Artists write to me every week with the same problem: royalties that aren't arriving or that arrive “a spizzichi”, with ever-changing excuses. In the month of August alone, I helped those who contacted me recover over €20,000 in unpaid royalties. It's my job: I'm an expert in music publishing and digital distribution, and when necessary, I know how to assert your rights.
Many publishing or distribution contracts are full of binding and abusive clauses: impossible withdrawal windows, hidden penalties, extra withholdings, opaque reporting. My heartfelt advice? Talk to me before signing: often, a careful reading is enough to avoid trouble. And if you've already signed, don't worry: there's always a loophole!
The “trucco” of resellers
In recent months I have often intervened on pyramid schemes:
- a reseller company sells you the distribution,
- behind them there is a digital distributor,
- you have a panel where you don't see the distributor's royalties,
- the money travels distributor reseller (maybe) artist.
The bait-promise? “ Finisci nel catalogo della major.” False for you: the fact that a distributor has a major label among its shareholders does not mean that your master will enter the multinational's catalogue. Often you are just a number in a machine that produces a catalogue, not a value for the artist.
The good news: you can exit. And you can demand detailed reports and payment of arrears.
How I work when I have to recover royalties
Each case is different and requires experience, method, and a precise strategy. What I can tell you is that, where others see a closed contract or a situation with no way out, I always find the right loophole to free you and recover what you're owed. There's no magic formula that can be found online or by lightly reading a contract: you need to know where to put your hands and have the expertise to do it. This is where my experience comes into play.
Managing the catalog well: from confusion to income
A “in ordine” catalog is not bureaucracy: it's recurring income. Here's what I insist on with my artists:
- Total transparency: panel with visible royalties, clear payouts, CSV export.
- Perfect metadata: titles, versions, featuring, producers, publishers zero conflicts.
- Aligned collecting: SIAE/PRO, neighboring rights, publishing, YouTube/Content ID.
- Territorial control: where it pays and where it doesn't, targeted actions (promotion, pitching, sync).
- Legal protection: readable contracts, negotiated clauses, exit rights.
- Monitoring: periodic reports, alerts on discrepancies, verification of rates and withholdings.
When these pillars are in place:
- you recover what you are owed (arrears + current flows),
- you avoid future losses,
- you make money from your music every month, not by surprise.
What to provide at the first meeting with me
- Signed contracts + any appendices.
- Latest invoices and bank transfers received.
- Screenshot / export of your panel (if you are in the hands of a reseller).
- ISRC/UPC list for releases and versions.
- Any CSV reports you already have.
Together we'll estimate how much they owe you, determine if your contract is really holding you back (often not), and set up a recovery and migration path.
Why you need to act now
Every month without control means money left on the table. If in August—the most “lento” month of the year—I recovered over €20,000, imagine what can be done when the market is in full swing.
Want to find out how much they owe you (and how to get your music back)? Schedule a meeting with me.
Schedule a Meeting!
