While you can log into ASCAP or BMI and register a song yourself, you probably shouldn’t. If you register only as a songwriter, you are only collecting the Writer’s Share (50% of the pie). Without a publisher to claim the Publisher’s Share, that other 50% often sits unclaimed in a “black box” or is eventually given away to other artists. At Audiobulb, we handle the registration for you to ensure you get 100% of your earnings globally.
1. The 50/50 Split: The “Half-Empty” Truth
Every song’s publishing is split into two equal halves:
- The Writer’s Share (50%): This always belongs to the human who wrote the song. PROs (ASCAP/BMI) are designed to pay this directly to you.
- The Publisher’s Share (50%): This is the administrative half.
The Risk: If you register your song as an individual songwriter and leave the “Publisher” field blank (or don’t have a registered publishing entity), most PROs will not pay you that second half automatically.
Note: BMI uses a placeholder called “Manuscript” to help, but ASCAP generally will not pay the publisher’s share to an individual writer unless they also pay for and manage a separate “Publisher Account.”
2. Why DIY Registration Fails Globally
Even if you manage to register both halves at your home PRO (like ASCAP), your work isn’t done.
- The Domestic Wall: ASCAP only protects you in the USA. If you register your song there, the UK’s society (PRS) or Germany’s (GEMA) doesn’t automatically “see” you.
- The Mechanical Gap: As we’ve discussed, PROs do not collect mechanical royalties from streaming. Registering with a PRO yourself covers “Performance,” but leaves “Mechanicals” (another huge chunk of change) completely untouched.
3. How Audiobulb Does the Job for You
When you let Audiobulb handle your song registration, the process shifts from a manual chore to a global launch:
| Feature | DIY Registration | Audiobulb Registration |
| Effort | Hours of manual data entry per song. | One-time upload; we do the rest. |
| Earnings | Often only 50% (Writer’s Share). | 100% (Writer + Publisher Shares). |
| Mechanicals | ❌ Not collected. | ✅ Collected via The MLC & others. |
| Global Reach | USA only (via reciprocity). | Direct registration in 100+ countries. |
| Metadata | Prone to human error. | Pro-vetted for ISRC/ISWC accuracy. |
4. Step-by-Step: The Professional Way
Instead of navigating the confusing “Add New Work” portals at ASCAP or BMI, here is the professional workflow:
- Submit to Audiobulb: You provide the song title, your co-writer splits, and the ISRC code (from your distributor).
- Metadata Scrubbing: Our team verifies the data. A single typo in an ISRC can result in thousands of dollars in “unmatchable” royalties.
- The “Global Blast”: We register the song simultaneously with your PRO (Performance), The MLC (US Mechanicals), and our network of international sub-publishers.
- The “Black Box” Scan: We don’t just register for the future; we use your data to scan for unpaid royalties from the past that were never claimed.
FAQ: Registration Secrets
If I already registered my songs, can Audiobulb take over?
Yes. This is called a “Letter of Direction” (LOD). You don’t have to delete your old registrations; we simply notify the PRO that we are now the administrator. We “clean up” your existing data to make sure both halves are being collected.
What happens to the “Publisher Share” if I don’t have a publisher?
It depends on the society. In many cases, if it’s not claimed within 2–3 years, that money is moved into a “Black Box” fund and distributed to the top-earning 1% of artists (the ones who already have plenty of money!).
Does my distributor register my songs with the PRO?
No. This is a common misconception. Distributors like DistroKid or TuneCore (basic tier) only handle the recording royalties. They do not register your composition with ASCAP, BMI, or The MLC unless you pay for their separate “Publishing” add-on.
Summary
Registering a song yourself is like building half a bridge. You can see the money on the other side, but you have no way to reach it.
Your Next Step: Don’t work for 50% of your pay. Join Audiobulb and let us handle the tedious, high-stakes work of global song registration. We ensure every song you write is a “Full Bridge” to your global royalties.