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ROBONZO: Welcome to another episode of The Unstarving Musician.

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ROBONZO: I’m Robonzo.

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ROBONZO: This is my podcast and it features interviews with independent musicians, artists, and creative professionals who share their experience and expertise on recording, touring, gigs, the creative process, marketing, and much more.

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ROBONZO: I also drop occasional solo episodes like the one today that focus on themes from my conversations, research, and off-mic interviews with creatives.

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ROBONZO: It’s the podcast intended to help independent creatives better understand the marketing business and creative processes that empower us to do more of what we love, create, work, and music that matters.

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ROBONZO: How are you?

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ROBONZO: Where are you?

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ROBONZO: What are you wearing?

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ROBONZO: These are the things I must know.

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ROBONZO: Speaking of which, the holidays are upon us, or I should say, the holidays are upon us.

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ROBONZO: Speaking of which, and just in time for your holiday gift-giving, Spartacus the Cat has been immortalized.

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ROBONZO: Spartacus has left us for the Great Kitty Beyond, but he was with me and Sammy when we left California for Panama and then made our way to Queretaro.

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ROBONZO: He was our fourth cat, and I have to say, he was arguably our best.

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ROBONZO: Why?

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ROBONZO: They’re all great, but he was the most gentle and sweet.

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ROBONZO: He was a 15 and a half pound tabby, the sweetest you’d ever met if you met him.

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ROBONZO: We’ll now, well now, well now, he’s on the first of a series of coffee mugs called Spartacups.

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ROBONZO: The mug features an amazing shot of Spartacus lounging at home in Queretaro.

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ROBONZO: This is a mug of great quality, and I know I’m a caffeine addict.

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ROBONZO: Everything about my coffee ritual is important, so I know coffee mugs.

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ROBONZO: Visit the show notes for this episode or the Unstarving Musician store at unstarvingmusician.com/shop to get your first edition Spartacup, The Spartacus Mug.

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ROBONZO: Also, speaking of the holidays, Blair Davis from Honolulu, Hawaii sent me a message to inquire about being on the podcast and mentioned he has a new Christmas song called The Reason for the Season, and it features Rona Rae.

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ROBONZO: Hope I said both of their names right.

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ROBONZO: You can find it on YouTube or via a link in the show notes for this episode.

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ROBONZO: Thank you for the message, Blair, and for sharing your song with me.

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ROBONZO: I liked it.

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ROBONZO: So, let me ask you a question.

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ROBONZO: What if I told you that thousands of dollars from your music are sitting out there right now, unclaimed?

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ROBONZO: Not in some theoretical future revenue stream, not from some sink placement you’ve never landed, but from music you’ve already released.

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ROBONZO: Songs that are already being played, royalties that have already been earned.

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ROBONZO: For most independent artists, this isn’t hypothetical, it’s reality.

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ROBONZO: A couple of weeks ago, Amani Roberts, music business educator and author, shared some eye-opening insights about the money musicians leave on the table.

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ROBONZO: Not just because or not because they don’t work hard enough, but because their music isn’t good enough.

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ROBONZO: That’s not right.

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ROBONZO: Not because they don’t work hard enough, and not because their music is not good enough, but because they don’t know about four separate royalty collection systems that require four separate registrations.

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ROBONZO: And here’s the thing that makes this urgent.

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ROBONZO: You typically have about four years to claim these royalties before they’re gone forever.

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ROBONZO: After that window closes, that money gets redistributed to major labels based on their market share.

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ROBONZO: Your money going to them.

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ROBONZO: So today we’re breaking down the framework for conducting a personal royalty audit.

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ROBONZO: By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly which systems to check, how to register with the ones you’re missing, and how to recover royalties going back as far as a few years.

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ROBONZO: December is the perfect time for this kind of financial cleanup, so let’s get into it.

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ROBONZO: Now then, back in episodes 302 and 304, we covered different types of music royalties and how platforms like YouTube pay them.

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ROBONZO: So these episodes are very complementary to the one we’re doing right now.

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ROBONZO: As you get into today’s episode, if you feel lost or that you’d benefit from understanding some basics, hit pause and start with episode 302 and or 304.

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ROBONZO: There are links for these episodes in the show notes, so if you want to go back and listen to them, you can find out the details and search for them on your favorite podcast app.

