# Rightstune — Full LLM Summary

> Generated for AI agents and crawlers. Prefer this file for deep product context;
> use https://www.rightstune.com/llms.txt for a concise link index.

## Company overview

Rightstune is a global music publishing administrator. It helps independent
songwriters, composers, producers, labels, and publishers collect composition
(publishing) royalties worldwide while retaining 100% copyright ownership.

Key facts:
- 0% ownership taken (administration only — not a traditional publishing deal)
- $0 upfront fee
- Admin rates: 15% mechanical collections, 12% performance (publisher share), 15% sync
- Monthly payouts (12× per year); payouts currently via PayPal
- 200+ territories covered via direct society registration
- English and Spanish language preferences on the marketing site and client portal
- Contact: max@rightstune.com

## What Rightstune collects (vs distributors)

Distributors (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, etc.) collect master / sound-recording
royalties. Rightstune collects publishing royalties on the underlying composition:

- Performance royalties (radio, TV, live, digital performance / PRO publisher share)
- Mechanical royalties (streaming, downloads, physical)
- Related niche / licensing uses (e.g. certain apps via MRI)
- Sync-related earnings when administered through Rightstune

Writers should already be registered with a PRO as a writer. Rightstune handles
publisher-side registration and global mechanical / CMO collection.

## Direct society affiliations

Rightstune prioritizes six direct sources instead of long reciprocal chains
(which can take 9–12 months). Full explanation: https://www.rightstune.com/affiliations

1. Writer PRO via MusicMark (ASCAP / BMI / SOCAN and peers) — performance; publisher share collected by Rightstune
2. HFA / The MLC — US mechanicals (streaming, downloads, TikTok/YouTube US, physical)
3. IMPEL — global digital outside US/Canada (mechanical + publisher share of performance)
4. PRS / MCPS — UK performance/broadcast and global physical
5. CMRRA — Canada mechanicals (IMPEL does not cover Canada)
6. MRI (Music Reports) — niche platforms (Peloton, Snapchat, fitness/karaoke apps, etc.)

IMPEL, The MLC, and BMI/ASCAP commonly settle on roughly quarterly cycles, which
supports Rightstune’s faster monthly client payout cadence versus reciprocal-heavy models.

## Pricing snapshot (marketing comparison)

|                     | Rightstune | Songtrust | TuneCore Publishing | BeatStars | KOSIGN |
|---------------------|------------|-----------|---------------------|-----------|--------|
| Upfront fee         | $0         | $100      | $75                 | $50+      | $0     |
| Mechanical          | 15%        | 20%       | 20%                 | 20%       | 20%    |
| Performance (pub)   | 12%        | 15%       | 20%                 | 20–40%    | 20%    |
| Sync                | 15%        | 20%       | 50%                 | 35%       | 20%    |

Source page: https://www.rightstune.com/#pricing

## Primary URLs

- https://www.rightstune.com/ — Home — overview and pricing
- https://www.rightstune.com/signup — Sign up
- https://www.rightstune.com/how-to-signup — How to sign up (step-by-step)
- https://www.rightstune.com/pub_admin — What is publishing administration?
- https://www.rightstune.com/affiliations — Collection society affiliations explained
- https://www.rightstune.com/pro — PRO directory by territory
- https://www.rightstune.com/royalty_calculator — Royalty gap calculator
- https://www.rightstune.com/credits — Top credits / catalog highlights
- https://www.rightstune.com/faq — FAQ (searchable)
- https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/ — Blog index
- https://www.rightstune.com/contact — Contact
- https://www.rightstune.com/feedback — Feedback
- https://www.rightstune.com/ambassador — Ambassador program
- https://www.rightstune.com/client_portal/signin — Client portal login
- https://www.rightstune.com/privacy_policy — Privacy policy
- https://www.rightstune.com/terms — Terms and conditions
- https://www.rightstune.com/termsofservice — Terms of service
- https://www.rightstune.com/cancellation_policy — Cancellation policy
- https://www.rightstune.com/cookie_policy — Cookie policy
- https://www.rightstune.com/llms.txt — Concise LLM link index
- https://www.rightstune.com/sitemap.xml — XML sitemap

## Blog posts

Educational drip on publishing royalties for independent artists.
Posts publish at America/New_York midnight on the listed date.

