The #1 mistake is assuming that your Distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, etc.) is your Publisher. It isn’t. A distributor only puts your recording on Spotify; a publisher manages your songwriting rights. By using Audiobulb, you avoid the “Administrative Trap” by centralizing your global rights and active sync pitching in one place for $19.99/year with 0% commission.
1. Confusing Distribution with Publishing
This is the most frequent error.
- The Reality: Your distributor collects “Master” royalties (audio streams). Your publisher (or administrator) collects “Composition” royalties (melody and lyrics). If you only have a distributor, you are likely leaving 40–50% of your total income on the table.
2. Relying Only on a PRO (ASCAP/BMI)
Many artists think being a member of ASCAP or BMI means they are “fully set up.”
- The Reality: PROs only collect Performance Royalties. They do not collect Mechanical Royalties (from streaming). To get your mechanicals, you must register with The MLC (in the US) or a global administrator like Audiobulb.
3. The “Handshake” Deal (Missing Split Sheets)
New writers often collaborate without signing anything.
- The Reality: If a song goes viral and you haven’t agreed on splits, the PROs will freeze the royalties until a legal agreement is reached. Audiobulb encourages the “Sync-Ready” standard: every song should have a signed split sheet before it is ever uploaded.
4. Poor Metadata & “Black Box” Royalties
If your name is “John Smith” and you don’t use your IPI number (your unique ID from your PRO), your money gets lost in the “Black Box.”
- The Reality: Millions of dollars are sitting in foreign accounts because songs were registered with typos, missing ISRC codes, or incomplete writer names. Audiobulb acts as your “Metadata Guard,” ensuring your data is clean across all global societies.
5. Ignoring International Royalties
Songwriters often register their songs in their home country but forget the rest of the world.
- The Reality: Music is global. If you have fans in the UK, Germany, or Japan, their local societies are collecting money for you. Without a global administrator to “claim” that money, it eventually gets redistributed to local artists in those countries.
Comparison: DIY vs. Professional Administration
| The Mistake | The DIY Artist Result | The Audiobulb Artist Result |
| No Admin | Loses ~50% of revenue. | Collects 100% of revenue. |
| Typo in Title | Money goes to a “Black Box.” | Metadata is audited & corrected. |
| No Sync Strategy | Passive income only. | Active pitching to Netflix/Hulu. |
| High Commission | Pays 15-50% of every dollar. | Pays 0% Commission. |
6. Signing Away “Life of Copyright”
Desperate for a “deal,” many new writers sign contracts that give away 50% of their publishing ownership forever.
- The Reality: In 2025, you don’t need to give up ownership to get professional help. Audiobulb is an Administrator, meaning we handle the work for a flat fee, but you keep 100% of your ownership.
7. Not Having a “Sync-Ready” Instrumental
As mentioned in previous topics, music supervisors often need the instrumental version instantly.
- The Reality: If you don’t have your instrumentals registered and tagged with the same metadata as your vocal tracks, you are effectively invisible to the sync market.
How Audiobulb Solves These Pitfalls
We built Audiobulb to be the “Safety Net” for independent creators.
- Full Administration: We register you with the MLC, PROs, and international societies, so no royalty is left behind.
- 0% Commission: We don’t punish your success. Whether you earn $100 or $100,000, our fee is the same.
- Professional Vetting: We check your splits and metadata before pitching your music, ensuring you look like a professional to industry gatekeepers.
Summary
New songwriters fail not because their music is bad, but because their paperwork is bad. By treating your publishing like a business from day one and using a platform that doesn’t take a cut of your earnings, you ensure that your career is built on a solid financial foundation.
Your Next Step: Are you currently registered with a PRO but missing your mechanical royalties? Join Audiobulb for $19.99/year to fix your metadata, secure your global rights, and start your sync journey.