How to Register Your Music

Updated May 2026 — This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Music copyright and registration law is complex and jurisdiction-specific. For questions about your specific situation, consult a qualified music attorney.

What Music Registration Actually Means (And Why There Are Multiple Systems)

One of the most common points of confusion for independent artists and producers is the assumption that "registering your music" is a single action. It isn't. Music registration is actually a collection of separate processes carried out across distinct organizations — and each one exists because a different type of money flows through a different administrative channel.

The US Copyright Office registers legal ownership of your work. It doesn't collect royalties. A Performing Rights Organization (PRO) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC collects performance royalties — money generated when your music plays publicly on radio, streaming, or in venues. The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) collects mechanical royalties specifically from US streaming services. And ISRC codes are the tracking identifiers that make it possible for all these systems to find and pay for your recordings in the first place.

Understanding these systems separately — what each one covers, what it costs, and what happens if you skip it — is the most important foundational knowledge a working musician or producer can have. Miss any one of them and you are almost certainly leaving money on the table.

Step 1: Registering with the US Copyright Office

The most important thing to understand about music copyright is that registration is not required to own it. Under US copyright law, as soon as you create an original musical work and fix it in a tangible form — write it down or record it — you automatically own the copyright. This has been true since the Copyright Act of 1976, which eliminated the previous requirement to formally register or mark works with a copyright notice.

What registration does is provide a significant legal advantage if you ever need to enforce your copyright. Specifically: if you register your work with the US Copyright Office before an infringement occurs (or within three months of the work's first publication), you become entitled to sue for statutory damages of up to $150,000 per willful infringement, plus attorney's fees. Without registration, you can only sue for actual damages — which are often very difficult to prove and quantify, and which may not cover the cost of litigation. Registration also creates a public record of your ownership, which can help resolve disputes without ever going to court.

There are two types of copyrights relevant to musicians: the composition copyright (covering the underlying song — melody, harmony, and lyrics) and the sound recording copyright (covering the specific recorded version). If you write a song and record it yourself, you own both copyrights. If someone else records your song, they own the master of their recording but you retain the composition copyright. Understanding which rights you hold in any given situation determines what you need to register and where.

How to Register Online

Copyright registration is done through the US Copyright Office at copyright.gov. Online registration costs $45 for a single work or a collection of unpublished works on a single application — making group registration an economical approach for producers who accumulate tracks. Paper applications cost $65. The processing time for online applications is typically several months, though expedited processing is available for an additional fee when you have an imminent legal need (such as active infringement or pending litigation).

What Form to Use

You can register the composition (the song), the sound recording (the master), or both together if you wrote and recorded the work yourself. For most independent artists who write their own music and own their masters, registering both together on a single application using Form SR (Sound Recording) is the most efficient approach. If you're a songwriter who doesn't own the masters — for example, you write for other artists — register only the composition using Form PA (Performing Arts).

Unpublished works can be grouped into a single collection on one application for the same $45 fee. A practical strategy for many independent producers is to batch register groups of unreleased tracks every few months rather than registering individually. Once works are published, grouping options become more limited, so registering before release is generally the most cost-effective approach.

For a deeper breakdown of composition vs. master rights and what each covers, see our guide to how to copyright your music.

Step 2: Joining a PRO for Performance Royalties

A Performing Rights Organization (PRO) exists to collect and distribute the public performance royalties that are generated when your music is played publicly — on broadcast radio, television, in bars and restaurants, at live venues, and on streaming platforms. These royalties are owed to the songwriter and publisher of the composition (not the owner of the master recording). If you write your own music, you are entitled to collect both the songwriter's share and the publisher's share — but only if you are registered with a PRO and have your works listed in their database.

Without PRO registration, this money goes uncollected. Radio stations and streaming services pay blanket licenses to PROs, and PROs distribute those funds to registered members based on performance data. If your work isn't in the system, there is no mechanism to pay you.

ASCAP vs. BMI vs. SESAC

In the United States, the three main PROs are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. ASCAP and BMI are the largest and most accessible for independent artists. SESAC is smaller, invitation-only, and tends to work with more established writers. A fourth option, GMR (Global Music Rights), works exclusively with high-profile songwriters and is not relevant for most independent artists.

