05/21/2026
New to the Industry?
GLOBAL PIRATE UNDERGROUND RADIO: THE
NEW ARTIST STARTER KIT (USA)
Welcome to the underground. You’ve got the music; now you need the machinery to ensure you actually get paid for it. This is your official checklist for setting up a professional music career in the United States.
SECTION A — The "Must-Have" Accounts
Before you drop your first single, these accounts are your financial foundation.
1. Performance Rights Organization (PRO)
What they do: Collect royalties when your music is played on the radio, in clubs, or streamed.
Choose ONE: BMI: Free to join as a songwriter. OR ASCAP:One-time$50fee.
2. The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective)
What they do: They collect "Mechanical Royalties" from U.S.streaming services (Spotify, Apple, etc.).
Cost:FREE. (I Use Songtrust for this because MLC was giving me too much grief proving that I am indeed Lorilee Technetium..even after I gave them a copy of my DL with my name right on it)
Why you need it: Your distributor does not collect these. If you aren't on The MLC, you are leaving money on the table.
3. SoundExchange
What they do: Collects royalties from digital radio (Pandora,SiriusXM, and iHeartRadio).
Action:Register as both the Performer and the Rights Owner (since you own your masters).
4. A Digital Distributor
What they do:They send your music to Spotify, AppleMusic, TikTok, and Instagram.
DistroKid: Great for frequent releases(unlimited songs for a flat fee).
UnitedMasters/TuneCore: Good for artists who want different tiers of service.
SECTION B — The "Pre-Flight" Release Checklist
Every time you prepare a release, run through these steps to ensure your "Metadata" is perfect.
Finalize Metadata: Ensure you have the legal name of every songwriter and producer. No nicknames—use legal names for royalty tracking.
Register the Work: Once your song is uploaded to your distributor,take the ISRC code they give you and register the song at your PRO and The MLC.
Copyright: While music is technically copyrighted once recorded,formal registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is the only way to fully protect your work in a legal dispute.
SECTION C — After the Release (The Hustle)
The music is live. Now, claim your digital "Real Estate":
1. Spotify for Artists: Claim your profile to see real-time stats and submit to official playlists.
2. Apple Music for Artists: Track where in the world people are Shazaming your music.
3. YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC): Merge your personal channel and your "Topic" channel into one professional hub.
4. Musixmatch: Upload your lyrics here so they appear in sync on Instagram Stories and Spotify.
THE ROYALTY FLOWCHART
As an independent artist, you wear three hats. Here is how the money flows to you:
The Recording(Master): Paid to you by your Distributor.
The Song(Composition): Paid to you by your PRO(ASCAP/BMI). The Stream(Mechanical): Paid to you by The MLC.
Digital Radio: Paid to you by SoundExchange.
Keep creating. We’ll see you on the airwaves.
This is Lorilee Technetium with Global Pirate Underground Radio. Signal out.