Music rights management for independent artists
Own it, register it, get paid for it
How music rights work — the two copyrights in every song, who owns what, how to register with PRS and PPL, and how to collect every royalty your music earns. A complete UK guide for independent artists.
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The core topics in this guide. Each hub goes deep on one part of music rights.
Who owns a song? Music copyright ownership explained
Who actually owns a song — the composer, the label, the publisher, or someone else? How UK music copyright works, the difference between owning the composition and owning the recording, and why it matters.
Read moreMaster rights vs publishing rights — what's the difference?
The difference between master rights and publishing rights in music — what each covers, who owns each, what income each generates, and why both matter for independent artists.
Read moreHow to register your music with PRS for Music — a step-by-step guide
How to join PRS for Music as a songwriter, register your compositions, set up MCPS, and start collecting performance and mechanical royalties in the UK — with fees and timelines.
Read moreNeighbouring rights in music — what they are and how to collect them in the UK
What music neighbouring rights are, who can collect them, how they differ from performance royalties, and how to register with PPL to start collecting this often-missed income stream.
Read moreHow to copyright music in the UK — what's automatic and what you should still do
How to copyright music in the UK — why copyright is automatic, what you should still do to protect and prove ownership, and the documentation that holds up if a dispute arises.
Read moreEvery piece of recorded music contains rights — and those rights are the asset. The melody you wrote and the recording you made are two separate copyrights that generate income for decades. Understanding what you own, how to document it, and how to collect on it is the difference between a catalog that pays you and one that leaks money into general pools.
This guide covers the foundations of music rights for independent artists in the UK: the two copyrights in every song, who owns each by default, how to register with the right collecting societies, and how to collect every royalty type your music earns.
The two copyrights in every song
UK copyright law (the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988) recognises two separate copyrights in recorded music. The composition — the song as written — and the sound recording — the specific recorded version. They can be owned by different people, generate income through different channels, and last for different periods. The distinction between master rights and publishing rights underpins nearly every deal, licence, and royalty payment in the industry.
Register everything
Copyright is automatic in the UK, but collecting royalties is not. Performance and mechanical royalties on your compositions are collected by PRS for Music and MCPS once you register with PRS. Neighbouring rights on your recordings are collected by PPL — a separate registration that many artists miss. And every recording needs an ISRC so platforms and societies can track it.
How TYFRA supports rights management
TYFRA Vault stores the ISRC, ISWC, songwriter credits, PRO affiliation, and split documentation for every track — the foundation of every registration. TYFRA Contracts documents the agreements that transfer or licence those rights. TYFRA Finance tracks the income every right generates across PRS, MCPS, PPL, sync, and streaming in one dashboard.
For any agreement that affects copyright ownership, independent legal advice from a music solicitor is essential before signing.
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Frequently asked questions
Your data flows with you across TYFRA
These aren't separate apps. Your tracks, metadata, splits, contacts, and conversations stay connected—so every tool in the TYFRA suite can work from the same source of truth.
Built for independent artists
Catalog, contracts, rights, and royalties — all connected inside TYFRA.