Navigating the complexities of the music industry can be overwhelming. For independent artists, publishers, and smaller labels, managing royalties, rights, and registrations often feels like an uphill battle. With countless acronyms like ASCAP, BMI, and MCPS, plus the challenge of juggling numerous platforms, you might find yourself spending more time on admin than on creating music.
The following was created in collaboration with Melody Rights.
That’s where Melody Rights comes in—a comprehensive solution for rights management in the music industry. Melody Rights doesn’t focus on getting your music onto Spotify or Apple Music (in fact, they’ve intentionally avoided that route). Instead, they’ve specialized in the essential, behind-the-scenes work of ensuring musicians get paid whenever their music is streamed, downloaded, synced, or performed.
What Does Melody Rights Offer?
At its heart, Melody Rights ensures musicians can effectively manage their royalties. Think of it as having a dedicated team member who ensures you never miss out on the revenue you’ve earned.
Here’s what sets Melody Rights apart: they go beyond the usual distribution channels like DSPs (Spotify, Amazon Music, etc.) and open the door to a broader array of revenue streams. Their services include:
- Songwriter Royalties: Revenue earned as a composer or lyricist.
- Publishing Royalties: Making sure publishers (or self-publishers) get their due.
- Neighbouring Rights: Payments for public performances or broadcasts of your music.
- Traditional Mechanicals: Royalties for physical formats like vinyl and CDs.
- Digital Mechanicals: Royalties from streaming and downloads.
- Content ID Revenue: Capturing earnings from platforms like YouTube when your music is used.
- Micro Stock Licensing: Distribution to platforms such as Pond5 and DepositPhotos, where your music can be licensed for videos and other media.
- Gaming Marketplaces: Selling music for use in video games via platforms like Itch.io and Game Dev Marketplace.
Melody Rights ensures no revenue opportunity is overlooked. The best part? You have complete control, with the ability to pick and choose the services that suit your needs.
Why No Spotify Distribution?
Here’s where Melody Rights stands out. They don’t handle music distribution to DSPs like Spotify or Apple Music. Why? Because they focus on areas that other platforms, like DistroKid, CD Baby, and TuneCore, don’t. While those services are excellent at distributing music, they often leave the intricate work of rights management and royalty collection untouched.
By stepping away from the DSP space, Melody Rights complements existing services rather than competing with them. They’ve positioned themselves as a valuable add-on for artists who want to ensure every backend detail is handled professionally.
How Does It Work?
Getting started with Melody Rights is simple. Choose a membership plan that suits your needs, from a free option (for up to five tracks) to advanced plans for producers and labels. Once registered, you gain access to an intuitive dashboard where you can upload tracks, select endpoints, and let the platform handle the rest.
Customization is key. If your music is already distributed through a specific service, you can opt out of that endpoint. Whether you want to focus solely on micro stock licensing, gaming marketplaces, or other niches, Melody Rights offers flexibility tailored to your goals.
A Revenue Model That Works for Everyone
Melody Rights operates on a revenue-sharing basis. Depending on the plan you choose, they take a small percentage of the royalties they help you collect, while the rest goes to you. For instance:
- Artist Plan: A 50/50 split.
- Producer Plan: A 60/40 split in your favor.
- Label Plan: A 70/30 split in favor of the label.
For businesses like labels, publishers, and promotion services, there’s even a commission model for royalties generated through the platform, making it a win-win for everyone involved.
Why This Matters
For many musicians, the industry can feel like a minefield of missed opportunities. With so many revenue streams to monitor and a seemingly endless amount of admin work, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks. Melody Rights provides a streamlined system to ensure every artist, label, and publisher receives their fair share.
Most importantly, it offers peace of mind. In an industry where small details can have big financial implications, having a platform that guarantees your royalties are tracked and paid is invaluable.
The Road Ahead for Melody Rights
Melody Rights isn’t stopping here. They’re actively working to expand their services, including plans to partner with platforms like Unity and Unreal for gaming music, as well as increasing their reach into sync libraries and content platforms. Full API integration is also in the works, enabling other businesses to integrate Melody Rights’ technology seamlessly.
Why You Should Consider Melody Rights
In a world where musicians often have to navigate the industry alone, Melody Rights offers a dependable safety net. They don’t aim to replace your distributor—they’re here to enhance it. By focusing on the backend of music rights management, they’ve carved out a unique niche to ensure every sync, stream, or sale counts toward your bottom line.
If you’re ready to stop leaving money on the table and want a more efficient way to manage your music rights, Melody Rights is worth exploring. After all, isn’t it time to let someone else handle the admin so you can focus on what you do best—making music?