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3/9/2026
Music Rights 101: Composition vs. Sound Recording
C
Choice Technical Labs
Understanding the difference between the song and the recording is crucial for proper royalty collection. We break it down.
One of the most common sources of confusion for new artists is the difference between the Composition and the Sound Recording (Master).
The Two Halves of a Song
Every piece of recorded music has two distinct copyrights:
- Musical Composition: The melody, lyrics, and arrangement. Typically owned by the songwriter or publisher.
- Sound Recording: The actual audio file (MP3/WAV). Typically owned by the artist or record label.
Collecting Your Royalties
On YouTube, these generate different types of royalties. Choice CMS ensures that both your Mechanical Royalties (composition) and Performance Royalties (sound recording) are claimed and paid out correctly.