Why Registering with a PRO Isn’t Enough (And What Smart Artists Do Instead)
You finally finished a song you're proud of. You upload it to Spotify. You register it with your PRO—maybe ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. You breathe a sigh of relief, feeling like your publishing is handled.
But here's the truth:
Registering with a PRO is step one—not the finish line.
If you stop there, you're likely leaving serious money behind.
Let’s break down the full picture and how you can start collecting everything your music actually earns.
What Your PRO Really Does (And Doesn’t Do)
Performing Rights Organizations are important. They collect performance royalties—earned when your music is performed publicly, like:
🎙 Radio airplay
📺 TV broadcasts
🏟 Live shows
📲 Streaming platforms (but only performance, not mechanical royalties)
That’s valuable, but incomplete.
Here’s what PROs don’t cover—and where most indie artists fall short.
Royalties You Won’t Get From a PRO
To collect all your revenue as a songwriter or producer, you’ll need more than a PRO.
Here’s what they don’t track or collect:
❌ Mechanical Royalties
Earned from digital downloads, physical copies (vinyl, CDs), and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. These are paid by mechanical licensing societies around the world.
Pro tip: There are multiple mechanical societies you’ll need to register with to ensure global collection.
❌ Sync Fees
Paid when your song is licensed for TV, film, games, or ads. PROs don’t negotiate or collect these fees—you need publishing or sync reps for that.
❌ International Royalties
If your music gets played or streamed abroad, most of that income never reaches you unless you have global representation.
So What’s the Solution?
Admin publishing and co-publishing deals.
And that’s where Elizabeth Music Group steps in.
What Elizabeth Music Group Offers
✅ Global Royalty Collection
EMG registers your music globally through direct relationships with international collection societies. That means:
No lost royalties from streams or radio overseas
Transparent, timely payments
Real-time tracking of your income
✅ Sync Licensing Opportunities
We actively pitch our catalog for sync placements across film, television, ads, and video games—and our artists get real opportunities to be heard every month by submitting to sync briefs in our exclusive Discord community. You can’t access these revenue streams through a PRO alone.
⚠️ What Happens If You Stop at PROs?
You’re not just losing money—you’re losing momentum.
🧩 Your Music Royalties Checklist
If you're serious about collecting everything you’re owed, here’s what to do:
Register with a U.S. PRO like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC
🌐 Sign with a global admin publisher like Elizabeth Music Group
💰 If you’re ready for the next level, explore EMG’s co-publishing deals with advances
🎬 Get your music submitted for sync placements (EMG does this in-house)
🎧 Distribute consistently, track your plays, and build your artist brand
Final Word: Publishing Is Not Just Paperwork—It’s Power
If your song is earning money but you’re not seeing it, you’re not alone. The music royalty landscape is fragmented, confusing, and constantly changing. But the good news?
You don’t have to do it all alone.
At Elizabeth Music Group, we combine real artist support with global royalty collection, sync pitching, and fair deals—whether you're just starting or scaling fast.
