The following information is regarding TuneCore's Publishing Administration service
What is DURP?
To understand how DURP can help you, it is important to understand the difference between sound recordings and compositions, as well as the various royalty types. You can learn more here:
What is the difference between a composition and a sound recording?
DURP stands for Distributor Unmatched Recordings Portal, and is a program benefitting songwriters created by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC). The MLC is a collection organization responsible for tracking and paying out digital mechanical royalties generated in the United States to songwriters and publishers. TuneCore has partnered with the MLC to ensure you are collecting what's yours.
This portal allows TuneCore to match sound recordings to compositions and identify royalties that were previously unidentified. That means TuneCore is able to collect previously unpaid royalties, and put them in your pocket!
While TuneCore distributes your sound recordings and pays you 100% of the revenue earned from them, as the songwriter of those works, you are entitled to additional royalties that are associated with the composition. You can learn more about the difference between distribution and publishing here: What is the difference between Music Distribution and Publishing Administration?
When can I expect to get paid DURP royalties?
Once your compositions have been successfully registered in your Composition Manager, royalties will be identified at The MLC, and matched to your works. You can expect to see them in your TuneCore account within the next 6-9 months at the earliest. Be sure to review your publishing statement each quarter to see what you have collected thus far.
You can find more information on the payment schedule for TuneCore Publishing royalties here: When do I get paid?
If you have any questions about registering your compositions for TuneCore Publishing, you can refer to this article for instructions: How Do I Register My Music Once I’ve Purchased TuneCore Publishing Administration?
How much will I make?
Generally, how much you can expect in royalty payments is dependent upon your streaming, sales, live performances, and more. Specifically, regarding DURP, The MLC is responsible for US digital mechanical royalties, and DURP helps TuneCore to identify those that have gone previously unclaimed.
The MLC is just one pay source that has identified unclaimed royalties for your composition(s) – music is ubiquitous and can generate royalties in any number of ways such as streams on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music as well as Pandora and Sirius XM, views on YouTube and Tik Tok, regional or national radio, television, sheet music – the best way to ensure you’re maximizing your revenue as an artist and as a songwriter is to ensure you have publishing administration.
You can learn more about how your composition collects royalties here: Do I get Paid When my Composition is Streamed?
You can learn more about how much you can expect to earn in publishing royalties here: How do I get paid from streaming services?
Why were these royalties previously unclaimed?
The MLC is doing important work to identify and pay unclaimed royalties. One of their tasks has been to identify US digital mechanical royalties that have historically not been matched to the correct rightsholders. TuneCore is working directly with The MLC to help them in this effort and get songwriters paid what they are owed.
The MLC was created as a part of the Music Modernization Act. This legislation moves the music industry toward more fair and transparent compensation for songwriters and artists. You can learn more about the Music Modernization Act here: What is the Music Modernization Act?
The MLC is one of hundreds of collection societies around the world with which TuneCore registers your songs. TuneCore handles the administration of your works with your local PRO such as BMI or ASCAP, The MLC and the hundreds of equivalent societies around the world which means a more efficient and faster royalty collection process. The MLC is doing important work to identify and pay unclaimed royalties in addition to other additional potential royalties.
Can I claim these royalties myself directly from the MLC?
While you are able to register your works with The MLC on your own, it is much easier to have us register on your behalf. The MLC is one of many collection agencies globally where your songs could be earning royalties. As a TuneCore Publishing customer, we will register your works with The MLC and thousands of other pay sources worldwide.
Why haven't I been paid these royalties previously?
The MLC is doing important work to identify and pay unclaimed royalties. One of their tasks has been to identify US digital mechanical royalties that have historically not been matched to the correct rightsholders. TuneCore is working directly with The MLC to help them in this effort and get songwriters paid what they are owed.
Some domestic digital mechanical royalties have been identified as part of the DURP initiative by The MLC deliberately aimed at pairing previously unmatched sound recordings to their compositions. Though these royalties have not been paid through yet, The MLC has done a great job of researching and identifying historically unmatched revenue for your benefit. Our partnership allows TuneCore to identify compositions for which these royalties were generated, so they are now able to be collected on your behalf.
Why hasn’t my PRO claimed these royalties?
There are several different types of royalties your composition generates resulting in several revenue streams for you to take advantage of. The type of royalties being collected by The MLC via the DURP initiative are domestic digital mechanical royalties. Your PRO collects a different type of royalty (performance royalties), and other collection societies are responsible for several other types, globally. As your publishing administrator, TuneCore makes it easy for you to collect all of your royalties in one place without having to deal with any of the paperwork.
One of The MLC’s tasks has been to identify US digital mechanical royalties that have historically not been matched to the correct rightsholders.TuneCore is working directly with The MLC to help them in this effort and get songwriters paid what they are owed.
You can learn more about the type of royalties TuneCore Publishing collects in relation to your PRO here: What royalties do you collect in addition to what the PROs/performing rights societies collect?
You can visit the DURP website here: https://www.durp.themlc.com/faqs