Both ASCAP and BMI are reputable organizations with similar royalty rates and broad global affiliations. ASCAP charges a $50 one-time membership fee for songwriters; BMI is free to join as a writer (though registering a publishing entity with BMI costs $150). Royalty payment timing and collection methods differ slightly between them — ASCAP typically pays quarterly, BMI pays quarterly as well, though the exact schedules vary by royalty type.

You cannot be a member of both ASCAP and BMI simultaneously as a songwriter. Most artists choose based on which PRO has better support for their genre, which their co-writers or publisher use, or simply personal preference. The royalty rates are comparable over the long term. For a detailed side-by-side breakdown, see our dedicated ASCAP vs. BMI comparison.

Registering Your Works with Your PRO

Joining a PRO is only the first step. You must also register each individual composition in your PRO's database for it to be eligible for royalty collection. This means logging into your PRO's member portal and submitting the title, writers, publishers, writer/publisher splits, and any relevant identifiers (ISRC, ISWC) for every song. Works that are not individually registered in your PRO's database will not generate payments — even if you are a member.

If you write songs with co-writers, each writer must be a member of a PRO (not necessarily the same one), and the splits you register must be agreed upon by all parties and add up to 100%. If a co-writer is not registered, their share may go uncollected.

Step 3: Claiming Mechanical Royalties from the MLC

Mechanical royalties are a separate type of royalty from performance royalties. They are generated every time a copy of your composition is reproduced — historically, when a vinyl record or CD was pressed. In the streaming era, mechanical royalties are generated by on-demand streams on services like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Tidal. These royalties are owed to the songwriter and publisher of the composition — not to the master rights holder.

In the United States, streaming mechanicals are administered by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), established by the Music Modernization Act of 2018. Streaming services pay a blanket mechanical license fee to the MLC, which then distributes those funds to registered rightsholders. Registration with the MLC is free and is done at themlc.com.

If you use a publishing administrator like Songtrust, they will typically register your works with the MLC on your behalf and pass through collected royalties minus their administrative fee. If you are self-administered, you should register directly with the MLC to ensure you are capturing these royalties.

It's worth noting that the MLC also holds "black box" royalties — unmatched mechanical royalties from streams where the underlying composition could not be identified or matched to a registered rightsholder. These funds are held for a period before being distributed to registered publishers according to market share. Registering your works promptly increases the likelihood that your recordings are matched and paid correctly rather than sitting in an unmatched pool.

To fully understand how all of these royalty streams interact, our article on how music royalties work provides a complete breakdown of every revenue type available to independent artists.

Step 4: ISRC Codes — The Tracking Layer Everything Depends On

An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique 12-character identifier assigned to a specific sound recording. It is not assigned to the composition — it is assigned to the specific recorded version. The same song covered by ten different artists will have ten different ISRCs, one per recording. The original composition may also have an ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code), which is a separate identifier for the underlying work rather than a specific recording.

ISRCs are the primary tracking mechanism used by streaming services, broadcasters, and collection societies worldwide to identify recordings for royalty purposes. When your track plays on Spotify, Spotify uses the ISRC to identify the recording and generate usage reports that flow to PROs, distributors, and collection societies. Without an ISRC — or with an incorrect ISRC — royalty payments can be delayed, misdirected, or lost entirely.

How to Get an ISRC Code

If you distribute music digitally through services like DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby, ISRCs are assigned automatically as part of the distribution process at no additional cost. This is the easiest path for most independent artists. If you want to manage your own ISRC codes independently of a distributor — useful if you distribute through multiple channels or want consistent codes across releases — you can register as an ISRC registrant directly through USISRC.org, which issues a unique registrant code that lets you generate your own ISRCs.

One important practical point: if you receive an ISRC from your distributor for a release, use that same ISRC if you ever re-distribute the same recording through another channel. Using a different ISRC for the same recording splits the usage data across two identifiers, making it harder for collection societies to aggregate your royalties correctly.

If you are choosing a distributor, our comparison of DistroKid vs. TuneCore covers how each handles ISRC assignment, royalty reporting, and related metadata management.

