John,

ASCAP, BMI, SESAC DON'T keep most of them registered or keep up with it. Or pay out on anything that doesn't generate enough traffic. That's a big part of the problem, they have to registered, and have to come from something that REPORTS them. The vast vast vast majority of songs get no views, no listens, no downloads, etc. Just because someone puts something OUT there, doesn't mean anyone pays for it.It's the equivilent of "back in the day" when someone would get a few spins of a record on some obscure college radio station in the middle of no where. There is just not enough activity to report. Same deal today.

And in many cases, touring artists, who register venues where they play, those venues have been hit by licencing fees, fines, or in many cases, quit having live music in any way. With all the hardships of Covid and related economic issues over the past few years, a resturant or bar already having problems keeping their doors open, supply chain problems, staffing problems, being hit with something else to pay for. Not worth getting hit up.

It's been an interesting world, watching a lot of my friends with very large hit songs, posting photos of their royalty checks, adding up to literally pennies.

Japov, as usual, all you need is a very large following of people who will pay you directly for your music. Then you'll do fine. Just need people that will pay you for being you. You have a big personality. Should be no problem for you.