Songtrust

What Songtrust does

Songtrust is a music publishing administration platform that helps songwriters, producers, and independent music creators collect publishing royalties from international markets. Founded in 2010 and operated as ST Music LLC, the company maintains direct registration relationships with performing rights organizations (PROs) across more than 215 countries and territories, collecting income from over 50 pay sources that include PROs, collective management organizations (CMOs), digital service providers (DSPs), and direct licensing deals. The platform provides a web-based dashboard where users register songs once and centrally track all publishing royalties, replacing the administrative complexity that independent creators face in navigating global collection society networks.

The company's technology integrates with international PROs and CMOs to register works directly in the territories where royalties are generated rather than relying on slower reciprocal registration arrangements. Its income tracking capabilities aggregate usage statements and royalty data across platforms, countries, and audience types. The product suite is anchored by the core publishing administration platform and is supplemented by a client dashboard, blog, help center, collection society database, and educational resources covering music publishing fundamentals. In October 2025, Songtrust launched Songtrust Amplified, a free rewards program offering curated perks and partner discounts to clients based on catalog size and royalty earnings.

Songtrust generates revenue primarily through a one-time $100 registration fee per songwriter, which allows unlimited song registrations and funds upfront catalog management work, supplemented by standard publishing-administration commissions on collected royalties. The go-to-market combines a direct-to-consumer self-serve model through app.songtrust.com with community-led outreach and channel partnerships with music lawyers, A&R representatives, and industry educators. The company serves a long-tail customer base of 150,000+ songwriters and 20,000+ publishers globally, with offices in New York, Amsterdam, Atlanta, Nashville, and Los Angeles. Songtrust is a subsidiary of Downtown Music Group, which was acquired by Universal Music Group for $775 million, placing Songtrust under UMG's independent music services portfolio alongside FUGA and CD Baby.

Name

Songtrust

Legal name

ST Music LLC

Website

https://songtrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Songtrust is a music publishing administration platform that helps independent songwriters and publishers collect global publishing royalties from 215+ countries through direct PRO registrations and a centralized dashboard, charging a one-time $100 fee per songwriter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing Administration

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230), Music Publishers (51223)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Rights Administration (PRO Affiliation, Cue Sheet/Setlist Processing) (MPAIABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB), Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD), Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Music publishing administration
• Royalty collection services
• Music rights management
• Songwriter royalty tracking
• Publishing administration platform

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Songwriter Registration Fee: One-time fee of $100 per songwriter for catalog management work. This is not an annual fee or per-release fee—songwriters pay once and can register unlimited songs. This enables Songtrust to perform upfront catalog management work for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Songtrust operates a web-based music publishing administration platform that enables songwriters, composers, and publishers to register songs, collect global publishing royalties, and track income from international sources. The platform registers works directly with PROs worldwide and collects royalties from more than 215 countries and territories through 50+ pay sources including PROs, CMOs, DSPs, and digital services, all accessed through a centralized client dashboard. Songtrust is offered under a one-time $100 per songwriter registration fee with unlimited song registrations.

Product overview

Songtrust is a music publishing administration platform offering a unified product that helps songwriters register their songs, collect global royalties from 215+ countries, and track income through a user-friendly dashboard. The core platform is supplemented by Songtrust Amplified (a rewards program), and various educational resources including a blog, help center, collection society database, and music publishing educational content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Songtrust Amplified: A free rewards program created to support independent music creators with curated perks, partner discounts, and exclusive opportunities as they grow their careers.

Products and services

• Music Publishing Administration Web-based music publishing administration platform that enables songwriters and publishers to register songs, collect publishing royalties from 215+ countries and territories, and track income from 50+ pay sources including PROs, CMOs, DSPs, and direct licensing deals through a centralized dashboard.
• Songtrust Amplified Free rewards program for Songtrust clients offering curated perks, partner discounts, and exclusive opportunities for independent music creators, with benefits unlocking based on number of songs registered and royalties earned.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue nearly doubled year-over-year in 2020 with 110%+ client growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Downtown Music GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSongtrust is 'A Downtown Company' and is part of the Downtown Music Group portfolio of music companies. Downtown was acquired by Universal Music Group for $775 million. Songtrust works alongside other Downtown assets including FUGA (music distribution and publishing technology) and CD Baby (music distribution) to serve independent artists at scale.
• Songtrust Amplified PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSongtrust Amplified is a free rewards program for Songtrust clients that provides curated perks, partner discounts, and exclusive opportunities. The program includes handpicked partners providing various services to support independent music creators at different career stages.
• HighTower Solicitors and AdvocatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHighTower Solicitors and Advocates, a Nigerian entertainment law firm, partners with Songtrust to help register their music industry clients with global PROs. The firm represents artists across Africa and helps educate creators about copyright and publishing rights.
• Virgin Music GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirgin Music Group's co-CEOs discussed leveraging Downtown's assets including FUGA, CD Baby, and Songtrust as part of their strategy to serve independent artists at scale following UMG's acquisition of Downtown Music Group.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Music Reports Inc. MRI provides music rights administration, cue sheet processing, and royalty accounting for publishers, PROs, and DSPs. Operates in the same publishing-admin and royalty-processing back-end infrastructure that Songtrust also serves.
• Audiam: Audiam (now part of BMI) specialized in collecting mechanical and digital performance royalties for songwriters and independent publishers. Direct functional overlap with Songtrust's core songwriter-royalty collection.
• Kobalt Music Group: Kobalt is the most direct competitor: a technology-focused music publisher and publishing administrator offering global royalty collection, creative services, and sync licensing to independent songwriters and publishers. It targets the same customer base with a similar fee-share model.
• Downtown Music Publishing: Downtown Music Publishing is Songtrust's parent and a sister service offering full-service publishing deals to songwriters. Closely comparable publishing-admin capability, with overlap on global collection and rights administration.

Others

• TuneCore: TuneCore distributes music for independent artists and has expanded into publishing administration through TuneCore Publishing. Adjacent rather than head-to-head, but serves the same indie artist with similar global reach.
• CD Baby: CD Baby is Songtrust's sibling within Downtown Music Group, focused on independent artist distribution and publishing. Sister asset often bundled or cross-referred; comparable indie-songwriter customer base.

Emerging players

• Songtradr: Songtradr operates a B2B music licensing platform and has expanded into publishing administration and rights management for independent artists and catalogs. Comparable SMB-focused, tech-led approach to global rights collection.
• Create Music Group: Create Music Group is an independent music and rights company offering publishing administration, distribution, and neighboring-rights services. Comparable tech-led indie publisher-admin hybrid model.
• Royalty Exchange: Royalty Exchange operates a marketplace for music royalties and offers royalty valuation and catalog services to songwriters and investors. Adjacent but partially overlapping service set in the independent songwriter royalty space.

Broad incumbents

• BMG Rights Management: BMG is one of the world's largest independent music publishers and offers publishing administration alongside recorded music and neighboring rights, serving songwriters, publishers, and recording artists globally. Broader portfolio but overlapping publishing admin capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/songtrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SONGTRUST
• Facebookfacebook.com/116066535070212
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/songtrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/songtrust
• TikToktiktok.com/@songtrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Songtrust