The Part of AI Music Nobody Teaches You
Most AI music education stops at "generate." Some of it goes as far as "mix and master." Almost none of it walks you through what happens after the track is finished... the part where you register your music correctly so it actually pays you.
That gap is where most independent creators lose the most money.
Not because they didn't work hard. Because nobody ever walked them through it.
Today we're shipping two new things that fix that.
The problem
You upload to DistroKid. Your song goes live on Spotify. Streams start trickling in. And you assume the money is flowing.
It is not.
DistroKid gets you on the streaming platforms. It pays you the master-side royalties from those platforms. That is all it does. It does not register your compositions with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, or the international equivalents). It does not register you with The MLC, which collects US digital mechanical royalties. It does not submit your sound recordings to SoundExchange, which collects your digital performance royalties on those recordings.
Those are four separate registrations, four separate royalty streams, and four separate paths your music has to take through the system for you to actually collect everything you are owed.
Most independent creators only set up one of them. And every month they release music, they quietly leave royalties on the table that they will never be able to claim retroactively without tedious cleanup.
This is not a legal problem. It is a workflow problem. And workflow problems have solutions.
Unlock Music Rights & Registration
UNLOCK MUSIC RIGHTS & REGISTRATION (PDF + ePub)
The Independent Creator's Guide to Getting Paid
$12.99
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You finished the track. Now what?
Most independent creators are leaving royalties on the table. Not because they didn't work hard. Because nobody ever walked them through registering their music correctly.
DistroKid gets you on Spotify. It does not register your compositions with a PRO. It does not register you with The MLC. It does not submit your recordings to SoundExchange. Those are four separate systems, four separate registrations, and four separate royalty streams... and most creators only ever set up one of them.
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One Cog in a Larger System
Unlock Music Rights & Registration is the "getting paid" phase of the Red Lab Path. You can make incredible music all day. If the registrations are wrong, the money never finds you.
This book teaches you how the four royalty systems actually work, how to register in each one, and how to avoid the fifteen most expensive mistakes independent creators make. Without this foundation, every stream, every playlist placement, and every download is sending royalties into the void.
The other books in the Red Lab Path teach you how to make the music. This one makes sure you get paid for it.
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What You'll Master
Understand the five royalty buckets: Master-side streaming, songwriter performance, songwriter mechanical, sound recording digital performance, and neighboring rights. Plain language, no legal jargon.
Run the DistroKid upload flow correctly: Field by field walkthrough, including the Apple Music rejection traps that block half of first-time releases.
Register with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, or international equivalent): Full walkthrough for US creators plus guidance for PRS, SOCAN, GEMA, APRA, JASRAC, and the major global PROs.
Register with The MLC: The step most US creators skip entirely, and the one that collects your songwriter mechanicals from every streaming service.
Register with SoundExchange: The digital performance royalties on your sound recordings that nobody else is collecting for you.
Handle AI disclosure correctly: What the 2025 ASCAP / BMI / SOCAN joint policy actually requires, what the Thaler SCOTUS decision changed, what Apple Music Transparency Tags mean for your releases, and what the DDEX disclosure standard is doing across distributors.
Run the full release workflow: Phase 0 through Phase 7 across all four services, from mastered track to first payout.
Avoid fifteen expensive mistakes: Every one of them costs real money. Each one has a fix.
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What's Inside
Ninety six pages. Twelve parts. Two workflow appendices.
Part 1: The Five Royalty Buckets
Part 2: Technical Prerequisites
Part 3: DistroKid (Distribution)
Part 4: Performing Rights Organizations
Part 5: The MLC
Part 6: SoundExchange
Part 7: International Notes
Part 8: The AI Factor
Part 9: The End-to-End Release Workflow
Part 10: Common (And Expensive) Mistakes
Part 11: Master Checklists
Part 12: Quick Reference (Registration Links)
Appendix A: Song Registration Worksheet
Appendix B: Metadata Master Sheet
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Want Hands-On Help Instead?
Some creators want to read the book and run the workflow themselves. Some want a human walking them through it.
The Release Support Package includes this book plus 60 days of direct email support from Josh. You send your release info using the intake template, and Josh reviews your DistroKid upload, your PRO registration, your MLC work registration, and your SoundExchange account before anything goes live. The goal is simple: your first release goes out registered correctly the first time.
$127 standalone. $95.25 for Red Lab Access members.
[Learn more about Release Support →]
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Or Get the Full System — Red Lab Access
Unlock Music Rights & Registration is one piece. Red Lab Access is the complete system.
✓ All six Unlock books (Suno, Reaper, Mureka, Music Rights & Registration, AI Music Revolution, AI Music Side Hustle)
✓ All guides, including Red Lab Exclusives not sold anywhere else
✓ Six Red Lab Protocol Research Reports (blind-tested platform comparisons)
✓ Fifteen Genre Blueprints (tested prompt frameworks ready to use)
✓ The 3-Song Sprint course, included free
✓ Fader, the AI Studio Manager, included
✓ Private member community
✓ All future books, guides, reports, and Blueprints, automatic, forever
Hundreds of creators across more than ten countries are already inside. One price. No subscription. Everything above and everything that comes next, yours forever.
