"How much will I earn per stream?" is the first question most artists ask. The honest answer is that a stream does not pay one single royalty. It can generate several different payments that flow through different organisations to different people. Once you understand the map, you can make sure none of your money is left unclaimed.
Two copyrights in every song
Every released song contains two separate copyrights:
- The sound recording (the "master"). The actual audio file - the performance as recorded and produced. It is owned by whoever paid for or made the recording: an independent artist, a label or a producer, depending on agreements.
- The musical work (the "composition"). The melody and the lyrics, independent of any particular recording. It belongs to the composer and lyricist, and to a music publisher if they have signed one.
If you write, sing and produce your own songs, you may own both. If you sing someone else's lyrics on a beat you licensed, the ownership is split, and so is the money.
1. Master royalties (what your distributor pays you)
When someone streams your song on Spotify, JioSaavn, Apple Music or YouTube Music, the platform pays the owner of the master recording. For an independent artist, that payment goes to your distributor, which passes it on to you after its commission (if any).
Platforms do not pay a fixed rate per stream. Most use a "pro-rata" model: the money from subscriptions and ads in a country is pooled, and each rights-holder receives a share based on their portion of total streams. That is why earnings per stream vary by country, by subscription type (free vs premium) and by platform. A stream from a premium listener in a high-income market generally pays more than a stream from a free listener in a lower-priced market.
2. Publishing royalties (for songwriters)
The composition earns its own royalties whenever the song is reproduced or performed. In India these are mainly:
- Performance royalties - when the song is played publicly, broadcast on radio or TV, or streamed.
- Mechanical royalties - for reproducing the composition, including in streams and downloads in many countries.
In India, the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) is the registered copyright society that represents authors (lyricists), composers and music publishers. Songwriters can apply for IPRS membership and register their works so that royalties collected in India - and through IPRS's agreements with foreign societies - can be paid to them.
3. Public performance of sound recordings
When a recording is played in public - in a hotel, restaurant, mall, event or on radio - the owner of the sound recording may also be entitled to a licence fee. In India, Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) licenses public performance of sound recordings on behalf of its member labels. Independent artists who own their masters should look into how their recordings can be represented for these uses as their catalogue grows.
4. YouTube, Instagram and Facebook
Short-form video platforms are now a major income source. Through your distributor you can usually:
- Deliver your song to YouTube Content ID, which identifies videos that use your audio and lets you earn a share of ad revenue from them.
- Add your song to the Instagram and Facebook music library, so creators can use it in Reels and Stories. Meta pays rights-holders for usage under its licensing arrangements.
Do not deliver audio to Content ID unless you own it exclusively. Non-exclusive beats, public-domain melodies and samples you did not clear can trigger disputes.
5. Caller tunes (CRBT)
Caller ring-back tunes on Jio, Airtel and Vi are a uniquely large market in India. When a subscriber sets your song as their caller tune, the telecom operator collects a fee and a share flows back to the rights-holder through the music provider. For many regional and devotional artists, CRBT is a meaningful source of income.
A simple map of who pays whom
| Income source | Which copyright | Collected by | Paid to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streams on Spotify, JioSaavn, Apple Music etc. | Master | Your distributor | Master owner (often you) |
| Streams and broadcasts - songwriter share | Composition | IPRS (and foreign societies) | Composers, lyricists, publishers |
| Public play of recordings (venues, radio) | Master | Licensing bodies such as PPL | Recording owners |
| YouTube Content ID, Instagram/Facebook | Master (and composition) | Distributor / platform programmes | Rights-holders |
| Caller tunes | Master | Telecom operators via distributor | Rights-holders |
How to make sure you are collecting everything
- Keep accurate credits. Enter real composer and lyricist names on every release. Societies match payments using this information.
- Register as a songwriter with IPRS if you write music or lyrics, and register each song you write.
- Use splits when you collaborate. Agree in writing who owns what percentage of the master and the composition before release.
- Opt in to YouTube, Meta and caller tune delivery where you own the rights.
- Read your statements. Look at which stores and countries earn the most. That tells you where to promote.
The bottom line
A single stream is small, but a song is not a single income stream. Masters, publishing, public performance, video platforms and caller tunes all add up. Artists who understand the system - and register properly - earn noticeably more from the same number of listeners than artists who only collect streaming royalties.