Mechanical & Performance
SoundExchange
The statutory non-profit designated to collect and distribute digital non-interactive performance royalties for master recordings.
SoundExchange: The Master Digital Performance Collective
Established in 2003, SoundExchange is a statutory non-profit collective designated by the Library of Congress to collect and distribute digital public performance royalties for Sound Recordings (Masters) under 17 U.S.C. § 114.
Core Payout Focus SoundExchange collects royalties whenever a sound recording is performed publicly by means of a digital, non-interactive transmission. This includes: - Satellite Radio: SiriusXM - Webcasters and Internet Radio: Pandora, iHeartRadio - Digital Cable and Satellite TV music channels
Payout Split Formula Under statutory mandates, SoundExchange pays royalties directly to creators, completely bypassing traditional record label recoupment accounts: - 50% is paid directly to the Sound Recording copyright owner (the record label). - 45% is paid directly to the Featured Artist. - 5% is paid to a non-featured artist royalty fund (session musicians and backing vocalists, administered by SAG-AFTRA & AFM).
- Note: Registrations with SoundExchange are 100% free.*
Legal Citations & Known Aliases
SoundExchange Inc.sound exchange registrationnon-interactive master royaltysiriusxm royaltiesSX
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