ISWC vs. ISRC: The Difference Explained

The ISRC identifies the sound recording (the master). The ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) identifies the underlying composition. ISWCs are assigned by your PRO when you register a composition — you don't apply for them separately. When you register a work with ASCAP or BMI, an ISWC may be assigned automatically. PROs and the MLC use ISWCs to match compositions to payments. Having both the ISRC (on the recording) and the ISWC (on the composition) properly assigned and linked is what allows the full royalty ecosystem to function accurately.

Step 5: Publishing Administration — Collecting What PROs Miss

PRO registration covers performance royalties in the countries where your PRO has reciprocal agreements with foreign PROs. But mechanical royalties outside the US, and performance royalties in territories where your PRO's agreements have gaps, may require additional administration. This is where publishing administration services become relevant.

A traditional music publisher takes on the job of pitching your songs for licensing deals, collecting royalties globally, and managing copyright registrations across territories — in exchange for taking 50% of your publishing income (called the publisher's share). For most independent artists, giving up 50% of publishing to a traditional publisher is a significant trade-off, especially early in a career.

Publishing administrators like Songtrust offer an alternative. They collect worldwide mechanical and performance royalties on your behalf, register your works with international societies, and handle much of the administrative infrastructure — but they do not take 50% of your publishing income. Songtrust charges a one-time setup fee plus an annual fee (or a small percentage of collected royalties, depending on the plan), and you retain 100% of your publishing rights ownership. DistroKid also offers a publishing administration service for members.

For artists who release music independently and distribute digitally, a publishing administrator is often the most practical option for capturing global royalties that would otherwise go uncollected. The services vary in their territory coverage, registration speed, and fee structures, so it's worth researching the current options before committing.

Understanding the full landscape of music distribution and rights management is also covered in our guide on how to distribute your music, which addresses how distribution choices affect your royalty collection setup.

Your Complete Registration Checklist and Priority Order

For independent artists and producers managing their own rights, the following sequence represents the logical order of operations — both in terms of priority and practical dependency:

Before You Release

Join a PRO (ASCAP or BMI) as a songwriter as early as possible — there is no reason to wait. If you plan to collect the publisher's share, set up a publishing entity with your PRO or sign with a publishing administrator. Register your compositions in your PRO's database as soon as they are finished, before release if possible. Consider filing for copyright registration with the US Copyright Office, ideally before the work is published, to preserve your statutory damages eligibility.

At Release

Confirm your distributor has assigned an ISRC to every track. Note and record these ISRCs — you will need them when registering works with your PRO and the MLC. Ensure your metadata (songwriter credits, publisher name, ISRC) is accurate in your distributor's system before the release goes live. Incorrect metadata at release is one of the most common causes of royalty payment failures downstream.

After Release

Register your recordings with the MLC at themlc.com if you are not using a publishing administrator who does this for you. Monitor your PRO account periodically to confirm performances are being logged and payments are being distributed. If you are releasing internationally, consider whether a publishing administrator would capture additional territory income that your PRO's agreements may not fully cover.

A Note on Metadata: The Foundation Everything Else Depends On

All of these registration systems depend on accurate metadata to function. Your song title, songwriter names, publisher names, splits, and ISRC must be consistent across your distributor, your PRO registration, and your MLC registration. Even small discrepancies — a middle initial, a slightly different song title spelling, or an incorrect split percentage — can cause royalties to remain in an unmatched pool indefinitely. Before submitting any registration, verify the information is accurate and consistent with every other place that same work appears.

For producers who sell beats or work on a work-for-hire basis, the registration situation can be different — the contracts you sign with artists determine who owns the composition and master rights, and therefore who should be registering where. Understanding those contractual structures is essential before assuming you own rights that may have transferred. Our guide on how to sell beats online covers the common contract structures beat producers use and how they affect your rights and registrations.

For artists releasing music independently for the first time, pairing your registration process with a solid understanding of distribution is important. See our guide on how to get your music on Spotify for a practical walkthrough of the distribution and metadata setup process that feeds directly into your royalty collection infrastructure.

Registration is not a one-time task — it is an ongoing practice that grows with your catalog. Every new release requires its own registrations. Building a consistent workflow around your release process, where PRO registration, MLC registration, and copyright filing are standard steps alongside mastering and distribution, is the mark of a professionally managed music career.

Practical Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions