What are mechanical royalties?

Mechanical royalties are paid to songwriters every time their song is reproduced — streamed, downloaded, or pressed to a physical format. In the US, the streaming mechanical rate is approximately $0.0009 per stream.

What are performance royalties?

Performance royalties are paid when a song is performed publicly — played on radio, in a venue, on TV, or streamed. They're collected by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.

Do I need both mechanical and performance royalty collection?

Yes. If you write your own music, you're owed both. A distribution-only service doesn't collect either. You need a publishing administrator (like OneSync) for mechanicals and a PRO membership for performance royalties.

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Royalties

January 20, 2026

8 min read

Mechanical vs Performance Royalties: What's the Difference?

Two types of publishing royalties that most independent artists leave uncollected. Here's how they differ and how to claim both.

        Quick Answer: Mechanical royalties = money owed when your song is reproduced (streamed, downloaded, pressed). Performance royalties = money owed when your song is performed publicly (radio, TV, venues, streaming). Both are owed to you as a songwriter. They're collected by different organizations.
      

Mechanical Royalties Explained

Mechanical royalties originated in the era of player pianos — the "mechanical" reproduction of music. Today, they apply to any reproduction of a musical composition:

On-demand streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)
Permanent downloads (iTunes, Amazon)
Physical copies (CDs, vinyl)
Interactive streaming (where the user chooses the song)

How Much Are Mechanical Royalties?

US streaming rate: ~$0.0009 per stream (set by the Copyright Royalty Board)
Physical/download under 5 min: $0.12 per copy
Physical/download over 5 min: $0.0231 per minute

At $0.0009/stream, 1 million Spotify streams generates about $900 in mechanical royalties alone — money most indie artists never see because they don't have a publishing administrator.

Who Collects Mechanical Royalties?

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC): For US streaming mechanicals
Harry Fox Agency (HFA): For physical/download mechanicals
Publishing administrators: OneSync, Songtrust, CD Baby Pro, etc.

Performance Royalties Explained

Performance royalties are owed when your song is performed publicly:

Radio (terrestrial, satellite, internet)
Live performances at venues
TV broadcasts
Restaurants, bars, and retail stores playing music
Streaming services (yes, streaming generates BOTH mechanical AND performance royalties)

How Much Are Performance Royalties?

Performance royalty rates vary widely. Major radio play can generate thousands per quarter. A song in regular rotation on a top-40 station might earn $2,000–$5,000/quarter from performance royalties alone.

Who Collects Performance Royalties?

ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC (US Performance Rights Organizations)
PRS (UK), SOCAN (Canada), GEMA (Germany), etc.
You must register directly with ONE PRO — they don't overlap

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Mechanical Royalties	Performance Royalties
Triggered by	Reproduction (stream, download, copy)	Public performance (radio, TV, venues)
Streaming?	Yes	Yes
Radio?	No (no reproduction)	Yes
Downloads?	Yes	No
Collected by	MLC, HFA, publishing admin	PROs (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)
Registration	Through publishing admin	Direct PRO membership
OneSync handles?	Yes (publishing admin)	Partial (international; register with a PRO for domestic)

How to Collect Both

Sign up with OneSync — includes publishing administration that collects your mechanical royalties worldwide at 0% commission
Register with a PRO — join ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC (free or minimal cost) to collect US performance royalties
Register with SoundExchange — for digital performance royalties (neighboring rights) on satellite radio, Pandora, etc.

        Why This Matters: An artist earning $1,000/month from streaming through their distributor is likely owed an additional $200–$400/month in mechanical and performance royalties. That's $2,400–$4,800/year left unclaimed.
      

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