ALO SOUND WORLDS · RIGHTS LAB · PILOT

Know the rights behind the music.

A guided field map for artists, writers, producers, publishers, and labels trying to understand who collects what — before revenue starts slipping through the cracks.

Build my rights path

Prototype route · designed for direct testing and feedback.

II. FOUNDATION

Start with the split.

Most royalty confusion becomes easier once you separate the composition from the sound recording.

01THE SONG

Composition + Publishing

Melody, lyrics, and the underlying musical work.

Performance: PRO
Digital mechanical: The MLC
Administration: Publisher / admin

02THE RECORDING

Master + Sound Recording

The fixed recorded performance that listeners actually hear.

DSP delivery: Distributor
Digital performance: SoundExchange
Ownership: Artist / label / master owner

PRO RULE

For your own writer affiliation, think choose a PRO, not “join every PRO.” ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR, and AllTrack sit in the performance-rights lane. The MLC and SoundExchange address different rights.

III. YOUR ROUTE

Build your rights stack.

Choose the role closest to your situation. This is a starting map, not a contract review.

Primary role

Current U.S. writer PROI control some or all publishing rights.I own or control master recordings.

RECOMMENDED STARTING PATH

Songwriter / Composer

You own or share in the underlying song: melody, lyrics, and composition.

PILOT

01
Choose one performing-rights organization for your writer affiliation.
02
Register each composition with accurate co-writers and ownership shares.
03
If you self-administer publishing, connect eligible U.S. digital mechanical rights to The MLC.
04
Keep your legal name, writer name, IPI, titles, and splits consistent across registrations.

IV. THE ECOSYSTEM

Different lanes. Different money.

Explore the organizations and partner layers that can sit around a music career.

PERFORMANCEPRO

ASCAP

Performance rights · U.S. affiliation with international collection relationships

Who it serves

Songwriters, composers, and music publishers

Where it fits

A performing-rights organization for the composition side. Writers generally treat ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR, and AllTrack as affiliation alternatives rather than stacking them for the same writer-performance lane.

Visit ASCAP

V. RELEASE READINESS

Before the music goes live.

Use this as a conversation checklist with collaborators, management, publishing, or counsel.

of 8 checkpoints reviewed

01Songwriting splits are confirmed in writing.02Publishing ownership and administration are confirmed.03Master ownership is confirmed.04The composition is registered with the correct PRO.05Eligible U.S. digital mechanical interests are reviewed with The MLC.06Eligible featured-artist and master-owner interests are reviewed with SoundExchange.07Copyright registration strategy is understood for the song and recording.08Titles, writer names, shares, IPI data, ISRCs, and release metadata match everywhere.

VI. PILOT MODE

A rights guide that can grow with Sound Worlds.

This prototype is intentionally educational and role-driven. The next phase can add saved profiles, catalog-level checklists, territory views, release metadata audits, and authenticated artist tools after the pilot shows which questions people actually need answered.

Send pilot feedback Return to Sound Worlds

Educational overview. Rights, eligibility, royalty flows, registrations, and international collection structures vary by contract, catalog, territory, and organization. Verify current requirements with the relevant organization and obtain professional legal or accounting advice when appropriate.