What Happens if Two People Upload the Same Song to Different Distributors?
The Bottom Line Up Front: When the same song is uploaded to different distributors, streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music use the ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) to identify the duplicate. If the ISRC is the same, the platforms will attempt to “link” the tracks to preserve play counts. However, if two different people […]
How Do I Split Publishing Percentages Fairly Among Collaborators?
There is no “legal law” for how to split a song, but there are industry standards. Most professional collaborators choose between Equal Splits (everyone in the room gets the same) or Proportional Splits (based on specific contributions). The most important thing is to sign a Split Sheet before the song is released. Audiobulb makes this […]
How Can I Track Who’s Using My Music Online?
In the digital age, your music is “content.” Every time a travel vlogger uses your song in the background or a brand uses your beat for an ad, they owe you a royalty. Most artists have no way of knowing these videos exist. At Audiobulb, we use advanced audio-fingerprinting technology to monitor 20+ global platforms […]
How Are Royalties Calculated on Spotify and YouTube?
Spotify and YouTube do not pay a “fixed rate” per stream. Instead, they use a pro-rata system based on total revenue and market share. On average, a Spotify stream is worth roughly $0.003 to $0.005, but that money is split into two halves: the Master share (for the recording) and the Publishing share (for the […]
Do You Need a Music Publisher if You Use DistroKid or TuneCore? (The Truth)
The Bottom Line Up Front: Yes. DistroKid, TuneCore, and CD Baby are Distributors, not Publishers. Their primary job is to collect “Master Royalties” from streams. They do not automatically collect “Mechanical Royalties” or “International Performance Royalties” for your songwriting. Unless you have a separate publishing agreement, roughly 15–20% of your total earned income is sitting […]
Distributor vs. PRO vs. Publisher: Who Collects What? (2026 Guide)
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 […]