Should i choose bmi or ascap

So you continue researching only to find yourself confused by the hundreds of articles and debates involving the two organizations, but no definitive answer on which PRO is better between ASCAP and BMI. Does this sound familiar? All those little factors make a huge difference and without them, debates are a waste of time. Now, the intent of this post is not to start another debate, but to educate , giving you what you need to make your own decision. These members consist of, artists, composers, producers, publishers, etc.

Once the royalties are collected, the PRO takes their fee and then sends the remaining amount to its members:. The method of tracking this activity is done through the use of cue sheets and digital monitoring. Cue sheets are documents that outline: songs used, the owner of the song, how long the song was used, when, by who, and so on.

Once that cue sheet is filled out it has to be sent to the respective PRO s. Pretty high-tech tracking method right? Clerical errors are made all the time easily corrected and some licensees users can be late sending their sheets in, thus delaying Royalty Payments. Feel free to ask me any question s you may have about PROs and how they operate , this is an ever-changing field and some things can be complicated.

This can seem expensive for some and trust me, I understand. It seems like everyone wants your money at this point. There are a lot of good benefits to being a member of ASCAP such as hotel discounts, medical insurance, gear insurance, gear discounts fun , etc. What I love about these workshops is the people! You get to network and shake hands with a lot of people in the music industry.

Finally, the royalty split that musicians agree to with their publisher will also play a role in determining future royalties. Content creator for Soundcharts. Deciphering the music business so you don't have to. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more Got it! All Mechanics Music Markets Insiders. Log in Get Started. Get Started.

By Dmitry Pastukhov Published February 18, Jump to What are performance royalties? BMI 2. ASCAP 3. SESAC 4. Do I need to join a PRO? When should I join a PRO? How do I join a PRO? Metadata: the other critical component of performance royalties Measuring data with new-age accuracy Conclusion. What are performance royalties? Performance Rights Organizations PROs : the performance royalty collectors So, how do songwriters and publishers get paid when their music is played in public?

I know that was a lot. As I said earlier, a PROs role is to track, collect, and pay one specific kind of royalty to the owner s of a copyright: performance royalties , which are a type of composition royalty. They do this by licensing compositions on behalf of their members, who have given them the right to license them. This process is largely done through the use of blanket licenses , though individual licenses can be used.

The performances are tracked, and the royalties are compiled and paid to the rights-owners. In short: a PRO hunts down the places your music is performed, and makes sure you get paid for it. Now, to avoid conflicts of interest, and to avoid getting paid multiple times for the same performance, songwriters are only allowed to register their works with one PRO at a time only publishers can register with multiple PROs, since they likely represent multiple songwriters.

Of course, they all do pretty much the same thing when it comes to licensing songs and collecting royalties. Here are some key highlights of their model, and the added benefits of signing with BMI:.

In all likelihood, it depends who you are and what you value in a PRO. The differences are chiefly in the organization model and the company culture. My conclusion, based on research and personal experience, is this:. They have some super cool perks and benefits that appeal to those interested in the mainstream side of the business. ASCAP vs. BMI vs. My buddy Ryan creator of the academy has distilled a ton of his experience into the most impactful insights that indie musicians need to actually make their music a business.

Basically, it's what you need to know if you're serious about making music for a living, taught by someone who's done this at labels and as an indie artist himself. Tom has been banned from playing guitar on the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, so don't ask him to. He loves indie music, songwriting, Pittsburgh sports, and Special K cereal, and hopes to combine the four someday. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Fill out the form below to get Chapter 1 sent to your inbox. BMI in Which is Better? Which PRO should you go with? Short answer: it depends.