Unclaimed music royalties are real money that has been earned by songs and recordings but never paid out, because nobody registered or claimed it. If you have released music, played on someone's record, or sung a feature, some of it could be yours. This guide shows you exactly where to look to find your music royalties, how to claim what you find, and how to stop the leak for good.
The fastest way to start is our free Missed Royalties Check. It takes about two minutes and points you to every search below.
Why royalties go unclaimed
Royalties go unclaimed for a few simple reasons:
- The song was never registered. An organization received money for a play but has no record of who owns the song.
- The data does not match. The title, artist name, or ISRC in the usage report does not line up with the registration.
- The artist does not know the organization exists. Many independent artists have never heard of The MLC or SoundExchange.
- Contact or payment details are out of date. The organization knows it owes you but cannot reach you.
- Splits are missing or in conflict. Money can be held while co-writers sort out who owns what.
The good news: in many of these cases, money is held for a period of time so the rightful owner can claim it. The bad news: that period does not last forever.
Where to search: The MLC unmatched royalties
The MLC collects US mechanical royalties from streaming and download services. When a stream cannot be matched to a registered song, the money is held as unmatched.
How to search
- Use the free Public Work Search. You can search song titles on The MLC's public portal without an account. Check whether your songs appear and whether all writers are listed.
- Create a free member account if your songs are missing or only partly claimed.
- Register your works with correct writers, splits, IPI numbers, and ISRCs.
- Use the Claiming and Matching tools inside the portal to find recordings of your songs that have not been matched and claim them.
Why act now
The MLC has policies about how long unmatched money is held before it is distributed under its rules. Claim your songs before that happens. Our MLC registration guide walks through registration step by step.
SoundExchange's unregistered list
SoundExchange collects digital performance royalties for sound recordings from non-interactive services such as satellite radio and internet radio. If you are a featured artist or own a master that has been played, SoundExchange may be holding money for you.
How to search
- Go to SoundExchange's page for artists, labels, and producers and use the artist search.
- Search your artist name, your legal name, and common misspellings.
- If you appear, register. If you own your masters, register as both the featured artist and the sound recording rights owner.
Watch the clock
SoundExchange has rules that allow unclaimed royalties to be released after a period of time. Money not claimed can be gone. Search today.
AFM & SAG-AFTRA unclaimed royalties search
The AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund pays non-featured musicians and vocalists, meaning session players and background singers, from certain royalty pools. You do not have to be a union member to be paid.
How to search
- Search your legal name and stage name in the Fund's Unclaimed Royalties list.
- Also search the Covered Recordings list for tracks you played or sang on.
- If you appear, complete the Fund's free performer form.
If you have ever played guitar on a friend's record or sung backup on a session, check this one. It is easy to miss.
State unclaimed property
This one is different. Sometimes a royalty payer does owe you money, cut a check, and could not deliver it. After a while, many businesses are required to turn unclaimed funds over to the state as unclaimed property.
How to search
- Search your state's official unclaimed property website. Most US states have one.
- Search every state you have lived in, not just your current one.
- Try your legal name and any business name you used for music, like your publishing company.
- Many states are also searchable together through the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators' site, MissingMoney.
Only use official state or government linked sites. You should never have to pay a fee to search or claim.
How to claim what you find
Every organization has its own claim process, but the basics are the same.
Gather your proof
- Your legal name and stage name
- Your IPI number (from your PRO)
- ISRCs for your recordings
- Song titles and co-writer splits
- Release dates and distributor info
- Tax forms and bank details
Submit the claim yourself
Claims are made under your own account at each organization. Be wary of anyone who asks for your passwords or wants a big cut of found money just for filling in a form.
Keep records
Save screenshots and confirmation emails. If a claim stalls, you will want a paper trail.
How to stop leaking royalties going forward
Finding old money is great. Not losing new money is better. Here is the simple prevention plan.
1. Register every song everywhere at release
That means your PRO, The MLC, SoundExchange, and the Copyright Office. Our pillar guide covers the full sequence: how to register a song everywhere it earns.
2. Use one ISRC per recording, everywhere
Mismatched codes are a top reason money goes unmatched. Read what an ISRC code is.