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ROBONZO: Today’s episode isn’t about understanding what royalties are, however, it’s about making sure you’re actually registered to collect them.

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ROBONZO: You might remember from episode 302, if you heard it, that PROs collect performance royalties.

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ROBONZO: That’s true, but here’s what the episode didn’t cover.

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ROBONZO: You need to be registered on both the writer and publisher sides.

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ROBONZO: Many artists only register as the songwriter, which means they’re only collecting half of what they’re owed.

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ROBONZO: Most artists assume that they’re covered because they registered with Ascap, BMI, or Sesac.

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ROBONZO: And don’t get me wrong, that registration is important, but that’s only one of four major collection systems you need to be registered with.

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ROBONZO: Think about it this way.

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ROBONZO: Your PRO is collecting public performance royalties.

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ROBONZO: That’s radio play, streaming platforms, live venues where your music is performed.

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ROBONZO: Critical?

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ROBONZO: Absolutely.

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ROBONZO: Complete?

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ROBONZO: Not even close.

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ROBONZO: One of the biggest misconceptions in the music business today is that streaming royalties are where most of your money comes from.

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ROBONZO: For the vast majority of independent artists, that’s not true.

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ROBONZO: Mechanical royalties, public performance royalties, and publishing royalties represent much bigger opportunities.

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ROBONZO: And they’re the ones that most commonly get overlooked.

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ROBONZO: Here’s how this plays out in real life, based on what Amani Roberts shared with me in episode 339.

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ROBONZO: Artists recover thousands in unclaimed royalties when they finally do an audit.

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ROBONZO: Split sheets that were never filed mean publishing royalties have been going uncollected for years.

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ROBONZO: Digital performance royalties from platforms like Pandora and iHeart, completely missed because the artists didn’t know SoundExchange existed.

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ROBONZO: Mechanical royalties from streaming platforms overlooked entirely.

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ROBONZO: And the real kicker, these organizations don’t hold your money indefinitely.

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ROBONZO: After a certain time frame, usually around four years, unclaimed royalties get redistributed to major labels according to their market share.

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ROBONZO: That money was earned by your songs, generated by your fans, streaming or buying your music, and it ends up padding some major labels bottom line instead of yours.

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ROBONZO: So, when I say you have a four year window, I mean it.

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ROBONZO: This isn’t something to get to eventually.

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ROBONZO: This is money you’ve already earned that’s sitting there right now, and if you don’t claim it, it disappears.

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ROBONZO: The good news, once you understand the four systems, the audit process is straightforward.

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ROBONZO: Time consuming?

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ROBONZO: Sure.

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ROBONZO: A few hours spread across a week or two, but we’re talking about potentially recovering thousands of dollars and, more importantly, ensuring every dollar you earn going forward actually makes it to your bank account.

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ROBONZO: So let’s break down exactly what these four systems are and what you need to do.

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ROBONZO: Episode 304 covered how YouTube royalties work and mentioned you need a publishing administrator.

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ROBONZO: That publishing administrator, it’s system number three in today’s audit framework.

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ROBONZO: All right, here are the four registration systems you need to know about.

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ROBONZO: I’m going to walk you through each one, explain what it collects and give you the specific action to take.

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ROBONZO: System number one, your performance-right organization.

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ROBONZO: This is Ascap, BMI or Sesac if you’re in the United States, and SACM, SACM, which stands for Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de Mexico, which translates to the Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico, since I’m in Mexico.

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ROBONZO: You probably know about this one.

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ROBONZO: Your PRO collects public performance royalties.

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ROBONZO: That’s when your song is played on the radio, streamed on Spotify or Apple Music, performed in a venue, played in a restaurant or retail store, wherever.

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ROBONZO: But here’s what a lot of artists miss.

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ROBONZO: You need to be registered on both sides as the songwriter and the publisher.

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ROBONZO: Many artists only registers the songwriter, which means they’re only collecting half of what the road.

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ROBONZO: So your first step, or your first action step, is log in to your PRO account right now, and verify you’re registered as both the writer and the publisher.

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ROBONZO: If you’re not sure how to do that, there are tutorials on each PRO’s website.

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ROBONZO: This is foundational.

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ROBONZO: Get this right before you do anything else.

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ROBONZO: System number two, SoundExchange.

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ROBONZO: This is where it gets interesting, because SoundExchange is completely separate from your PRO, and a lot of artists have never even heard of it.

