Music / Browser Experiment
Music Rights Ready
Finish the song. Know what comes next.
For one song: who wrote it, who owns the recording, and what to register before and after release.
Song details, names, splits, and checklist progress stay on your device. Nothing is sent to OrgToolTank.
Music Rights Ready is an educational organization tool, not legal or financial advice. Rules, fees, and registration procedures can change. Confirm current requirements with the relevant official organization before filing or releasing music.
Off: nothing is stored, and leaving the page clears it. Turn this on to keep your checklist in this browser only.
Quick start: Enter the song, add everyone who worked on it, then fill in who owns what. Your checklist at the bottom updates as you go.
01 / About the song
Which song is this for?
02 / Who made it
Everyone who worked on the song
The composition is the song itself: the lyrics, melody, and songwriting. The people who wrote it share it.
The master is the actual recorded audio. Whoever paid for or made the recording may own it, and that isn’t always the songwriters.
Add each person and what they did. A producer or featured artist doesn’t automatically share in the songwriting.
No one added yet. Add each person who wrote, produced, or performed on the song.
03 / Who owns what
Two kinds of ownership
This organizes what you enter. It doesn’t decide what anyone legally owns; that’s for everyone involved to agree, ideally in writing.
The song: proposed songwriter splits
Each songwriter’s agreed share of the song. Together they usually add up to 100%.
Mark people as Songwriter or Composer in step 02 to enter splits.
! No songwriters added yet.
The recording: master owners
Who owns the recorded audio. Owners can be people or a company, like a label.
! No recording owners added yet.
04 / What’s already registered
What have you already handled?
A performing rights organization (PRO) collects performance royalties for songwriters and publishers when a song is played in public, on the radio, on TV, streamed, or performed live. In the U.S. these include ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR. A songwriter usually belongs to one PRO at a time.
Copyright registration is separate from PRO registration. A PRO helps collect performance royalties; copyright registration creates a public record of a work with the U.S. Copyright Office. The song and the recording are separate works.
A distributor delivers your recording to streaming services and stores. Distribution doesn’t usually change who owns the song or the recording, but read each distributor’s own terms.
- Each songwriter joins or confirms a PRO
- Register the song with your PRO
- Consider copyright registration
- Get an ISRC for the recording
- Get a UPC for the release, if applicable
- Review SoundExchange, if it applies
OrgToolTank isn’t connected to any of these organizations and can’t check or submit registrations. These answers only update your checklist.
05 / Your rights checklist
Your rights checklist
12 not started · 0 in progress · 0 done · 0 not applicable · 0 not sure
“Done” only means you marked the task complete. It doesn’t confirm ownership, registration, or royalties.
Before release
- Agree on the songwriting splits
Decide, together, what share of the song (the composition) each songwriter has. Shares usually add up to 100%. Producers and featured artists only share in the song if everyone agrees they helped write it.
No songwriters added yet.
- Put the splits in writing
A split sheet lists every songwriter, their share, and their signature and date. It’s much easier to agree now than after the song earns money. The printed checklist includes a draft split sheet.
- Write down who owns the recording
Record who owns the master and in what shares. If a producer gets “points” (a share of recording income) instead of ownership, put that in a separate written agreement.
No recording owners added yet.
- Each songwriter joins or confirms a PRO
Each songwriter who wants performance royalties affiliates with a PRO. Check the organization’s current official requirements and fees before joining.
Add songwriters in step 02 to see who needs a PRO.
- Understand the publisher share
Songwriting income is often split into a writer’s share and a publisher’s share. If you have no publisher, you may be self-published, and you may need to set up your publishing side or use a publishing administrator to collect it. The MLC handles U.S. digital audio mechanical royalties for songs.
- Consider copyright registration
Registration is optional but creates a public record. Gather the title, the authors, who owns it, and the publication date if released. The song and the recording are separate works. Check current options and fees on the official site.
At release
- Prepare your release details
A distributor may ask for the artist name, song title, songwriter names, release date, the final audio file, and artwork. Spell every name exactly the same way everywhere.
Add the song title and artist name in step 01.
- Get an ISRC for the recording
An ISRC identifies this specific recording. Many distributors can assign one for you. Keep a note of it; you’ll use it for other registrations.
- Get a UPC for the release, if applicable
A UPC identifies the release (the single, EP, or album) rather than the recording. Distributors often provide one.
Around and after release
- Register the song with your PRO
List the title, every songwriter, and their agreed shares, matching your split sheet. Each songwriter’s PRO may need the song registered. Check the organization’s current requirements.
- Review SoundExchange, if it applies
SoundExchange handles U.S. digital performance royalties for sound recordings, for recording artists and recording owners. Something to review if it applies to your recording.
- Keep your records together
Keep the split sheet, recording and producer agreements, any sample permissions, registration confirmations, and your ISRC/UPC in one safe place.
Licensing for film, TV, ads, or games is a separate process that involves both the composition and the master. It isn’t covered here.
Official links checked September 23, 2026. Check each organization’s current requirements and fees before registering.
Details
This is the browser experiment. You can use it here without installing anything.
Browsers limit what a website can access on your computer, so some features may be unavailable here. A desktop version can usually work more directly with your files, folders, devices, or operating system.
How this browser version works
- One song at a time. Albums, EPs, and catalogs aren’t covered in this version.
- An educational organization tool, not legal or financial advice. It doesn’t register anything and isn’t connected to BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, GMR, The MLC, SoundExchange, the U.S. Copyright Office, or any distributor.
- Guidance is general and U.S.-focused. Fees and procedures aren’t listed because they change; check each organization’s official site.
- Saved progress, if you turn it on, stays only in this browser on this device and is lost if you clear browser data.
What a desktop version could offer
- Keep many songs and projects together, saved as files on your own computer.
- Attach the final audio, artwork, and agreements to each song.
- Track registration records and release details over time.
If you like this idea and want a desktop or custom version, tell me what you want it to do. Request desktop version ↗