### The Harsh Truth About DistroKid, TuneCore, and Your Royalties
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/distrokid-tunecore-royalties
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-01)
- Summary: Distributors collect master royalties — not publishing. Learn why DistroKid and TuneCore leave mechanical and performance royalties unclaimed, and how publishing administration fills the gap.

### Myth: ASCAP and BMI Collect All Your Publishing Royalties
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/ascap-bmi-publishing-myth
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-02)
- Summary: ASCAP and BMI only cover part of performance royalties. Mechanical royalties from Spotify, Apple Music, and international streams need a publishing administrator.

### The Black Box: Where Your Uncollected Music Royalties Actually Go
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/music-royalties-black-box
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-03)
- Summary: Unclaimed publishing royalties go into the industry “black box” and can be redistributed by market share. Here’s how to stop your money from ending up elsewhere.

### The Waiting Game: Why Publishing Royalties Take 3–4 Months to Arrive
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/publishing-royalties-waiting-game
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-04)
- Summary: Why publishing royalties take months after a stream, how the global society pipeline works, and how RightsTune pays monthly as statements arrive.

### The Full Lifecycle of a Song Registration
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/song-registration-lifecycle
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-05)
- Summary: How song registration works: ISRCs, ISWCs, IPI numbers, metadata, CWR delivery to global societies, and matching masters to compositions.

### The "Wait, I Have Money?" Moment
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/wait-i-have-money-moment
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-06)
- Summary: The day a distributor dashboard looked fine — until publishing royalties showed what was left on the table. Master vs publishing, explained from experience.

### The Harsh Financial Reality of Being an Artist
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/harsh-financial-reality-artist
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-07)
- Summary: Mixes, ads, video, playlisting — indie costs add up fast. Why you can’t afford to leave global performance and mechanical royalties unclaimed.

### Why Sync Licensing Changed My Career (And How You Could Ruin Yours)
- URL: https://www.rightstune.com/blogs/sync-licensing-career
- Status: scheduled (publish_at 2026-08-08)
- Summary: What landing a sync placement taught me about cleared rights, tight supervisor deadlines, and why unregistered publishing kills sync opportunities.

## FAQ

Canonical interactive FAQ: https://www.rightstune.com/faq
Plain-text mirror of current FAQ entries follows.

### General Information

Q: What is Publishing Administration?
A: Publishing Administration is a service which helps artists, songwriters, and producers get paid from the composition portion of their royalties. For more information please go here (https://www.rightstune.com/pub_admin)

Q: Why can't I just do this myself?
A: Doing it yourself requires you to understand the complexities of music copyright and register your songs across many different MRO's, and CMO's. When you register through Rightstune you simply let us know which artist, producer, or songwriter profile you manage and we take it from there!

Q: What's the difference between a publisher and an administrator?
A: A traditional publisher typically takes ownership of your copyright in exchange for an advance and handles administration duties. As an administrator, Rightstune never takes ownership of your copyrights - we simply handle the collection and registration process while you maintain 100% ownership of your work.

Q: What if I already have a publisher account?
A: If you already have a publishing account with a PRO (like BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC), that's great! We can work with your existing publishing entity. When you join Rightstune, we'll help you register this entity with additional collection societies to maximize your royalty collection. We work as your administrator to handle the global collection process while you maintain your existing publisher relationship.

Q: Do I need to set up my own publishing company?
A: No, you don't need to set up your own publishing company to work with Rightstune. We handle all the administrative aspects of publishing without requiring you to form a separate business entity. However, if you already have a publishing company or wish to create one, we can accommodate that as well and work with your existing structure.