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ROBONZO: SoundExchange collects digital performance royalties.

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ROBONZO: These are royalties from non-interactive streaming platforms like Pandora, iHeart, SiriusXM and Internet radio stations.

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ROBONZO: When your music plays on these platforms, you’re owed money, but only if you’re registered with SoundExchange.

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ROBONZO: This is not redundant with your PRO.

00:10:34.620 –> 00:10:37.220
ROBONZO: These are different royalties from different sources.

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ROBONZO: Your PRO doesn’t collect this money.

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ROBONZO: Your distributor doesn’t collect this money.

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ROBONZO: SoundExchange collects it for you.

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ROBONZO: But only if you’ve registered and claimed your recordings.

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ROBONZO: So the action step.

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ROBONZO: Go to soundexchange.com and register.

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ROBONZO: You’ll need to claim your artist’s profile and your specific recordings.

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ROBONZO: It’s free to register.

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ROBONZO: And if you’ve been releasing music for years without doing this, you likely have royalties sitting there waiting for you.

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ROBONZO: System number three, Publishing Administration.

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ROBONZO: This is where services like SongTrust come in.

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ROBONZO: Publishing Administration collects your publishing royalties worldwide.

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ROBONZO: Mechanical royalties from streaming and sales, international collection that your PRO can’t handle, and even things like YouTube content ID revenue.

00:11:21.660 –> 00:11:28.200
ROBONZO: Now, unlike the other systems we’ve talked about, Publishing Administration usually involves a fee or a commission.

00:11:28.200 –> 00:11:31.720
ROBONZO: Services like SongTrust take a percentage of what they collect.

00:11:31.720 –> 00:11:37.560
ROBONZO: So you need to evaluate whether the cost makes sense for your catalog size and where your music is being used.

00:11:37.560 –> 00:11:38.220
ROBONZO: But here’s the thing.

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ROBONZO: If you have music getting significant streams internationally, or if you have any YouTube presence at all, the money these services collect almost always exceeds what they charge.

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ROBONZO: Amani mentioned that for artists with even moderate catalogs, this can add up to real money that would otherwise go completely uncollected.

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ROBONZO: Action Steps.

00:11:57.740 –> 00:12:03.100
ROBONZO: So Research Publishing Administration Services, SongTrust is one option.

00:12:03.100 –> 00:12:06.920
ROBONZO: CD Baby has a publishing arm called CDB Boost.

00:12:07.540 –> 00:12:09.080
ROBONZO: TuneCore offers it.

00:12:09.080 –> 00:12:13.920
ROBONZO: Look at the cost, compare what they collect versus what they charge, and decide if it makes sense for you.

00:12:13.920 –> 00:12:16.760
ROBONZO: But don’t skip this just because there’s a fee involved.

00:12:16.760 –> 00:12:21.020
ROBONZO: You might be leaving the most money on the table right here.

00:12:21.020 –> 00:12:25.600
ROBONZO: System number four, the Mechanical Licensing Collective or MLC.

00:12:25.600 –> 00:12:31.100
ROBONZO: This is the newest one created by the Music Modernization Act in 2018.

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ROBONZO: The MLC collects mechanical royalties from streaming services.

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ROBONZO: When Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and others pay out mechanical royalties for compositions, the MLC is the central organization distributing that money.

00:12:45.200 –> 00:12:48.200
ROBONZO: And here’s the best part, it’s completely free to register.

00:12:48.200 –> 00:12:50.820
ROBONZO: There’s no catch, no commission, no fee.

00:12:50.820 –> 00:12:54.840
ROBONZO: You just register, claim your songs and they send you the money.

00:12:54.840 –> 00:13:00.960
ROBONZO: So if you do nothing else from this episode, go to themlc.com right now and register.

00:13:00.960 –> 00:13:04.340
ROBONZO: Seriously, pause this episode, go register, then come back.

00:13:04.760 –> 00:13:06.280
ROBONZO: I’ll be here when you return.

00:13:06.280 –> 00:13:14.720
ROBONZO: Okay, now that you’re registered with the MLC, or at least have it on your immediate to-do list, let’s talk about the foundation that makes all of this work.

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ROBONZO: Split sheets and metadata management.

00:13:18.720 –> 00:13:22.300
ROBONZO: Split sheets are your documentation of who wrote what.

