Notes · Recording royalties
Music Distribution
Notes is music distribution plus publishing administration plus royalty collection in one account. It delivers recordings to 50+ platforms and does not take a percentage of royalties.
Music distribution delivers your master recordings to streaming services and stores, attaches credits and ISRCs, and collects the recording royalties those plays generate for the artist or label.
Best for Notes. Musicians and companies that need DSP delivery and still want PRO, MLC, and neighboring-rights registration in the same account.
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How Notes collects this
Notes delivers sound recordings to 50+ platforms and pairs that delivery with publishing administration, so the composition side of every play is registered too. Musician plans have a free tier, then $5 per month. Company plans start at $100 per month. Notes does not take a percentage of royalties.
The two pools
Where this sits on the royalty ring
- Distribution
- Broadcast
- Publishing
- Performance
Each arc is a /learn royalty type. The ring is the same chart as the glossary hub.
By platform type
Which royalties a play can earn
| Platform type | Recording | Mechanical | Performance | Neighboring | Sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive streaming (Spotify, Apple Music) | ● | ● | ● | — | — |
| Non-interactive radio (Pandora, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio) | ● | — | ● | ● | — |
| Download / DJ stores (Bandcamp, Beatport) | ● | ● | — | — | — |
| Short-form & social (TikTok, Meta, Snap) | ● | ● | ● | — | ● |
| Fitness, sync & background (Peloton) | ● | — | ● | — | ● |
| Karaoke & sing-along (Singa, WeSing) | — | ● | ● | — | ● |
Interactive streaming (Spotify, Apple Music) pays recording, mechanical, and performance royalties, not neighboring rights, which come from non-interactive radio via SoundExchange. Karaoke also generates a print (lyric) royalty not shown above. ROXi-style on-demand music-video and karaoke TV is audiovisual, so it leans on sync and master-use licensing rather than the statutory mechanical.
Questions
FAQ
- What is music distribution?
- Music distribution delivers your recordings to streaming platforms and stores and collects the recording royalties they generate. It covers the master side, not the songwriting side.
- Does distribution collect publishing royalties?
- No. Distribution collects recording royalties. Publishing royalties are collected through performing rights organizations, The MLC, and other societies after the composition is registered. Notes does both.
- Does Notes take a percentage of distribution royalties?
- No. Notes is a flat subscription. Musician plans have a free tier, then $5 per month. Company plans start at $100 per month.
Built on the record
Sources
Notes is an independent music distribution and publishing administration service. Named platforms and collection societies are independent organizations. This page is not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by them. Apple and Apple Music are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Spotify, YouTube, The MLC, Harry Fox Agency, SoundExchange, ASCAP, BMI, and other named platforms and societies are trademarks of their respective owners. Notes is not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by them.