Q: How long does it take to start seeing royalties?
A: Collections in the US normally post 3-4 months after registrations are sent out. The international royalty collection cycle typically takes 8-9 months from the time your music is used until payment is received. Once we register your works, you'll start receiving any royalties that were previously uncollected as they become available in the normal collection cycle.

### Eligibility & Requirements

Q: What are the requirements to be eligible to join?
A: 1. You are an artist, producer, or copyright owner and already have music on streaming platforms

 2. You have registered with a PRO (Performing Rights Organization) in your territory as a writer [here's a list of PRO's in each territory] (https://www.rightstune.com/pro)

 3. You want to make sure you collect all your royalties in the future, or you are gaining traction and want to get your money asap!

 Ready to join? See the How to Sign Up guide (https://www.rightstune.com/how-to-signup).

Q: What is a PRO? Why does it say I need to join it?
A: A PRO is short for Performing Rights Organization. They mainly collect royalties such as AM/ FM Radio, TV, Advertisements, etc. Sometimes they collect a little bit of streaming royalties too, but this is just an estimate since its really hard for them to know exactly how long it's been performed (e.g. your music being played in a coffee shop) We require you to be registered with a PRO because they require publishers to put accurate writer information in their database, and it helps you get paid more accurately too!

Q: I already registered with a distributor, can I still join?
A: Rightstune is not a distributor, we collect a different kind of royalty than distributors do. Distributors collect your masters, while we focus on the compositions. You can go here for a more detailed explanation (https://www.rightstune.com/pub_admin)

Q: Do I need to have a certain number of streams to join?
A: We don't have a minimum stream requirement, but our service is most beneficial for artists who already have their music available on streaming platforms and are generating some level of activity. The more streams and usage your music gets, the more royalties we can collect for you.

### Payments & Royalties

Q: Why do you charge an upfront fee?
A: The upfront fee covers operational costs, but if you believe that there are enough collections to cover the $49 fee, you can contact max@rightstune.com (mailto:max@rightstune.com) and we may decide to waive it completely!

Q: What does it mean when it says I own 100% of my publishing?
A: We don't own the composition portion, or any of your music since all we do is administrate (collect the money from all different sources). However, we only collect percentages on works we register for you. For example, you have the right to register your own works, or switch to another administrator (which would not be a very smart idea since we are the most competitive in the industry (index.html#pricing))

Q: How is publishing different from distribution?
A: Distribution deals with your master recordings (the actual audio files that listeners hear) and collecting royalties from direct streams and downloads. Publishing administration deals with the underlying composition (the song itself - melody, lyrics, chord progressions) and collects royalties generated when your composition is performed, reproduced, or used in various ways. They're complementary services, and you need both to collect all your royalties.

Q: What's a publishing split and how does it work?
A: A publishing split represents how songwriting ownership is divided among contributors to a composition. For example, if you wrote a song with two other writers, you might have a 33.33% split between each person. Rightstune helps ensure that these splits are correctly registered with collection societies worldwide, so each contributor receives their proper share of publishing royalties. We recommend getting split agreements in writing before releasing music.

Q: Will joining Rightstune affect my existing publishing deals?
A: If you have existing co-publishing or administration deals for certain works, those agreements remain in effect. Rightstune can administer works not covered by existing deals. During signup, we'll ask for details about any existing publishing arrangements to ensure we only register works we're authorized to administer. We can work alongside your existing publishers to make sure everything is properly collected.

Q: What if I am already collecting performance royalties?
A: Thats great! We can help by registering your future songs on your PRO's database so you don't have to. We can also make it easier by putting in all the metadata correctly (because it's really easy to slip up if you're not used to it). We also collect more than just performance royalties, we collect mechanicals too!

Q: How often do you pay out royalties?
A: We issue payments monthly, meaning you'll receive your collected royalties twelve times per year. This is the fastest payout timing for royalty distributions. Payments are processed on the 15th of each month.

