Bypass: Music Industry News for Independent Artists

Friday edition - 2 min read

SoundExchange Quietly Expanded Global Royalty Coverage

What’s Up

Did you notice? We didn’t either. SoundExchange expanded its global royalty coverage to 91% of the world, right under everyone’s noses. They have 17 more agreements with CMOs across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, including Kenya, India, Panama, and Poland.

So What

This ain’t the 90s anymore. You don’t need MTV to pop off anymore. A random upload one Tuesday afternoon can blow up halfway across the world. When that happens, who is collecting those radio, TV, and public performance royalties for you? That’s right, SoundExchange. Neighboring rights are pretty confusing. Why do you think most artists treat it like the plague?

Bottom line, this expansion is huge.

Now What

2026 isn’t the year for fumbling. Register for SoundExchange. Shouldn’t take 5 minutes. If you already use a neighboring-rights service, check if they’re pulling from SoundExchange’s expanded territories via SX Direct.

[Full story at Hypebot]

Finally, A Way to Protect Your Songs

What’s Up

It’s about time…

A musician built iCloak, a free tool that stops AI from training on your songs. It wrecks any AI model trying to steal your song by adding “imperceptible noise that interferes with machine learning systems while remaining inaudible to human listeners.” High-tech stuff.

So What

Your music IS being scraped right now. Like now, as you’re reading this. And the part that should piss you off is that those same AI models then compete with you for streams and placements.

Maybe it’s 1984. You can literally count on one hand the number of things you actually own. And your music isn’t one of them – not anymore. iCloak gives you that control back.

Now What

Assume that AI is already trained on the music you already released. Try iCloak on your next release. It’s the second thing today that’s free and takes only minutes.

[Full story at Hypebot]

Premium Merch Saves Broke Tours

What's Up

Touring costs are out of control, and ticket prices can’t go any higher. And according to Assembly’s analysis, merch isn’t some side hustle anymore. It’s literally the thin line between breaking even and going home broke.

So What

Once a tour is booked, the damage is done. Raising ticket prices is out the window, not to mention hotel and gas prices are non-negotiable. What’s here to save the day? That’s right. Merch. It’s the only way you can increase revenue per head with no strings attached.

Now What

Before your next tour: ditch the cheap stuff, invest in heavyweight blanks and better printing (embroidery, puff prints). Sell 3-4 premium pieces instead of 10 cheap ones. Give your fans something nice to wear, and make sure it’s deliberate, durable, and not disposable.

[Full story at Hypebot]