SoundExchange paid out $51.7 million in non-interactive, US-based radio royalties during the first quarter, a record for the group. The figure was shared exclusively this morning with Digital Music News and the New York Times, ahead of a broader announcement. The payout represents a record sum for the organization, and traverses online radio, satellite, and cable television sources.

It also represents a 135 percent, year-over-year jump, and a $10 million gain over the previous record. “In addition to our usual distribution amounts, this total includes millions of dollars which were freed up by our commitment to cleaning up the bad data which is often reported to us by services,” explained SoundExchange executive director John Simson.

The cleaned-up metadata was important, but a mid-2009 awareness surge is also a major reason for the gain. The company pointed to “a flood of new registrations,” including many lump-sum payouts that included cumulative amounts dating back to 1996.