Understanding Copyright for Artists: SACEM, ISRC, Streaming...
In the world of independent music, understanding copyright, the role of collecting societies, the purpose of the ISRC code, and the differences between TuneCore, Bandcamp, and streaming platforms is essential for managing your career.
Between artist-author status, self-production, and monetisation, every decision directly affects how your work is protected and how you get paid. Whether you're just starting out or simply want to clear a few things up, this guide will help you navigate the legal, administrative, and economic frameworks that govern music distribution in 2025.
Why you should register your own ISRC code — even before you're earning
In today's digital landscape, the ISRC code (International Standard Recording Code) works like a fingerprint for every sound recording. It uniquely identifies each version of a track — whether it's a single, a remix, or a live recording. This code is essential for tracking, distributing, and monetising your music across streaming platforms.
When you upload a track to SoundCloud, you are typically the author, composer, and producer of that recording all at once. If you use your own ISRC code, you are officially recognised as the producer, which entitles you to neighbouring rights. If you let SoundCloud (or a third-party distributor) generate the ISRC on your behalf, that entity is treated as the producer and collects the neighbouring rights instead.
Neighbouring rights are distinct from copyright. They compensate for the exploitation of the sound recording itself, and cover:
- Performers (musicians, singers)
- Phonographic producers (labels or self-producing artists)
- Certain broadcasting organisations
To register your own ISRC codes, simply sign up for free online with ISRC France (managed by the SCPP). Once your profile is validated, you can request a code for each new release — expect around 48 hours to receive your number.
Important: Simply assigning an ISRC code to your track does not automatically trigger neighbouring rights collection. However, it lays the groundwork: when you eventually register with collecting bodies like the SCPP or SPPF, your tracks will already be properly identified.
If you've already published a track with a platform-assigned ISRC, you haven't necessarily lost your rights permanently. You can withdraw the track and re-release it under your own ISRC code to reclaim your official producer status.
Note: any neighbouring rights generated during the period when the platform was listed as producer cannot be recovered retroactively.
Registering your own ISRC codes is a key step for any independent artist who wants to stay in control of their music. It's a simple, free, and essential move to protect your autonomy and set yourself up for future income from your releases.
FAQ — ISRC codes and neighbouring rights
Do you need your own ISRC code to collect neighbouring rights? ↓
Yes. As an independent artist, using your own ISRC code is what gets you officially recognised as the producer of the recording — a prerequisite for collecting neighbouring rights. If a platform generates the ISRC on your behalf, it is treated as the producer and collects those rights instead.
How do you get a free ISRC code in France? ↓
Register with ISRC France through the SCPP — it's free and done entirely online. Once registered, you can request codes for each new release. Codes are typically issued within 48 hours.
Understanding music copyright
🎼 1. What is copyright in music?
Copyright protects any musical creation from the moment it is fixed in a tangible form — a recording, a score, a digital file. It primarily covers the composition, lyrics, and original arrangements.
This protection arises automatically at the point of creation, but it's advisable to establish proof of authorship through a deposit or timestamping service. Copyright breaks down into two categories:
- 🎓 Moral rights: your authorship is recognised for life.
- 💰 Economic rights: you receive compensation whenever the work is exploited.
Source: INPI — Copyright law
🏛️ 2. What does a collecting society do?
In France, the SACEM (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) is the main collecting society for music copyright. It collects and redistributes royalties to its members.
It monitors how music is used — across streaming, live performances, TV, and more — collects the fees, and then pays out to authors, composers, and publishers.
📲 3. Copyright and streaming platforms
On platforms like Spotify, YouTube, or Deezer, revenue is split between several parties:
- 🎶 Authors/composers: via a collecting society like SACEM (copyright royalties)
- 📀 Producers/performers: via neighbouring rights (ISRC)
If you're self-producing and know your music won't be played on radio or TV, you can choose not to register with a collecting society. In that case, you won't collect copyright royalties on streams — but you'll still receive the revenue paid out by your distributor through neighbouring rights.
Estimated revenue breakdown for 10,000 streams
| Party | Rights type | Estimated revenue | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform (Spotify, etc.) | Commission | ~ €5 | Varies by subscription tier and distributor deal |
| Artist-producer | Neighbouring rights | ~ €5–7 | Collected via TuneCore/DistroKid if self-released |
| Author-composer | Copyright royalties | ~ €1–2 | Only if registered with SACEM or equivalent |
💡 These figures are approximate and vary depending on the platform, contract type, listener's country, subscription tier, and more.
Do I need to register with a collecting society under 10,000 streams? ↓
Not necessarily. If you're getting fewer than 10,000 plays per track, registration can wait. It often makes more sense to focus first on creating, promoting, and distributing your music before structuring your rights management.
We personally use TuneCore — and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out on our social media. We're always happy to help.
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