JASRAC Membership: Who Qualifies and What You Get
Learn how songwriters and composers can manage their royalties and ensure they are paid for their music through JASRAC.
JASRAC membership is a way for creators to manage their musical rights and collect money earned when their music is played in public or on the radio.
Who it's for
This scheme is intended for people who create music, specifically targeting songwriters and composers. If you write melodies or lyrics that are used by others, this membership is designed to help you manage those creative rights.
What you get
The primary benefit of joining is the collection and distribution of royalties. When your music is performed in public settings or broadcast through various media channels, royalties are generated. JASRAC handles the complex process of gathering these payments and distributing them to you so you can be compensated for your creative work.
What it costs you
There are no large upfront fees to join, but you should be aware that the service is not entirely free. Small administrative fees are deducted from the royalties you collect to cover the costs of managing the rights and processing the distributions.
The catch to know
The most important thing to remember is that membership alone does not automatically trigger payments for all your work. You must manually register every song individually within their system to ensure that your music is tracked correctly and that you receive the payments you are owed.
How to apply
- Visit the official JASRAC website to review the membership requirements.
- Prepare your musical works for registration.
- Complete the registration process for each of your songs individually.
- Access the official portal to manage your account: https://www.jasrac.or.jp/