What Are Public Performance Royalties?
Public performance royalties are one of the most important revenue streams for songwriters, composers, and publishers. These royalties are generated whenever a song is played publicly—whether on the radio, streamed online, performed live, or used as background music in a commercial space. Unlike royalties that come from physical sales or digital downloads, public performance royalties come from the act of playing the music in a public setting, not from the music being purchased.
A public performance takes place whenever a song is broadcast or played outside of a private, personal environment. This includes traditional and satellite radio, television broadcasts, music played in restaurants or retail stores, live concerts, DJ sets, and increasingly, digital streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Even background music in a hotel lobby or gym qualifies as a public performance.
These royalties are tracked and collected by organizations known as Performance Rights Organizations (PROs). In the United States, the primary PROs are:
- ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
- BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
- SESAC (by invitation only)
- GMR (Global Music Rights)
Each of these organizations licenses the use of music to businesses and broadcasters, then distributes collected royalties to the songwriters and publishers whose music has been used.
The way these royalties are split is fairly standardized. Typically, 50% of the revenue goes to the songwriter or composer, while the other 50% goes to the publisher. If a writer does not have a publishing deal, they can still receive the publisher’s share by registering as their own publisher with the PRO. This ensures they collect the full royalty payment for their work.
To determine which songs are being played and when, PROs use a range of tracking methods. These include:
- Cue sheets provided by film and television producers
- Digital fingerprinting to monitor streaming platforms
- Radio and TV monitoring software
- Live performance reports or setlists submitted by artists
If you’re a performing artist, submitting your setlists can be an easy and effective way to earn royalties from your own shows.
Performance royalties are paid out to artists and publishers on a regular basis—typically quarterly. For many songwriters, these royalties become a reliable source of passive income over time, continuing to pay long after a song has been released. This makes them an essential part of any long-term strategy in music publishing.
If you’re a songwriter or producer and haven’t registered with a PRO, you’re likely missing out on royalties you’re legally entitled to. The process is straightforward: sign up with a PRO, register your works, and if you don’t have a publisher, consider setting one up yourself to collect the full share. Working with a publishing administrator can also help you collect royalties from international PROs and ensure you’re not leaving money on the table.
In today’s music economy, understanding and collecting public performance royalties isn’t just a bonus—it’s a necessity for sustaining a career as a songwriter or publisher.