When Will SAMRO Pay You?

silasbeats
May 10
3 min read

One of the first things I asked myself after signing up with SAMRO was, “Okay cool, but when do I actually get paid?”

If you're a South African music producer, composer, or songwriter — especially if you're in the sync licensing space or dropping music to the public — this is something you really have to plan around.

Because SAMRO doesn’t pay out every month like a regular salary.

They follow a distribution calendar. That means your royalties are paid on specific dates during the year, depending on what kind of usage your music had, when it was reported, and a whole lot of other admin.

So let me break this down — quick and real based on what I’ve learned:

How Often Does SAMRO Pay?

Right now, based on the current cycle (July 2024 to June 2025), I counted about 21 royalty distributions.

That’s not a typo — but not all of those will apply to you.

Some payouts happen multiple times for different categories, like local vs. foreign royalties.

You can find this full breakdown on SAMRO’s site (I dropped the link in the YouTube description), and it’s worth downloading for future reference.

Why It Takes So Long to Get Paid

Let’s say your track plays on TV today. You're hyped. But here's the deal: You might only get paid next year.

Why?

Because broadcasters don’t report usage in real-time. They usually send logs in batches, months later. Then SAMRO has to process that data, match it to your works, validate it, sort it into the right category, and only then does it qualify for payout.

And if it’s foreign royalties? Multiply that wait time. I’ve had payments come in 12 to 18 months after the music was used — legit and all.

🧠 So How Do You Stay Sane?

For me, it’s all about the mindset: I treat royalties as long-term money — not short-term hustle cash.

You can’t be out here trying to pay next month’s rent with a sync check that’s only dropping next year.

So here's what I do:

Track every placement. Date, platform, category, expected window — I note it all.
Set reminders to check statements when those payouts should be dropping.
Diversify your income. I sell beats, do voiceovers, mix and master for clients — that holds me down in the short-term.
Build a buffer. Because even with all the admin, SAMRO can delay payments for technical reasons.

GET MY FREE TOOLS HERE

Common Reasons Your Royalties Might Be Delayed

This part’s crucial, especially if you're like “But I know my track got used!”

Here’s why your money might not have come in:

Broadcaster logs were submitted late or with errors.
Metadata mismatch — wrong title, composer name, or publishing info.
Your Notification of Works wasn’t submitted or accepted.
Your banking or member info is outdated.
SAMRO is still reconciling foreign royalties.

Real talk, I once had a payment delayed over a single wrong letter in my surname. That’s how sensitive the system is. So double-check your info.

If a full year has passed since a verified usage and nothing’s landed? Contact SAMRO. Have your membership number, track title, and where it was used ready — it helps create a paper trail and can speed things up.