3. Join a PRO and set up your publisher share
If you have not picked a PRO, see BMI vs ASCAP.
4. Keep your data identical
Same title, same artist name, same splits, same codes in every registration.
5. Recheck once a year
Search The MLC, SoundExchange, the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund, and state unclaimed property sites at least once a year.
Let Royalty Lock prep it
Royalty Lock turns one upload into prepped registrations for every destination. The AI builds the files and fills in the forms; you submit under your own login. We never log into your accounts and never touch your money. See the Royalty Map for every stream, How it works for the flow, and our roadmap for what each registry allows today.
Signs you might have unclaimed royalties
Not sure if any of this applies to you? You probably have money waiting if any of these are true:
- You have released music but never joined a PRO.
- You have never heard of The MLC or never registered your songs there.
- You own your masters but have never registered with SoundExchange.
- You played or sang on someone else's recording as a session musician or background vocalist.
- You changed your artist name, your legal name, or your address.
- Your songs have co-writers and you are not sure everyone registered the same splits.
- You switched distributors and are not sure your ISRCs stayed the same.
- Your songs get played on internet or satellite radio.
If you checked even one box, spend twenty minutes on the searches in this guide.
Search tips that find more money
Search engines inside royalty databases are not very forgiving. These tips help.
Try every version of your name
Search your stage name, legal name, old band names, and common misspellings. Try with and without "The," and with and without punctuation.
Search by song title too
Where a database allows title searches, search every song you released. Try alternate spellings and versions like "Remix" or "Live."
Search your co-writers and bandmates
If a co-writer or bandmate registered a song, it may show a different contact. Check the song, not just your name.
Write down what you find
Keep a simple list: organization, song or name, what you found, and what you did about it. It will save you from searching the same places twice.
Beware of royalty recovery scams
Where there is unclaimed money, there are people trying to profit from it. Protect yourself.
- Never share your passwords. Legitimate help does not require logging into your accounts.
- Be wary of big percentage fees. Some services take a large cut of any money found, sometimes for work you can do yourself for free.
- Check the website address. Make sure you are on the real organization's site before entering personal or bank details.
- Watch for pressure. Real organizations do not threaten that your money disappears tomorrow unless you pay a fee now.
Royalty Lock is built around this principle. We never log into your accounts, never take a cut of your royalties, and never receive your money. You claim and collect under your own logins.
What to do if a claim is disputed
Sometimes you find a song, try to claim it, and learn that someone else has already claimed it, or that splits conflict.
- Stay calm and gather evidence. Split sheets, emails, session notes, and release records all help.
- Talk to your co-writers first. Many conflicts are honest mistakes that clear up once everyone compares notes.
- Use the organization's dispute process. Each one has its own steps, so follow their instructions.
- Get advice if the amounts are large. A music attorney can help with serious ownership disputes.
The best defense is prevention: a signed split sheet made at the time the song was written.
Your 30 minute action plan
If you only have half an hour today, do this:
- Run the free Missed Royalties Check to see which gaps apply to you.
- Search your song titles in The MLC's Public Work Search.
- Search your artist and legal names at SoundExchange.
- Search your names in the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund unclaimed list.
- Search your name on your state's official unclaimed property site.
- Write down everything you find and schedule time this week to claim it.
That small block of time can uncover money you did not know existed, and it sets you up to stop the leak for every song you release next.
FAQ
How do I find unclaimed music royalties in my name?
Search The MLC's Public Work Search for your songs, SoundExchange's artist search for your artist and legal names, the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund's unclaimed list if you played or sang on recordings, and your state's unclaimed property website.
Is it free to claim unclaimed royalties?
Yes. Searching and claiming at The MLC, SoundExchange, the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund, and official state unclaimed property sites is free. Be cautious of services that charge a large percentage to claim on your behalf.
How far back can I claim music royalties?
It depends on the organization. Each has its own rules for how long unclaimed or unmatched money is held before it is released or redistributed. Search as soon as possible.
Why are my streaming royalties so low?
Often because you are only collecting one type of royalty. Your distributor pays master royalties, but composition performance royalties, US mechanicals, and SoundExchange royalties require separate registrations.