What % Unpaid

[jdstamper]

Comparing Tunesat detections to BMI statements since 2021, it appears I haven’t been paid any royalties on around 15% of my placements. I’m only counting detections that are older, I know it can take awhile to be paid esp from overseas. Most of these detections are more like 2 years old or more. Only 1 is a domestic US placement (it airs often ?) … the rest are all European detections.

Of course I’m not counting any royalty free libraries. I only have 50 cues in Tunesat, and I know Tunesat doesn’t detect a lot of my placements, so the actual % unpaid could be higher. I didn’t realize there were so many unpaid until I took a closer look.

A few times over the years I’ve tried to follow-up with BMI and libraries on unpaid royalties. Everyone seems sincerely willing to help, but in the end still no royalties. Maybe someday I’ll get an adjustment, but I’ve pretty much given up on those … as more effort than its worth.

Has your experience been this bad? Have you found better ways to collect European royalties?

[Art Munson]

I gave up a while back on trying to reconcile Tunesat with my BMI statments. I was told that there are times when there is a last minute schedule change from what show is run and the schedule Tunesat has.

[jdstamper]

What I’ve read is that Tunesat always uses audio matching as the show is actually aired. So if the show never aired, there shouldn’t be a detection. But they use schedules to provide some additional context after the airing, such as the episode title, and episode number.

I did have one instance a month ago where Tunesat gave the wrong show title, etc … for a detection. But it had been corrected the next time I looked at it a few days later.

[MaxPower]

I do not see any value in using Tunesat. As I understand it Tunesat does not have any affiliation with – or report usage to – any PRO’s, yet they charge an extortionate amount of money for their service? I appreciate that they were one of the very first detection services out there but times have moved on and we now have many choices when it comes to registering our music for detection.
I’ve found that registering my tracks with Soundmouse (who are affiliated with the PRS in the UK where I am based) has really helped with detection and reporting. My income has also increased since I’ve been using the service. I’d recommend Soundmouse and Bmat (I was advised to register with both) as they report detections directly to the PRO’s, and they are free.

[jdstamper]

Very interesting about Soundmouse & Bmat, I’ll have to check them out. I can’t justify the price of Tunesat, so I’m only at the free level which is 50 songs.

[Paul Amos]

Are there any detection services that actually report to BMI or have any affiliation with them?

[LAwriter]

Comparing Tunesat detections to BMI statements since 2021, it appears I haven’t been paid any royalties on around 15% of my placements.

I have an album (25 songs) with a MAJOR publisher who paid me a LOT of $$$ to do the songs. After 3 years of no royalties, I asked them what was up. They said that the music was getting used all over. I mentioned that I had received no royalties (BMI) and therefor, they were not getting any either.

They seemed genuinely concerned and pulled up their tunesat account, filled in some search info and came up with hundreds (close to 1k – and this was years ago) of placements. I spotchecked the report. It was good. The music is unique and easy to spot. But zero payouts. They didn’t seem concerned enough to actually DO anything about it though. They passed it on to some person downstream to figure out. It never got figured out.

Still, 8 years later, virtually NO royalties, and it’s getting used all over. The only thing I can figure is that the producers that are using it are not having cue sheets filled out and submitted – therefor – zero royalties.

Personally, I’d consider 85% paid out a big win. Best of luck.

(personally, I don’t bother with tunesat.)

[LAwriter]

Are there any detection services that actually report to BMI or have any affiliation with them?

I know for sure BMI does not view Tunesat detections as a performance that they recognize. I know they are trying to modernize, but who knows. There is TONS of music slipping thru the cracks.

The problem is, unless BMI redoes their contracts and raises their rates, more detections will only mean less payout per detection. LOL. Kind of a catch-22.

[sweetersongs]

I have used Tunesat since just about it’s inception and have found it and find it very useful for discovering airings and missing payouts. BMAT and Soundmouse are great resources as well. One has to have a good system of checks and balances in place using other resources as well to make it work for them. Searching out the shows, films, episodes and watching them, Finding and checking the cue sheets, Using ZAP2IT and TV Guide.com, making sure the cue sheets have been filed, Having a real go to person at their PRO, etc.

[Author]

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