« Back to FAQs How does BMI split royalties between songwriters/composers and publishers?

One half is designated for the songwriter(s) or composer(s), and the other half is designated for the publisher(s) or copyright holder(s). Learn more about how BMI pays royalties. If you do not have a publisher, you will also receive the publisher’s share as a writer.

If you do not own a publishing company and there are no publisher shares on the work you will see Manuscript as a publishing placeholder. This means the writer and publisher shares are flowing directly to the writers.