Music Knowledge
What Are Neighboring Rights?
Neighboring rights explained: the royalties performers and labels earn when recordings are played publicly, and how to collect them.
Neighboring rights are the royalties paid to performers and record labels when a sound recording is played in public or broadcast — separately from the songwriting royalties composers earn. They are collected by neighbouring rights organisations.
Who earns neighbouring rights
Performers (artists and session musicians) and the owners of the master recording (labels) are entitled to neighbouring rights when their recording is broadcast or publicly played.
These payments come through collective management organisations in each territory, which collect fees from broadcasters and venues.
How to collect them
You must be registered with a neighbouring rights organisation or represented by a collecting administrator in the territory where the play happens.
Because registration is country-specific and paperwork-heavy, many artists rely on distributors and administrators to collect on their behalf.
Neighbouring vs publishing royalties
Publishing royalties pay composers for the composition. Neighbouring rights pay performers and labels for the recording. An artist who writes their own music can receive both.
Zaventra Music Group's royalty collection ensures both sides of your income are pursued.
Key Points
- Royalties for performers and labels
- Separate from composer royalties
- Collected via CMOs per territory
- Often unclaimed without admin
Frequently Asked Questions
Do streaming platforms pay neighbouring rights?
Yes, digital services pay for the public performance of recordings, and these are distributed to rights holders through the relevant organisations.
Can I collect neighbouring rights myself?
You can register directly with some organisations, but coverage across dozens of territories is complex — administrators specialise in it.
Are session musicians entitled?
In many territories, yes — session and featured performers can earn shares of neighbouring rights for recordings they played on.