Frequently Asked Questions

Which music rights generate a source of income for sound recordings?

Public Performance Rights:

  • In Canada, every time your master recording is played or performed publicly on the radio, online, on TV, in movies, in bars and restaurants, night clubs, arenas and in a live performance (by you or anyone else), you can collect public performance royalties with CMOs such as Re:Sound or SOPROQ.
  • In the United States, you can only collect public performance royalties on digital audio transmissions of your master recording with CMOs such as SoundExchange.

Reproduction (Mechanical) Rights: Mechanical Rights are for the mechanical reproduction of a master recording and permission to make copies of it in the form of CDs, mp3s, vinyl, etc. Every time your master recording is mechanically reproduced, you can collect mechanical royalties. These royalties are collected directly from the digital service providers (DSPs), aggregators, or labels.

Synchronization Rights: Also known as synch rights, they are for the use of a master recording in an audio-visual work for theatrical exhibition or television. Synch rights are negotiated with and paid to the copyright owners or labels.

Derivative Rights: These rights are for use of a master recording in deriving a new master recording (i.e. remixes, mashups, etc.). They are negotiated with and paid to the copyright owners or labels.