Publishing vs distribution: what indie artists actually need

• DSP delivery (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)
• Master royalties on streams and downloads
• Neighboring rights in some territories
• Mechanical royalties on downloads (US)

• Performance royalties (radio, public play, streaming)
• Mechanical royalties (streaming and physical)
• Sync licensing fees (film, TV, ads)
• Print and reproduction rights

If you've only signed with a distro, you're collecting master royalties but leaving performance and mechanical royalties on the table at the PRO. Songwriters need a publisher (or publishing admin) registered with their PRO to collect that income — distribution alone won't trigger it.

Splits across collaborators usually break at this seam — one writer's PRO doesn't talk to another writer's distro. RevSplit unifies the split agreement across both income streams, so collaborators get paid from masters and publishing on the same statement.