The Bottom Line Up Front: You need all three. A Distributor gets your recorded music onto Spotify and Apple Music. A PRO (Performing Rights Organization) collects royalties when your songs are played in public (radio, venues). A Publisher collects mechanical royalties and global income that the other two miss. If you are missing one of these three partners, you are only collecting 60–70% of your money.
The modern music industry is fragmented. In the old days, a record label handled everything. Today, the independent artist has to assemble their own team.
The most common mistake new artists make is thinking, “I uploaded my song to DistroKid/TuneCore, so I’m done.”
You aren’t done. You’ve just built the house (the recording), but you haven’t insured the land (the composition). Here is exactly how these three roles differ and how they work together to pay you.
1. The Distributor (The “Delivery” Guy)
Examples: DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse
What they do: The distributor deals with the Master Recording (the audio file). Their job is purely logistical: they take your .wav file and artwork and deliver it to Digital Service Providers (DSPs) like Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and Amazon.
How they pay you: They collect Streaming Royalties and Download Sales generated by the recording.
- If a fan streams your song on Spotify, Spotify pays your distributor.
- Your distributor takes a cut (or a yearly fee) and sends the rest to you.
What they DO NOT do: They (mostly) do not collect performance royalties or mechanical royalties associated with the songwriting.
2. The PRO (The “Performance” Police)
Examples: ASCAP, BMI (USA), PRS (UK), SOCAN (Canada), IPRS (India)
What they do: “PRO” stands for Performing Rights Organization. They deal with the Composition (lyrics and melody). Their job is to track where your music is “performed” in public.
A “Public Performance” includes:
- Your song playing on terrestrial radio.
- Your song playing in a coffee shop, gym, or bar.
- Your song being performed live (even if you are the one singing it!).
- TV broadcasts.
How they pay you: They issue licenses to venues and radio stations, collect the fees, and pay out Performance Royalties to songwriters and publishers.
What they DO NOT do: They do not collect “Mechanical Royalties” from streams. This is the biggest misconception in the industry. ASCAP does not collect money from Spotify streams (except for a very small performance slice).
3. The Publisher (The “Global” Collector)
Examples: Audiobulb, Songtrust, Major Publishers (Warner Chappell)
What they do: A Publisher (or Publishing Administrator) is the catch-all for the revenue the other two miss. They focus on the Composition.
They collect two massive income streams:
- Mechanical Royalties: Every time a user decides to play your song on Spotify (an on-demand stream), it generates a “mechanical” royalty—literally a payment for “reproducing” the song. In the US, this is paid to The MLC, not your PRO.
- Global Royalties (Sub-Publishing): This is where the Sub-Publisher comes in. If your music is streamed in Japan or played on the radio in Germany, ASCAP cannot easily collect that money. A Publisher hires “Sub-Publishers” (local agents in foreign countries) to collect that money and send it back to you.
The Comparison: Side-by-Side
This table breaks down exactly who owns what rights.
| Feature | Distributor | PRO (ASCAP/BMI) | Music Publisher |
| Primary Asset | The Master (Audio File) | The Composition (Performance) | The Composition (Mechanicals) |
| Main Income | Streaming & Downloads | Radio & Live Performance | Publishing, Mechanicals & Foreign Income |
| Example | DistroKid, TuneCore | ASCAP, BMI, PRS | Audiobulb, Songtrust |
| Pays You For | “Sales” of the track | “Public Use” of the song | “Reproduction” of the song |
| Do You Need One? | YES (To be on Spotify) | YES (To get radio money) | YES (To get global/mechanical $) |
The “Sub-Publisher” Explained
You might have heard the term “Sub-Publisher.” You typically do not hire a sub-publisher directly.
A Sub-Publisher is a company in a foreign country that represents your catalog in that specific territory.
- Example: You are a US artist. You have a US publisher. Your song blows up in Brazil. Your US publisher calls their partner in Brazil (the Sub-Publisher) to go to the Brazilian societies and collect your Reais (currency).
- Why it matters: Without a publisher who has these sub-publishing relationships, your international royalties sit in foreign bank accounts until they expire.
FAQ: Common Questions
Do I need a publisher if I am already with DistroKid?
Yes. DistroKid is a distributor. While they have a “publishing” add-on, it is a separate service. If you only use their standard distribution, you are missing out on mechanical royalties and global performance royalties.
What is the difference between Master rights and Publishing rights?
Master rights refer to the actual sound recording (the specific MP3/WAV file). Publishing rights refer to the underlying song (the lyrics, melody, and chords). You can own the Master but not the Publishing, and vice versa.
Can I be my own publisher?
Technically, yes. You can register as a publisher entity with your PRO. However, this does not give you the ability to collect mechanical royalties from The MLC or international royalties. To do that effectively, you usually need a Publishing Administrator.
Final Verdict: The “All-In” Strategy
To ensure you collect 100% of your earnings in 2025, your setup should look like this:
- Distributor: To get your music on Spotify/Apple.
- PRO: To collect your US radio/performance money.
- Publishing Administrator (like Audiobulb): To collect your mechanicals, sync fees, and international money via sub-publishers.
Next Step: Not sure if you are set up correctly? Check out our previous guide on What Exactly Does a Music Publisher Do? to see a breakdown of the royalty splits.
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