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Format
Instant digital download. PDF + ePub. Readable on any device. Ninety pages, optimized for print and e-readers.
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What This Is Not
This is not legal advice. This book is a registration workflow, not a legal guide. It does not cover US Copyright Office registration (a separate process and not required for most independent releases). It does not cover publishing deals, sync licensing contracts, or trademark questions. For legal questions specific to your situation, consult a music attorney.
This is also not a mastering guide. The workflow assumes you already have a finished, mastered, 24-bit WAV file ready to release. If you need help getting there, Unlock Reaper covers the mastering side.
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After Purchase
You'll see a download button on screen immediately. A download link will also be emailed to you. Check your spam folder if you don't see it. Need help? Visit jgbeatslab.com/order-help.
The first thing we shipped today is the new book.
Unlock Music Rights & Registration is the newest addition to the Unlock series. Ninety pages. Twelve parts. The complete end-to-end workflow for registering your music correctly across all four systems.
What's inside:
The five royalty buckets explained in plain language (master-side streaming, songwriter performance, songwriter mechanical, sound recording digital performance, and neighboring rights)
The complete DistroKid upload walkthrough, field by field, including the Apple Music rejection traps that block half of first-time releases
PRO registration for ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC (invitation-only), plus guidance for PRS, SOCAN, GEMA, APRA, JASRAC, and the other major international PROs
The MLC registration workflow, which most US creators skip entirely
SoundExchange registration for your sound recording digital performance royalties
The current AI policy landscape, including the October 2025 ASCAP/BMI/SOCAN joint policy, the Thaler SCOTUS decision, Apple Music Transparency Tags, and the DDEX disclosure standard
The end-to-end release workflow across all four services (Phase 0 through Phase 7)
Fifteen common and expensive mistakes (and exactly how to avoid each one)
Five master checklists you can run before every release
Song Registration Worksheet and Metadata Master Sheet appendices
This is not legal advice. It is a workflow. Written for the independent creator who wants to stop guessing and start collecting.
Price: $12.99 standalone.
Release Support Package
Personal Email Support + Unlock Music Rights & Registration Book
$127 (25% discount available for Red Lab Access members)
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You finished the track. The mastering is done. Now you're staring at DistroKid, ASCAP, The MLC, and SoundExchange wondering which one to do first, what goes in which field, and whether one wrong click is about to cost you money.
Most creators release their first song on vibes and hope. They skip two of the four registrations, guess at the metadata, and quietly leave royalties on the table for years.
The Release Support Package makes sure that doesn't happen to you.
You get the full Unlock Music Rights & Registration book to read at your own pace... plus 60 days of direct email support from Josh. You send him your release info using the intake template. He answers your questions, flags potential mistakes, and guides you through each step before anything goes final. The goal is simple: your first release goes out registered correctly the first time.
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How It Works
Step 1: You download the package. Instant digital delivery. Five files including the complete book, the welcome document, the intake template, the registration punchlist, and the critical links reference.
Step 2: You read the book. Ninety pages walking you through the four registration systems end to end. Everything you need to understand what's happening and why.
Step 3: You fill out the intake template and email Josh. Subject line: "Release Support — [Your Artist Name]." One email gets the clock started.
Step 4: Josh guides you through. DistroKid upload, PRO registration, MLC work registration, SoundExchange account. He answers your questions, flags potential mistakes, and explains what to do about them.
Step 5: You release. Correctly registered. Every royalty stream set up. No loose ends.
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What You Get
The Book. Unlock Music Rights & Registration. Ninety pages. PDF + ePub. The complete workflow for DistroKid, PROs, The MLC, SoundExchange, and international creators. $12.99 value included.
The Welcome & Instructions Document. Everything you need to know about how the support process works, timelines, and what to expect.
The Release Support Punchlist. A standalone one-page checklist. Print it out, check it off as you go.
The Intake Email Template. Fill in the blanks, send it to Josh, support begins.
The Critical Links Document. Every registration URL you'll need in one place. Bookmark it, never go searching for the right link again.
60 Days of Direct Email Support from Josh. Answers to your questions and guidance through the DistroKid, PRO, MLC, and SoundExchange registration workflows. Twenty-four hour weekday turnaround on most questions. Active until your first song is fully registered across all platforms, or 60 days from purchase, whichever comes first.
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Who This Is For
First-time releasers who want a human checking their work before their song goes live
Experienced creators releasing on a new distributor or in a new country who want the rules explained once
Anyone who has songs sitting on a hard drive because the registration side feels overwhelming
Creators who already tried to do it themselves and suspect they got something wrong
Lane 2 creators who take the business side as seriously as the creative side
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Who This Is Not For
Creators who want someone to do it for them. This is a coaching and guidance service, not a done-for-you service. You run the registrations. Josh helps you get them right and answers your questions along the way.
Creators looking for someone to master their track for them. This package covers registration and release, not mastering. If you need mastering help, see Unlock Reaper or the JG BeatsLab mastering service.
