Yes and the reason is that today with technology every track and album has codes inprinted in to them. Everytime an album is sold via a legitamate source that is monitered by the correct copyright agency for the region or territory, the sale or the use of the record by radio or TV is logged because of the security codes imprinted in the CD. In the old days these radio playlists were done manually, but now that computers are used any music entered has its codes read, logged, and sent to the agency.
In the UK for instance that is PRS/MCPS,which you have to be a member of to collect any royalties. You will have an account that will hold information on whether you are song writer acredited to the tracks, performance acredited to the track or both. so every time an album is sold, downloaded, or used we know about it because of the PRS/MCPS invoices. PRS/MCPS have agreements with other organistions worldwide to in this area to collect and inform of royalties due.
Your record company should provide statements to your band of the details of your contract. If you done a deal with mechanical rights ( all these terms are on-line to search for) and a buy in for 5000 albums over 5 years, then your contract will have the details of the %s you agreed. Percentages will vary dependingon the outlet used and the Country of release. In Europe for example the PRS has no licences with some Countries so that money was never paid to them so will never be recoverable and paid to the artist.
But if you know the figures of you deal then simple math and tieing up the figures of pressings (all 5000 may not have been pressed at once) sales, promotion copies, etc you will end up with what money has been earned and what is owed (if any) by your record company.
So yes you have rights to royaltes as per your contract, that is the first thing to check over, then check with the company that does the recovery of royalties, like i said you have to be a member, but you can always join to access royaltes that are there for you.
In this business, and it is a business, nothing is for free, you will pay in more ways than one, if you do not watch what is going on around you or have not fully understood what you signed up for.
There are many good resources on the net to check out, but here is a basic overview of the situation
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.c...royalties6.htm
Good luck
