Royalties and Their Collection
There are four types of royalties: mechanical, public performance, synchronization, and print music. Mechanical royalties are paid from record labels for each record sold. Public performance royalties are paid by users of music (i.e. radio, concerts, etc). Synchronization royalties are paid by music users for synchronizing music with their own visual images. Print music royalties are paid by music printers for sheet music and folios.
The way mechanicals pay publishers is based on how much phonorecordings are sold, which are determined by record companies. BMI is a performing rights society, and companies as such issue blanket licenses to music users for publicly performing their songs in the operation of their businesses and broadcasts. Synchronization fees are not regulated by law, so it can vary by usage. The fees can range from zero to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the level of fame. Print royalties are paid by printers to whoever granted them a print music license. They are usually limited to three to five years in duration.
https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/Royalties_and_Their_Collection