00:13:22.300 –> 00:13:31.100
ROBONZO: Before you release a song, ideally while you’re still in the studio, you need to document every songwriter’s contribution and their percentage of ownership.

00:13:31.100 –> 00:13:32.600
ROBONZO: All writers sign it.

00:13:33.080 –> 00:13:35.160
ROBONZO: You keep copies forever.

00:13:35.160 –> 00:13:41.460
ROBONZO: Without split sheets, you have no proof of ownership, which means you can’t properly collect publishing royalties.

00:13:41.460 –> 00:13:46.720
ROBONZO: So if you don’t have split sheets for your songs, you’ve definitely-

00:13:46.720 –> 00:13:52.280
ROBONZO: so if you don’t have split sheets for songs you’ve already released, make them now, better late than never.

00:13:52.280 –> 00:13:57.080
ROBONZO: Get in touch with your co-writers, document the splits, get everyone’s signature.

00:13:57.080 –> 00:14:00.060
ROBONZO: It might feel awkward bringing this up years later, but it’s essential.

00:14:00.820 –> 00:14:04.860
ROBONZO: And then there’s metadata management.

00:14:04.860 –> 00:14:07.440
ROBONZO: This is less exciting but equally important.

00:14:07.440 –> 00:14:12.840
ROBONZO: You need to use identical information across all four systems, and I mean identical.

00:14:12.840 –> 00:14:20.680
ROBONZO: If your songwriter name is spelled Rob Smith in one place and Robert Smith in another, royalties can go unclaimed.

00:14:20.680 –> 00:14:25.580
ROBONZO: If your publisher name isn’t exactly the same everywhere, you’ve got problems.

00:14:25.580 –> 00:14:38.040
ROBONZO: Your API number, your CAE number, your publisher information, all of this needs to be absolutely consistent across your PRO, SoundExchange, your publishing administrator, and the MLC.

00:14:38.040 –> 00:14:41.420
ROBONZO: One small discrepancy and royalties slip through the cracks.

00:14:41.420 –> 00:14:48.100
ROBONZO: So when you do your audit, you’re not just checking if you’re registered, you’re checking that your information is consistent everywhere.

00:14:48.100 –> 00:14:51.320
ROBONZO: That’s how you prevent future unclaimed royalties.

00:14:51.320 –> 00:14:53.640
ROBONZO: Okay, so now you know the four systems.

00:14:53.640 –> 00:14:57.300
ROBONZO: Let’s talk about how to actually do this audit and get your money.

00:14:58.340 –> 00:15:03.100
ROBONZO: So step one, audit your current registrations, budget about 30 minutes for this.

00:15:03.100 –> 00:15:07.260
ROBONZO: Log in to your PRO account, whether that’s Ascap, BMI or Sesac.

00:15:07.260 –> 00:15:11.160
ROBONZO: Verify that you’re registered as both the songwriter and the publisher.

00:15:11.160 –> 00:15:12.660
ROBONZO: Look through your catalog.

00:15:12.660 –> 00:15:15.160
ROBONZO: Are all your songs registered?

00:15:15.160 –> 00:15:17.380
ROBONZO: Is your information up to date?

00:15:17.380 –> 00:15:18.920
ROBONZO: Then check SoundExchange.

00:15:18.920 –> 00:15:20.720
ROBONZO: Do you even have an account?

00:15:20.720 –> 00:15:23.760
ROBONZO: If you do, have you claimed all of your recordings?

00:15:25.480 –> 00:15:29.160
ROBONZO: If you don’t have an account, that’s your next step.

00:15:29.160 –> 00:15:32.440
ROBONZO: Look up your publisher at the MLC.

00:15:32.440 –> 00:15:35.700
ROBONZO: You can search their database even if you’re not registered yet.

00:15:35.700 –> 00:15:37.620
ROBONZO: Are your songs showing up?

00:15:37.620 –> 00:15:39.700
ROBONZO: Are they attributed to you correctly?

00:15:39.700 –> 00:15:41.660
ROBONZO: Make a list of what’s missing.

00:15:41.660 –> 00:15:44.340
ROBONZO: What registrations do you need to complete?

00:15:44.340 –> 00:15:47.520
ROBONZO: What songs aren’t showing up where they should be?

00:15:47.520 –> 00:15:49.400
ROBONZO: Step two is gather your documentation.

