GUIDE RELEASING

How to join a PRO and collect your royalties

A practical walkthrough of a first release — from the master file on your desktop to a live release everywhere. Written for artists who have never distributed before; no jargon left unexplained.

01

Prepare your master

Export the final mix as an uncompressed WAV — 24-bit / 48kHz is the delivery standard. Listen to the whole file once, start to finish, on headphones and on a phone speaker. Check the start and end for clicks, and leave no accidental silence at either end.

Uncompressed WAV, 24-bit / 48kHz
Full listen-through on two devices
No clipping, clicks or trailing silence
02

Artwork that passes review

Artwork requirements vary by destination. Confirm the current file, colour, text and logo rules before delivery.

3000×3000 px, RGB
Readable at thumbnail size
No platform logos, handles or URLs
03

Metadata & codes

Metadata is how the world finds you: artist name spelled exactly the same way every release, the real title with no decoration, the correct language and genre tags. Identifier codes — ISRC for the recording, UPC for the release — are assigned during onboarding; you do not need to buy them anywhere.

✦ Spelling drift is the most common first-release mistake — “Human decision”, “LaylaNoor” and “Layla N.” become three different artists in the stores.
04

Choose your release date

Give yourself runway. A date several weeks out leaves room for review, delivery and pitching before day one. Align the date with anything you control — a video, a show, a post series — so the release lands with support rather than alone.

05

Apply for your invite

Mazufa is invite-only. Complete applications enter a human-review queue subject to capacity. Submitting never creates an account; approved applicants may receive a private onboarding invitation.

06

After approval

Once onboarded, an eligible release is prepared to current destination specifications. Available reporting depends on platform data and account access.

TERMS USED IN THIS GUIDE
ISRC

An ISRC identifies a recording; reporting and royalty coverage depend on each platform and agreement.

UPC

The barcode of your release — one per single, EP or album.

DSP

Digital Service Provider — a music service such as Spotify, Apple Music or Anghami, subject to current availability.

PAGE CONTENT
Home Join a PRO

A PRO (Performing Rights Organization) collects performance royalties — money earned when your song is played on radio, in venues, or streamed — that your distributor does not collect. Joining one means you stop leaving that money on the table. General info, not legal advice.

Step by step

Get set up to collect

1

Understand the two income streams

Your distributor pays recording (master) royalties from streams/sales. A PRO pays performance royalties for the composition. They're separate — you want both.

2

Choose a PRO for your country

eligible territories has one or more (e.g. ASCAP/BMI in the US, PRS in the UK, and regional societies elsewhere). Songwriters join one.

3

Register as a writer & add your songs

Sign up, then register each song with its splits so the PRO knows who to pay.

4

Keep collecting

Once registered, the PRO tracks public performances and pays you — on top of the streaming royalties under the applicable plan and agreement of with Mazufa.

Both streams, kept

Distributor + PRO together

Think of it as two taps: Mazufa (distribution) turns on your streaming income — Fees and deductions follow the current plan and applicable agreement, yours — and a PRO turns on your performance income. Have a signedsplit sheet ready so registrations are accurate. Learn the full picture in what is a music royalty.

Questions

Frequently asked

What is a PRO?

A Performing Rights Organization collects performance royalties for songwriters when their music is played publicly — on radio, in venues, on TV, or via streaming — separate from your distributor's payments.

Do I need a PRO if I have a distributor?

They collect different money. Your distributor pays recording royalties from streams; a PRO pays performance royalties for the composition. Most artists want both.

Which PRO should I join?

Choose one operating in your country (for example ASCAP or BMI in the US, PRS in the UK, and national societies elsewhere). You typically join one as a writer.

Does it cost money to join a PRO?

Some have a small one-time fee, many are for writers. Check your local PRO's terms.

How does this work with Mazufa?

Mazufa handles distribution and pays you according to the applicable terms of streaming royalties under the current plan and applicable agreement; fees and deductions follow those terms; a PRO separately collects your performance royalties. Use both for full coverage.

Start now

Review the applicable collection terms before enabling streaming-income workflows.

Distribute to supported digital services with Mazufa. Fees and deductions follow the current plan and applicable agreement, keep royalties under the applicable plan and agreement.

Your first single starts here

One invite application, reviewed by a human. Bring the master, the artwork and the story.

Apply for Invite ♪