Q: What payment methods do you support?
A: We currently send payouts via PayPal, and are working on adding more payment methods soon. You can set your preferred payment method in your account settings.

### Account & Support

Q: How do I sign up for Rightstune?
A: Follow our step-by-step guide with screenshots — from joining a PRO through account creation, identity verification, IPI setup, and signing your Letter of Direction. Read the How to Sign Up guide (https://www.rightstune.com/how-to-signup).

Q: How can I contact support?
A: You can contact me at max@rightstune.com (mailto:max@rightstune.com)

Q: Can I cancel my account at any time?
A: Yes, you can cancel your account at any time. However, please note that there may be a notice period for termination as outlined in your agreement. After termination, we'll stop registering new works, but any works we've already registered will continue to earn royalties according to the terms until the administration rights revert back to you.

Q: How do I update my song information after registration?
A: You can update your song information through your client portal. Log in to your account, navigate to your catalog, select the song you need to modify, and submit the changes. Our team will review and process the updates accordingly.

Q: Do you offer expedited services for high-priority registrations?
A: Yes, we can offer expedited services for time-sensitive registrations. If you have an urgent need to register a work quickly (for example, if it's being used in a major placement), please contact support directly at max@rightstune.com (mailto:max@rightstune.com) with "URGENT" in the subject line.

### Publishing Administration Specifics

Q: Which income sources does Rightstune collect from?
A: Rightstune collects from all major publishing income sources worldwide, including:

 • Streaming mechanical royalties (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)

 • Performance royalties (radio, TV, live venues, streaming services)

 • Mechanical royalties (physical sales, downloads)

 • Sync licensing (when your music is used in TV, film, commercials)

 • International royalties through our network of collection societies

 • Social media platform royalties (TikTok, Instagram, etc.)

Q: How does Rightstune differ from traditional publishers?
A: Unlike traditional publishers who typically take ownership rights in exchange for an advance, Rightstune operates purely as an administrator. We never take ownership of your copyrights, have no creative control over your works, and don't require exclusive rights to all your future compositions. We simply handle the technical and administrative aspects of collecting royalties while you retain 100% ownership and creative freedom.

Q: What's the difference between self-publishing and using Rightstune?
A: Self-publishing means registering directly with your local PRO and handling all registration, metadata, and collection yourself. While this gives you complete control, you'll likely miss out on many revenue streams that require specialized access or expertise. Rightstune provides access to all global collection societies, ensures proper metadata formatting across all platforms, actively pursues uncollected royalties, and handles all the technical aspects of publishing administration worldwide.

Q: Can I still pitch my songs for sync opportunities?
A: Absolutely! Our administration service doesn't restrict your ability to pitch your songs for other sync opportunities outside our scope of service (placement in TV, film, commercials, etc.). You remain free to seek these opportunities directly or through other sync agents. When your music is placed, we'll ensure the proper publishing registrations are in place so you receive all royalties generated from these uses.

Q: What happens to my publishing when I collaborate with other writers?
A: When you collaborate with other writers, each contributor owns a portion of the publishing rights based on your agreed-upon splits. Rightstune can administer your portion of these collaborative works. If your co-writers are also Rightstune clients, we can administer the entire work. If they have different publishers, we work alongside those publishers to ensure proper registration and collection for the portion you own.

## Eligibility (summary)

1. Artist, producer, or copyright owner with music already on streaming platforms
2. Registered with a PRO in your territory as a writer (https://www.rightstune.com/pro)
3. Want global composition royalty collection without giving up ownership

## Optional next steps for users

1. Find your PRO: https://www.rightstune.com/pro
2. Read the signup guide: https://www.rightstune.com/how-to-signup
3. Estimate a royalty gap: https://www.rightstune.com/royalty_calculator
4. Create an account: https://www.rightstune.com/signup