ ᐊᑑᑎᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓄᑦ, ᑕᐃᒻᒫᒃ ᐃᖏᖅᑏᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᑎᐊᕈᓇᖅᑐᑦ.

ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕈᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑯᓂᐊᓗ, ᐃᖏᐅᓰᑦ ᑐᓵᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᑐᐊᐸᑕ.

ᐃᖏᐅᓯᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓕᕈᕕᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᓗᑎᓗ ᓄᐊᑕᑎᑦ ᐊᖏᓪᓕᕙᓪᓕᐊᑐᐃᓇᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ.

ᐃᓕᓐᓂ ᐅᑉᐱᕈᓱᑉᐳᒍᑦ ᐃᖏᖅᑎᐅᓗᑎ ᐃᓅᓯᕆᒍᓐᓇᕋᕕᐅᒃ, ᐅᓇ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕋᑖᖅᑕᓯ ᑐᑭᓯᓇᖅᑐᓴᐅᕗᖅ. ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕋᑖᕋᔅᓯ! ᐊᐱᖁᑎᖃᕈᕕᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᒍᕕᑦ, ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ www.hitmakerz.com/alianait. ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ

Thor Simonsen
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Alianait x Hitmakerz - Episode 3: Why do I need to ask permission to do covers and what do I do if someone wants to use my music?