How do EDM producers make money?

Producers can earn royalties from their music if they keep their rights and register tracks with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). Royalties are paid when your productions are streamed, played live, or broadcast. However, if you sell a track as a ghost production, you transfer all rights to the buyer and give up future royalty income.

How do producers qualify for royalties?

To receive royalties, a producer must be credited as a writer or composer and ensure the track is properly registered with a PRO. This allows collection of performance and mechanical royalties from streaming, radio, clubs, and festivals.

What happens with ghost production?

When you sell a track as a ghost production, you sign away your rights. The buyer becomes the official artist and receives all future royalties. This is standard in ghost production deals, so producers are paid upfront but do not benefit from ongoing royalty streams.

Key points for producers

• Keep your rights and register tracks to earn royalties.
• Ghost production means no future royalties after sale.
• Always clarify royalty terms before finalizing any deal.

For more details on how royalties work for producers, see our Producer Royalties page.

Producers receive mechanical royalties when their tracks are sold, streamed, or reproduced, provided they are credited as songwriters or composers. Mechanical royalties are paid out for every digital download, physical sale, or stream, and are typically collected by rights organizations or music distributors on behalf of the producer. To claim these royalties, a producer must be officially registered as a writer or composer with a performing rights organization (PRO) or a mechanical rights collection agency in their territory.

How mechanical royalties work for producers

Mechanical royalties are generated whenever a track is reproduced, whether through streaming platforms, digital downloads, or physical formats like vinyl and CDs. If you are listed as a songwriter or composer, you are entitled to a share of these royalties. The exact percentage depends on your agreement with the artist, label, or co-writers.

Steps to collect mechanical royalties

• Register your works with a PRO and a mechanical rights agency (such as BUMA/STEMRA, PRS, GEMA, or your local equivalent).
• Ensure your producer credits are correctly listed in all metadata and contracts.
• Work with distributors or publishers who handle royalty collection and reporting.

For more details on producer royalties and maximizing your income, see our Producer Royalties guide.