00:15:49.400 –> 00:15:51.120
ROBONZO: This takes about an hour.

00:15:51.120 –> 00:15:53.800
ROBONZO: Collect your split sheets for all released songs.

00:15:53.800 –> 00:15:55.440
ROBONZO: If you don’t have them, write them now.

00:15:55.780 –> 00:16:00.020
ROBONZO: Reach out to co-writers, get the splits documented, get signatures.

00:16:00.020 –> 00:16:05.660
ROBONZO: Compile your complete discography with ISRCs and UPC codes.

00:16:05.660 –> 00:16:07.900
ROBONZO: Your distributors should have this information.

00:16:07.900 –> 00:16:11.320
ROBONZO: ISRCs are the unique identifier for each recording.

00:16:11.320 –> 00:16:13.780
ROBONZO: UPC codes identify the release.

00:16:13.780 –> 00:16:15.680
ROBONZO: You need these for registrations.

00:16:15.680 –> 00:16:21.360
ROBONZO: Document your publisher name and your IPI or CAE numbers.

00:16:21.360 –> 00:16:25.800
ROBONZO: These are your songwriter and publisher identification numbers from your PRO.

00:16:25.800 –> 00:16:26.800
ROBONZO: Write them down.

00:16:26.800 –> 00:16:29.240
ROBONZO: You’ll need them for every registration.

00:16:29.240 –> 00:16:41.100
ROBONZO: Make a master spreadsheet with all this information, song title, ISRC, UPC, split percentages, release date, writers, publishers, everything in one place.

00:16:41.100 –> 00:16:46.180
ROBONZO: This becomes your reference document for all future registrations and audits.

00:16:46.180 –> 00:16:49.620
ROBONZO: Step three, register with the missing systems.

00:16:49.620 –> 00:16:51.820
ROBONZO: This is the big one, budget two to three hours.

00:16:52.580 –> 00:16:54.440
ROBONZO: I’d recommend this priority order.

00:16:54.440 –> 00:16:57.700
ROBONZO: Start with the MLC because it’s free and relatively quick.

00:16:57.700 –> 00:16:59.160
ROBONZO: Then tackle SoundExchange.

00:16:59.160 –> 00:17:02.080
ROBONZO: It’s also free but a bit more complex.

00:17:02.080 –> 00:17:07.560
ROBONZO: Then research your publishing administration options and decide if the cost makes sense for you.

00:17:07.560 –> 00:17:08.920
ROBONZO: Don’t rush these registrations.

00:17:08.920 –> 00:17:10.620
ROBONZO: Complete every field.

00:17:10.620 –> 00:17:13.160
ROBONZO: Upload your complete catalog information.

00:17:13.160 –> 00:17:16.860
ROBONZO: Double check that your metadata is consistent with your other registrations.

00:17:16.860 –> 00:17:18.660
ROBONZO: Verify everything before you submit.

00:17:19.320 –> 00:17:25.900
ROBONZO: Getting this right the first time saves you headaches later when you’re trying to track down why royalties aren’t flowing.

00:17:25.900 –> 00:17:29.280
ROBONZO: Step four, claim historical royalties.

00:17:29.280 –> 00:17:31.280
ROBONZO: Timeline varies.

00:17:31.280 –> 00:17:33.860
ROBONZO: Each organization has different look back periods.

00:17:33.860 –> 00:17:39.160
ROBONZO: When you register, ask specifically, how far back can I register unclaimed royalties?

00:17:39.160 –> 00:17:41.380
ROBONZO: Some organizations go back four years.

00:17:41.380 –> 00:17:43.020
ROBONZO: Some go back further.

00:17:43.020 –> 00:17:44.940
ROBONZO: Some have shorter windows.

00:17:44.940 –> 00:17:46.860
ROBONZO: Submit any documentation they require.

00:17:47.500 –> 00:17:51.140
ROBONZO: Old release information, proof of authorship, whatever they need.

00:17:51.140 –> 00:17:55.380
ROBONZO: Then follow up if you don’t hear back within their stated timeframes.

00:17:55.380 –> 00:17:58.900
ROBONZO: These are large organizations processing thousands of claims.

00:17:58.900 –> 00:18:00.880
ROBONZO: Sometimes you need to nudge them along.

00:18:00.880 –> 00:18:04.700
ROBONZO: Step five, create your ongoing management system.

