Beyond streaming, sync and UGC, several other revenue streams contribute to songwriter income. Some are significant earners; others are smaller but worth knowing about.
Broadcast royalties
Radio and television broadcasts generate performance royalties through PRS. Rates vary by station: BBC radio plays typically pay more per play than commercial stations, and national broadcasters pay more than regional ones. Television rates depend on the channel, audience size, time of day, and how long the music is used. Primetime use on a major terrestrial channel pays the most; daytime use on a small digital channel pays the least.
For media composers, broadcast royalties from TV programmes can be a primary income source – particularly where music is used repeatedly across multiple episodes and series. International broadcasts generate separate royalties through local societies, arriving through reciprocal agreements typically 12-24 months later. Accurate cue sheets are the mechanism that connects your music to your broadcast payment; without them, the royalty has no way to reach you.
Live performance royalties
Venues and promoters pay annual blanket licences to PRS, typically calculated as 3-6% of box office receipts. PRS distributes this pool based on setlist data, which means the money only reaches you if PRS knows your song was played. Submit your setlists through the PRS website after every performance – you have up to three months, but sooner is better. Festival performances often generate higher payments due to larger audiences. International touring generates royalties through local societies with the usual 12-24 month delay.
Both cover performances and original material earn live royalties. If you are a performing songwriter who tours regularly, consistent setlist reporting can add up to a meaningful income stream over the course of a year.
Sheet music and hire fees
Sheet music sales generate royalties to the composer, typically 10-12.5% of retail price for physical publications and potentially higher rates for digital downloads. For classical composers, hire library fees – where orchestras and ensembles rent performance materials for each concert – are a distinct revenue stream that can be managed through a publisher or self-administered.
Grand rights
Grand rights cover the use of music in dramatic performances – musical theatre, opera, ballet. Unlike standard performing rights, grand rights are not collectively licensed through PRS. They are negotiated directly between the rights holder and the production, typically through a theatrical publisher or specialist agent. If your work is performed in a dramatic context, you license those rights separately.
Private copy levies
Several European countries impose levies on blank media and recording devices, with a portion of the proceeds distributed to songwriters and composers. As a UK writer, you may receive private copy levy income from territories where your music is popular, collected by the local society and passed to PRS through reciprocal agreements. The UK does not currently operate a private copy levy scheme.
AI training licensing
Licensing music for use in training AI models is a new and still-developing revenue stream. Some deals have been struck between AI companies and major publishers or rights holders, but the terms, structures and scale of this income are not yet settled. This is covered in more detail in the AI and music chapter.