Creators looking for legal advice. This is a registration workflow. For contracts, disputes, or legal questions specific to your situation, consult a music attorney.
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Geographic Scope
US creators: Full support across DistroKid, ASCAP or BMI, The MLC, and SoundExchange.
International creators: Full support for DistroKid and ASCAP, plus guidance on your regional PRO (PRS, SOCAN, GEMA, APRA, JASRAC, and others covered in the book). Some country-specific neighboring rights societies may require local research beyond the scope of this package.
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About Your Mastered Track
You'll need a finished, mastered 24-bit WAV file before uploading to DistroKid. You don't need it to start the support engagement... plenty of creators purchase this package while they're still finishing the mastering side. What the package does not include is Josh mastering your track for you. If you need help on the mastering side, Unlock Reaper covers the full workflow, or the JG BeatsLab mastering service is available separately at jgbeatslab.com/mastering.
Streaming downloads from AI music platforms, MP3 exports, and unmastered bounces are not acceptable masters for distribution. Your WAV needs to be ready before you hit upload on DistroKid, not before you purchase this package.
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What This Package Does Not Include
No legal advice
No US Copyright Office registration (a separate process not required for most independent releases)
No mastering services
No creative review of your music. This package covers the registration and release workflow only. Questions like "is this song any good?" or "which of my six tracks should I release first?" are creative consulting, not release support, and fall outside the scope of this package.
No guarantees about playlist placement, stream counts, or royalty amounts
One point of contact per purchase. Label, distributor, and multi-artist situations are not supported under this package. Contact Josh directly if you need something custom.
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Red Lab Access Members Save 25%
Red Lab Access members get the Release Support Package at a 25% discount. Members already receive the Unlock Music Rights & Registration book free inside the library. Check the member area for your discount code.
Not a member yet? Red Lab Access includes every book, guide, blueprint, course, and tool in the library plus all future releases.
[Learn more about Red Lab Access →]
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Format
Instant digital download. Five files: Unlock Music Rights & Registration (PDF + ePub), Welcome & Instructions, Release Support Punchlist, Intake Email Template, Critical Links.
Support begins when you send the intake email to josh@jgbeatslab.com.
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After Purchase
You'll see a download button on screen immediately. A download link will also be emailed to you. Check your spam folder if you don't see it.
Open the Welcome & Instructions document first. It walks you through exactly what to do next. Need help with your download? Visit jgbeatslab.com/order-help.
The second thing we shipped is for creators who want the book PLUS a human answering their questions along the way.
Reading a book is one thing. Running your first release and wondering whether you clicked the right option on screen seven of the DistroKid upload flow is another. Some creators want to read the book and run the workflow themselves. Some want someone they can ask questions to before they hit the button.
The Release Support Package is for the second group.
You download the package. You read the book. You fill out the intake template and email it to me. I answer your questions, flag potential mistakes, and guide you through each step before anything goes final.
Sixty days of direct email support. Twenty-four hour weekday turnaround on most questions. Active until your first song is fully registered across all four platforms, or sixty days from purchase, whichever comes first.
The goal is simple. Your first release goes out registered correctly the first time.
What you get:
The book. Unlock Music Rights & Registration (90 pages, PDF + ePub). $12.99 value included.
Welcome & Instructions document. How the support process works, timelines, what to expect.
Release Support Punchlist. A one-page checklist you run before every release.
Intake Email Template. Fill it in, send it to me, support begins.
Critical Links document. Every registration URL you will need in one place.
60 days of direct email support. Answers to your questions and guidance through the DistroKid, PRO, MLC, and SoundExchange workflows.
This is a coaching and guidance service, not a done-for-you service. You run the registrations. I help you get them right.
Price: $127.
Get the Release Support Package →
Citizens build systems
There is a line we use often at JG BeatsLab. We build citizens of AI music, not tourists.
The difference looks like this. A tourist buys a prompt list, generates something, uploads it to DistroKid, and walks away with a Spotify link. That is a souvenir. A citizen builds a repeatable system... concept, generation, mix, master, registration, release. The whole stack. Every piece connects to the next. Nothing gets left on the table.
The Unlock series is the technical manual for that system. Unlock Suno teaches you the generation side. Unlock Mureka covers the other major platform. Unlock Reaper covers mastering. Unlock Music Rights & Registration covers what happens after the master is finished. And the Release Support Package gets you through your first actual release with a human answering your questions along the way.
If you have been making music for months or years and something has always felt incomplete about the business side... this is the piece that was missing.
Where to start
Two clear paths, depending on where you are.
If you already know you want the book and will run the registrations yourself: grab Unlock Music Rights & Registration for $12.99. Read it. Run the workflow. Collect your royalties.
If you want the book PLUS a human answering your questions before your first release goes final: the Release Support Package is $127 and gets you everything in the book plus 60 days of direct email support from me.
Whichever path you pick, stop leaving money on the table.
The systems only pay if you set them up correctly.
Let's get you paid.
— Josh / Founder, JG BeatsLab
