Music Royalties Explained
Master and publishing royalties, per-stream rates, and payout timing — a plain-English guide to how music royalties work and how Rthyms pays you.
The two main kinds of royalties
Recorded-music (master) royalties are earned by the specific recording of a song, while publishing royalties are earned by the underlying composition — the melody and lyrics. A single stream can generate both, and they are often paid to different people.
How streaming pays
Streaming services pay a per-stream amount that varies by platform, country, and subscription type. Your distributor collects the master royalties from the stores and passes them to you; publishing royalties are collected separately through publishing and collection societies.
Keep 100% and get paid fast
On Rthyms you keep 100% of the royalties your music earns — the platform does not take a percentage of your streaming revenue — and payouts are processed within 24 hours of clearing.
Why metadata matters for getting paid
Accurate songwriter, performer, and split information is what makes sure every royalty reaches the right person. Getting credits and splits right at upload prevents unclaimed or misrouted royalties later.