Royalties are generated when your music is publicly performed, broadcast, streamed online, or used in licensed venues such as pubs, clubs, shops, hotels, or festivals. IMRO collects licence fees from these music users and distributes the revenue to members based on detailed performance data.
The amount you receive depends on several factors, including:
Where and how your music was used (e.g., live, broadcast, online)
The duration and frequency of the performance
Your ownership share in the work
The availability and accuracy of performance reports (e.g., set lists, cue sheets, usage logs)
For a complete and comprehensive guide to how royalties are calculated, please refer to the Royalties Section of this website.
If you’re performing live outside your country of residence, it’s important to notify IMRO about these performances to help ensure you receive the royalties you’re entitled to from international performances.
Please provide:
Dates of your concerts or gigs
Venue names and locations
A set list of the music you plan to perform
IMRO will then inform the relevant performing rights organisation (PRO) in that territory so they can identify your performances and forward any collected royalties to IMRO for distribution to you.
If you’ve already performed internationally and haven’t received royalties, you should still send this information to IMRO as soon as possible.
You can submit performance details through the Members Only section of the website by clicking the Members Login link at the top of the page.
Mechanical Copyright Protection Society Ireland Limited (MCPSI) is an organisation that represents thousands of composers and publishers of music. It licenses the mechanical rights in musical works — that is, the right to reproduce music in physical formats (CDs, DVDs, vinyl), online, or as part of audiovisual content.
Through an agency agreement with MCPS UK and reciprocal arrangements with other societies worldwide, MCPSI also represents the interests of global music copyright owners.
MCPSI provides licensing services for:
Record companies and producers
Independent filmmakers and TV companies
Online music services and digital distributors
Importers of recordings from outside the EU
Anyone wishing to use music in recorded formats
It collects and distributes royalties on behalf of music creators whenever their work is used in these ways.
📍 Contact MCPSI
Address:
Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (Ireland) Ltd (MCPSI) Pembroke Row Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2, Ireland
📞 Tel: +353 1 676 6940
📧 Email:
For CD/DVD clearance & membership: mechanicals@imro.ie
For general, online & sync licensing: mcps.licensing@imro.ie
If you discover that your music has been copied, recorded, or used in a sound recording without your permission, you should take action immediately.
For issues involving unauthorised recordings (also known as mechanical rights infringements), you should contact:
MCPSI (Mechanical Copyright Protection Society Ireland Ltd)
MCPSI represents thousands of composers and publishers of music, and through reciprocal agreements with global societies, also protects the rights of international music copyright holders. It licenses companies and individuals who record music and collects and distributes royalties from those recordings.
If someone has recorded your work without permission:
Contact MCPSI with full details of the infringement.
Include evidence of where and how the work was used.
MCPSI can advise you on the next steps, including how to pursue missing royalties or stop unauthorised use.
📍 Contact MCPSI
Address:
Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (Ireland) Ltd (MCPSI) Pembroke Row Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2, Ireland
Mechanical royalties are payments made to songwriters, composers, and music publishers when a musical work is reproduced or distributed in physical or digital form. This includes:
CDs, vinyl records, and cassette tapes
Digital downloads (e.g., iTunes purchases)
Streaming services (such as Spotify, Apple Music – for both downloads and interactive streams)
Ringtones and mobile music uses
Synchronised audio in visual media (in some cases, e.g. DVDs)
Imported recordings (from outside the EU)
These royalties are called “mechanical” because they stem from the mechanical reproduction of music — originally referring to piano rolls and now applying to modern formats.
Who collects mechanical royalties?
In Ireland, mechanical royalties are collected and distributed by:
MCPSI
(Mechanical Copyright Protection Society Ireland Ltd)
They license the right to reproduce musical works and ensure that the rightful copyright owners are paid when their music is recorded or distributed.
Through reciprocal agreements with other global societies, MCPSI also helps ensure mechanical royalties from international uses of your music are collected and returned to you.
Yes. If you are aware of any broadcasts of your music—especially outside of your home territory—it’s important to notify IMRO. While IMRO receives broadcast data directly from local broadcasters, including full reports from all major stations, informing us of known broadcasts helps ensure your royalties are properly tracked and collected.
For international broadcasts, IMRO can alert the relevant collection society abroad to help facilitate payment to you.
You can submit broadcast details through the Members Only section of the website or contact our Distribution Department at:
No. Membership of MCPS (Mechanical Copyright Protection Society) is separate from IMRO and is not automatic.
If you wish to earn mechanical royalties—which are generated from the reproduction of your works (e.g., on CDs, downloads, streaming platforms, etc.)—you will need to apply for membership with MCPS separately.
For more information or to apply, you can contact:
Yes. If you arrange traditional works, it is essential that you register them with IMRO.
You must register every song, tune, or melody that you are:
Writing
Co-writing
Or arranging, even if it’s based on a traditional (public domain) work
This ensures IMRO can properly identify your contribution and pay you the royalties you’re entitled to.
Arrangements of traditional works are treated the same as original compositions in terms of royalty distribution—so it’s in your best interest to register them, especially if:
You’re performing them live
They’re being broadcast on radio or television
If they’re not registered, IMRO will be unable to allocate any royalties to you for their use.
Don’t miss out—register your traditional arrangements as soon as possible.
There’s no single “right” way to get your songs to performers, but here are some helpful steps to consider:
Identify the right artist or performer:
Focus on artists who are likely to record or perform the style of music you’ve written. It’s best to avoid contacting performers who don’t align with your music’s genre or style.
Contact the right person:
Once you’ve identified suitable artists, send a demo of your material to their manager, publisher, or record company. Be aware that many companies do not accept unsolicited material, so research carefully to find the appropriate contact and preferred submission format.
If you don’t have a specific artist in mind:
Consider targeting music publishers who specialise in your genre. Sending demos to publishers who focus on your style increases your chances of success. For example, avoid sending heavy rock demos to publishers who focus on traditional music.
Doing your research and targeting your efforts will improve your chances of getting your songs into the hands of performers.
Traditional or folk music often exists in the public domain—meaning its copyright term has expired and it is free for anyone to use. However, new arrangements or adaptations of traditional works can attract copyright protection if they meet certain legal criteria.
Key Points:
Traditional works are usually no longer under copyright because the original composer is unknown or has been deceased for more than 70 years. These works can be freely used, shared, or adapted by anyone.
Arrangements of traditional music—such as harmonisations, orchestrations, or structural reinterpretations—may be protected by copyright if they involve original creative input and are fixed in a tangible form (e.g., a written score, recording, or digital file).
Ornamentation or variation in live performance alone does not constitute a new copyright. It must be captured in a fixed form to qualify.
Multiple arrangements of the same traditional work may exist, each protected separately under copyright law.
International Context:
The Berne Convention, an international copyright treaty, explicitly allows for new copyright protection in arrangements of public domain works. This supports creativity worldwide while still maintaining public access to the original source material.
Why it matters:
If you create a new arrangement of a traditional song—especially if you plan to publish, record, or license it—it’s important to register it with IMRO to ensure you’re recognised as the rights holder for your version.