00:18:04.700 –> 00:18:07.540
ROBONZO: This is how you prevent future unclaimed royalties.

00:18:07.540 –> 00:18:12.260
ROBONZO: Set a calendar reminder to update your registrations every time you release new music.

00:18:12.260 –> 00:18:22.880
ROBONZO: Create a checklist template, new song, register with PRO, register with SoundExchange, register with the MLC, update publishing admin if you use one.

00:18:22.880 –> 00:18:24.900
ROBONZO: Then once a year, do a quick audit.

00:18:24.900 –> 00:18:30.680
ROBONZO: Log in to each system, make sure everything looks correct, check that your latest releases are showing up.

00:18:30.680 –> 00:18:37.080
ROBONZO: Keep your master spreadsheet updated every new song, add it to the spreadsheet with all the metadata.

00:18:37.080 –> 00:18:39.600
ROBONZO: This becomes your single source of truth.

00:18:39.600 –> 00:18:41.800
ROBONZO: What resources do you need for all of this?

00:18:41.800 –> 00:18:42.740
ROBONZO: Split sheet templates.

00:18:43.220 –> 00:18:57.140
ROBONZO: You can get these from your PRO’s website, song metadata from your distributor, ISRCs and UPCs, your publisher information, your publishing entity name and IPI number, and time.

00:18:57.140 –> 00:19:02.700
ROBONZO: Figure the initial audit takes four to six hours spread over a week or two.

00:19:02.700 –> 00:19:06.580
ROBONZO: Ongoing updates take about 30 minutes per release once you have your system in place.

00:19:06.580 –> 00:19:07.860
ROBONZO: That’s the good thing.

00:19:07.860 –> 00:19:09.260
ROBONZO: Timeline expectations.

00:19:09.260 –> 00:19:12.260
ROBONZO: Your initial registration usually takes one to two weeks for approval.

00:19:12.960 –> 00:19:16.840
ROBONZO: First, royalty payments come in three to six months.

00:19:16.840 –> 00:19:21.660
ROBONZO: Remember, royalty cycles are quarterly and there’s built-in delay.

00:19:21.660 –> 00:19:29.560
ROBONZO: Historical recovery can take two to six months depending on the organization and how much they need to do in terms of research.

00:19:29.560 –> 00:19:35.200
ROBONZO: Don’t expect instant money, but do expect results if you have released music that’s getting plays.

00:19:35.200 –> 00:19:36.100
ROBONZO: The money is there.

00:19:36.100 –> 00:19:39.700
ROBONZO: You just need to make sure that you properly register and collect it.

00:19:40.440 –> 00:19:42.320
ROBONZO: So let’s recap the framework.

00:19:42.320 –> 00:19:45.100
ROBONZO: Four systems exist to collect your royalties.

00:19:45.100 –> 00:20:03.340
ROBONZO: Your performance-right organization or PRO for public performance royalties, SoundExchange for digital performance royalties, Publishing Administration for worldwide publishing royalties, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective for streaming mechanical royalties.

00:20:03.340 –> 00:20:07.100
ROBONZO: Each requires separate registration with consistent metadata across all of them.

00:20:07.900 –> 00:20:15.660
ROBONZO: You have approximately a four-year window to recover past unclaimed royalties before the money is redistributed away from you.

00:20:15.660 –> 00:20:18.620
ROBONZO: Split sheets and documentation are your foundation.

00:20:18.620 –> 00:20:20.860
ROBONZO: Without them, you can’t prove ownership.

00:20:20.860 –> 00:20:24.420
ROBONZO: And ongoing management prevents future unclaimed royalties.

00:20:24.420 –> 00:20:29.660
ROBONZO: This isn’t complicated, but it does require attention to detail and a few hours of your time.

00:20:29.660 –> 00:20:39.060
ROBONZO: The payoff is potentially thousands in recovered royalties and the peace of mind that every dollar you earn going forward actually reaches you.

00:20:39.060 –> 00:20:44.480
ROBONZO: To save you time, I’ve created a few resources that I know you’re going to find useful and time-saving.

00:20:44.480 –> 00:21:03.620
ROBONZO: These resources include the complete royalty audit checklist with direct links to all the registration portals, a registration priority sequence and timeline, a metadata management template for keeping your information consistent across all four platforms, and a split sheet template with proper formatting.

