What Is CAPASSO? A Complete Guide to South Africa’s Mechanical Royalty Agency

If you are a musician, producer, composer, or music publisher in South Africa, understanding CAPASSO is essential. CAPASSO short for Composers, Authors and Publishers Association is the organization responsible for collecting and distributing mechanical royalties. These royalties are a major income stream for creators, especially in today’s digital era.

This article explains what CAPASSO is, how it works, why you should register, and how mechanical royalties can boost your earnings as a music creator.

What Is CAPASSO?

CAPASSO is a South African mechanical rights agency that licenses and collects mechanical royalties on behalf of:

• Composers

• Songwriters

• Music producers

• Publishers

Mechanical royalties are generated whenever music is reproduced, whether physically or digitally. This includes downloads, streaming, ringtones, digital sales, and more.

CAPASSO ensures that musicians and creators are paid when their music is copied or reproduced by digital platforms and businesses.

What Are Mechanical Royalties?

Mechanical royalties are fees earned when your music is reproduced. These royalties are different from performance royalties (which are collected by SAMRO).

Mechanical royalties are paid when:

• A song is streamed on digital platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, etc.)

• A track is downloaded on digital stores

• A song is reproduced on physical media (CDs, USBs, vinyl)

• A ringtone or caller tune is created from your song

• Music is distributed through digital services that store copies on servers

Examples of mechanical royalty sources:

• Spotify

• Apple Music

• YouTube Music

• TikTok

• Facebook/Instagram

• iTunes Downloads

• Boomplay

• Amazon Music
  
  

CAPASSO vs SAMRO: What’s the Difference?

Many creators confuse CAPASSO and SAMRO, but they manage different types of royalties.

CAPASSO	SAMRO
Handles mechanical royalties	Handles performance royalties
Paid for reproduction of music	Paid for public performance of music
Works with digital platforms	Works with broadcasters, venues, TV, radio
Focus: Streams, downloads, ringtones	Focus: Radio play, TV play, live gigs

Most musicians register with both CAPASSO and SAMRO to ensure they receive all possible royalties.

Why You Should Register With CAPASSO

Registering with CAPASSO gives you access to a major revenue stream that many artists overlook.

Key benefits:

1. Earn from Digital Streams

Every stream on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and other DSPs generates mechanical royalties.

2. Earn from Downloads

Platforms like iTunes and Amazon pay mechanical royalties for digital downloads.

3. Earn International Royalties

CAPASSO partners with international licensing hubs to collect royalties from across the world.

4. Protect Your Copyright

CAPASSO ensures your compositions are licensed legally, preventing unauthorized digital use.

5. Fair Royalty Distribution

The agency uses verified data from platforms to accurately distribute royalties.

Who Should Register With CAPASSO?

You should register with CAPASSO if you are involved in creating or owning music compositions.

This includes:

• Music producers who create beats or instrumentals

• Songwriters and composers

• Vocalists who write their own lyrics

• Publishers who manage catalogs

• Independent artists who own their music

• Record labels with publishing rights

Even if you self-produce and self-publish, CAPASSO ensures you get paid.

How CAPASSO Works

Step 1: Registration

Creators or publishers register their works with CAPASSO.

Step 2: Licensing

CAPASSO licenses your music to digital platforms, broadcasters and businesses.

Step 3: Royalty Collection

Digital services report usage and pay mechanical royalty fees to CAPASSO.

Step 4: Royalty Distribution

CAPASSO distributes payments to registered members based on actual usage data.

How Much Can You Earn With CAPASSO?

Your earnings depend on factors such as:

• Number of streams

• Number of downloads

• Territories/countries where your music is consumed

• Distribution platforms

• Publishing share percentage

For many independent artists, mechanical royalties become a consistent monthly income, especially when music performs well on digital stores.

How to Register With CAPASSO

You can register directly through the official CAPASSO website and provide:

• Your ID/passport

• Your bank details

• Your songwriter/composer information

• Details of your songs (metadata)

• Proof of ownership (if required)

After registration, you can submit your works and start earning mechanical royalties.

CAPASSO Is Essential for Every Music Creator

In the digital music landscape, mechanical royalties are one of the most important income sources for musicians and creators. CAPASSO ensures South African artists and publishers get paid fairly when their music is reproduced on streaming platforms, digital stores, and other services.

If you create music, registering with CAPASSO is not optional it's a must. By doing so, you secure your earnings, protect your rights, and unlock global royalty opportunities.