Most artists think the only way to make more money from streaming is to get more plays. But there’s a smarter, often-overlooked method: royalty stacking—collecting every possible payment your music is owed, from every source, worldwide.
The truth is, your song earns more than just platform payouts. When it’s streamed, broadcast, or performed publicly, it triggers multiple types of royalties, and each one can be claimed separately. The problem? Many artists leave money on the table simply because they don’t know where to collect it.
Here’s how royalty stacking works:
- Streaming Royalties – The payouts you get directly from platforms via your distributor.
- Publishing Royalties – Payments for the composition itself, collected by PROs (like ASCAP, BMI, or PRS).
- Neighboring Rights – Earnings from the recording being played on radio, in shops, or on TV.
- Sync Licensing – One-off fees and ongoing royalties when your music is used in film, ads, or games.
By registering with the right collection agencies in every category, you can earn two to three times more from the same amount of streams. The difference isn’t in the plays—it’s in the paperwork.
Independent artists who master royalty stacking turn their music into a multi-channel income machine, ensuring that every single time their work is played, performed, or synced, they get paid.
In this new era, the question isn’t just “How do I get more streams?”—it’s “Am I collecting everything my music is worth?”