Part 6/12:
Furthermore, income splits for songwriters are now mostly routed through performance royalties collected by organizations such as BMI or ASCAP, which can be sizable but unpredictable, especially given the decline of physical sales. For example, a hit country song can generate around a million dollars from radio airplay, which is then split among songwriters.
Streaming and Digital Royalties: The New Frontier
Streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube are now primary sources of music consumption. SoundExchange, a licensing entity, pays performance royalties directly to performers and producers—bypassing traditional publishing channels—and can be a significant income stream if the music is widely streamed.