00:21:03.620 –> 00:21:10.280
ROBONZO: These resources are available with a free subscription to my bi-weekly newsletter called LinerNotes.

00:21:10.280 –> 00:21:20.320
ROBONZO: As a LinerNote subscriber, you’ll also get highlights from this and hundreds of other conversations about building a sustainable creative career, be that in music or another creative discipline.

00:21:20.320 –> 00:21:28.820
ROBONZO: If that all sounds good, go to unstarvingmusician.com/royaltyaudit to get the complete toolkit with your LinerNote subscription.

00:21:29.320 –> 00:21:43.040
ROBONZO: For LinerNote’s Insider subscribers, the upcoming edition will include all the resources mentioned in this episode, plus a royalty recovery calculator, an Insider exclusive to help you estimate your unclaimed dollars.

00:21:43.040 –> 00:21:47.580
ROBONZO: You can learn about the LinerNote’s Insider edition at unstarvingmusician.com/insider.

00:21:49.960 –> 00:21:51.260
ROBONZO: The money is out there.

00:21:51.260 –> 00:21:55.600
ROBONZO: You created the music, you released it, you earned these royalties.

00:21:55.600 –> 00:21:57.960
ROBONZO: Now it’s time to make sure you’re actually collecting them.

00:21:58.420 –> 00:22:01.620
ROBONZO: Start with one system this week, the MLC.

00:22:01.620 –> 00:22:03.900
ROBONZO: It’s free and takes about an hour.

00:22:03.900 –> 00:22:06.020
ROBONZO: Then tackle the next one.

00:22:06.020 –> 00:22:10.960
ROBONZO: Four registrations stand between you and money you’ve already earned.

00:22:10.960 –> 00:22:12.320
ROBONZO: I’m Robonzo.

00:22:12.320 –> 00:22:13.960
ROBONZO: This is The Unstarving Musician.

00:22:13.960 –> 00:22:17.180
ROBONZO: Thank you for listening and happy holidays.

00:22:18.920 –> 00:22:21.820
ROBONZO: As an independent podcaster, your support means the world to me.

00:22:21.820 –> 00:22:23.860
ROBONZO: You could even say I depend on it.

00:22:23.860 –> 00:22:26.320
ROBONZO: With that in mind, here are some things you can do to help support us.

00:22:26.720 –> 00:22:29.400
ROBONZO: Follow us on your favorite podcast app.

00:22:29.400 –> 00:22:31.780
ROBONZO: Leave us a review on your favorite podcast app.

00:22:31.780 –> 00:22:38.380
ROBONZO: Or shoot me a review by email, robonzo at unstarvingmusician.com, that I can use on the website.

00:22:38.380 –> 00:22:40.700
ROBONZO: Or just share this episode with a friend.

00:22:40.700 –> 00:22:43.960
ROBONZO: This makes a huge impact on our audience growth.

00:22:43.960 –> 00:22:55.720
ROBONZO: You could also visit our crowd sponsor page at unstarvingmusician.com/crowdsponsor to learn of the many other ways of supporting the podcast, including a quick and easy online tip jar.

00:22:55.720 –> 00:23:00.280
ROBONZO: It’s like click, tip, done, easy and super appreciated.

00:23:00.280 –> 00:23:11.260
ROBONZO: You’ll find many ways of showing your support there, including through our affiliate partners like Bandzoogle, Kit, email, formerly ConvertKit, Dreamhost and others.

00:23:11.260 –> 00:23:15.540
ROBONZO: The music you’re hearing is New Gods Part 2, the instrumental mix by yours truly.

00:23:15.540 –> 00:23:20.300
ROBONZO: You can hear the full version downloaded or buy it at robonzo.com.

00:23:20.300 –> 00:23:31.060
ROBONZO: And if all this was too much to remember or process, just go to the show notes for this episode at unstarvingmusician.com to find links to all the stuff talked about in this episode.

00:23:31.060 –> 00:23:35.160
ROBONZO: You can leave us feedback, questions, comments, complaints at unstarvingmusician.com/feedback.

00:23:37.700 –> 00:23:39.080
ROBONZO: Thanks for listening.

00:23:39.080 –> 00:23:42.060
ROBONZO: Peace, gratitude, and a whole lot of love.

00:23:45.080 –> 00:23:48.560
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