Protect Your Music Royalties with the Right Company Structure
Streaming royalties, sync licensing fees, live performance fees, and merchandise revenue - music income comes from many sources. Structuring this income through a company separates your business and personal assets, provides professional credibility for licensing deals, and can improve your tax position.
Who this is for
- Independent musicians and producers earning royalties from streaming and sync
- Music producers licensing beats, samples, and production services commercially
- Artists signing publishing or label deals who want a business entity for contracts
- Nomadic musicians touring internationally who need a stable business structure
What's included
- Company formation in your chosen jurisdiction (UK Ltd, US LLC, or other)
- Registered office or registered agent for year one
- Certificate of incorporation and company documents
- Music royalty collection guidance (PRO registration, distributor entity setup)
- Dashboard tracking from filing to registration
How it works
Structure recommendation
We assess your income sources (streaming, sync, live, merch) and residence to recommend the best entity.
Company formed
UK Ltd: 24-48 hours. US LLC: 24-72 hours. Both fully remote.
PRO and distributor guidance
We guide you on registering your company with your Performing Rights Organisation (PRO) and music distributor.
Banking and payments
We assist with business banking compatible with your royalty payment flows.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive streaming royalties through a company?
Yes. Music distributors (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, etc.) and PROs (ASCAP, BMI, PRS, SOCAN) can register royalties to a company rather than an individual. This requires you to update your payee information with each organisation to reflect the new entity. We provide guidance on this process.
What is a music publishing company and do I need one?
A music publishing company is a business entity that owns or administers the publishing rights (composition copyright) to your songs. Setting up a publishing entity allows you to collect the publisher's share of performance and mechanical royalties directly, rather than having a third-party publisher take a percentage. This is a common structure for independent artists generating significant streaming or sync income.
Which jurisdiction is best for a music company?
For most independent musicians, a UK Ltd or US LLC is the best starting point: both are globally recognised, low cost, and accepted by major PROs and music distributors. Nomadic musicians may prefer a UK Ltd for its simplicity and EU/global credibility. US-based artists typically prefer a US LLC or S-Corp for tax efficiency. We assess your specific situation.
Do you provide advice on music licensing or PRO registration?
We provide guidance on the process of registering your new company with music industry organisations as part of our formation service. Legal advice on music licensing agreements, publishing deals, or copyright ownership requires a specialist music industry lawyer.
Ready to get started?
Fixed price, real-time tracking, and expert handling, from first document to final approval.
Form My Music Company