SiriusXM royalty tracking with spin counts
xmplaylist logs the songs played on SiriusXM’s music channels, so you can see how many times your music aired, on which stations, and when. Spin counts are the best way to estimate your SiriusXM royalties, but they don’t convert to dollars one to one.
How SiriusXM royalties are paid
- Recording royalties, through SoundExchange
- SiriusXM pays SoundExchange for the recordings it plays: a share of its satellite radio revenue set by the Copyright Royalty Board, plus a fee for each listener in the SiriusXM app. SoundExchange splits it 50% to the recording owner, 45% to the featured artist, and 5% to session musicians and vocalists.
- Songwriting royalties, through ASCAP and BMI
- Songwriters and publishers are paid separately by performing rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI, each with its own formula.
You need to be registered with SoundExchange, and have your songs registered with a performing rights organization, to collect either one.
Why spins aren’t 1:1 with royalties
More spins means more money, but they don’t turn into dollars one to one.
- There’s no fixed rate per spin. Its value moves with SiriusXM’s revenue.
- Statements arrive months after the plays.
- xmplaylist misses live DJ sets, talk shows, and Xtra channels.
Track your SiriusXM spins
Free sample reportTalking HeadsEvery SiriusXM play by song and station.- Artist airplayFive years of SiriusXM plays for any artist, by song and station, as a running total.
- Track LookupAny song’s plays by station, week by week.
- Track AddsStations playing a song for the first time.
- Artist rosterFollow up to 100 artists, with a weekly airplay email.
Sample artist reports are free. Supporter adds every artist, all reports, and CSV exports with ISRCs to line up against your statements. See plans.
FAQ
- How much does SiriusXM pay per spin?
- There’s no set amount. Satellite royalties are a share of SiriusXM’s satellite revenue, divided across everything it plays and then split between the recording owner, artists, and musicians, so a spin is worth a different amount from month to month. Your spin count is still the best guide to what’s coming.
- Who pays SiriusXM royalties?
- SoundExchange pays recording royalties to recording owners and artists. Performing rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI pay songwriting royalties to songwriters and publishers.
- Does xmplaylist show royalty payouts?
- No. xmplaylist shows plays: how many times a song aired on SiriusXM, on which stations, and when. Compare them with your SoundExchange and PRO statements.
- Why doesn’t my royalty statement match my spin count?
- Statements arrive months after the plays, a spin’s value changes month to month, listening in the SiriusXM app is paid per listener, and xmplaylist can miss plays during live shows. Compare the same months on both and watch the trend.
- Which SiriusXM stations are playing my music?
- Look up your artist on xmplaylist to see every station that played them, how often, and which songs.