PROs Explained: A Comparison of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for Indie Artists
Introduction
Picture this: You're sitting in your favorite coffee shop when suddenly you hear your song playing over the speakers. Later that week, a local radio station features your track during their indie spotlight hour. A month later, you discover that a streaming playlist with 50,000 followers has added your song to their rotation. Here's the million-dollar question: How do you, the songwriter, actually get paid for all these public performances of your music?
Core Concept: Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) are the essential entities that ensure songwriters and publishers are compensated whenever their music is performed publicly. Without a PRO, those coffee shop plays, radio spins, and playlist additions generate zero dollars for you as a songwriter.
The "Why": Choosing the right PRO is one of the most critical business decisions you'll make as an independent artist who writes their own music. The wrong choice could cost you money, flexibility, or opportunities—while the right choice can maximize your royalty collection and provide valuable industry support.
Roadmap: This comprehensive guide will clearly define what a PRO does, provide a detailed head-to-head comparison of the "big three" U.S. PROs (ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC), and walk you through a step-by-step process for joining and registering your songs. By the end, you'll know exactly which PRO aligns with your goals and how to set yourself up for maximum royalty collection.
What is a Performing Rights Organization (PRO)?
The Job of a PRO: Your Royalty Collection Partner
A PRO acts as an intermediary between you (the songwriter) and the thousands of businesses that play music publicly. They collect performance royalties on your behalf and distribute those payments to you according to how often your music is performed.
Think of your PRO as your personal royalty collection agency—they do the impossible task of tracking when and where your music is played across the entire country, then collecting the money you're owed for those performances.
What Qualifies as a "Public Performance?":
• Radio and television broadcasts (AM/FM, satellite, internet radio)
• Streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.)
• Live concerts and performances (including cover bands playing your songs)
• Background music in businesses (restaurants, bars, retail stores, gyms, hotels)
• Music in films, TV shows, and commercials
How Do PROs Work? The Three Core Functions
1. Licensing: PROs issue "blanket licenses" to thousands of businesses, venues, and media outlets. This single license gives them legal permission to play any song from the PRO's entire catalog without having to negotiate individual licenses for each song.
2. Tracking: They use sophisticated digital monitoring systems, receive detailed data reports from radio stations and streaming services, and collect cue sheets from TV and film productions to track when and where their members' music is performed.
3. Distributing Royalties: After deducting their operating expenses, PROs distribute the collected license fees as royalties to their affiliated songwriters and publishers based on performance frequency and licensing fees collected.
Why Every Songwriter Needs to Join a PRO
The Bottom Line: It is literally impossible for an individual songwriter to track all public performances of their music across the United States and collect the money they're owed. A PRO is the only practical way to get paid performance royalties—without one, you're leaving potentially thousands of dollars on the table.
The Two Halves of Performance Royalties: Performance royalties are split 50/50:
• Writer's Share (50%): Paid directly to the songwriter
• Publisher's Share (50%): Paid to the music publisher (or to you if you're self-published)
ASCAP vs. BMI vs. SESAC: Which is Right for You?
While all three major U.S. PROs perform the same core function of collecting performance royalties, they differ significantly in their structure, fees, contract terms, and organizational culture.
ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers)
Overview: Founded in 1914, ASCAP is the only U.S. PRO that operates as a member-owned, non-profit organization. This means it's governed by a board of directors elected by its songwriter and publisher members.
Membership & Fees:
• Eligibility: Open to all songwriters and publishers
• Cost: Free for writers; one-time $50 fee for publishers (waived if you join as both writer and publisher simultaneously)
• Contract Term: One-year agreement with automatic renewal, offering maximum flexibility
Key Benefits:
• Strong networking opportunities through workshops, showcases, and industry events
• Member-governed board ensures decisions are made in artists' best interests
• ASCAP Plus Awards program provides additional payments to developing songwriters
• Member discounts on health insurance, musical equipment, and industry services
Best For: Songwriters who value community involvement, networking opportunities, and the flexibility of shorter contract terms. Ideal for artists who want a voice in how their PRO operates.
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
Overview: Founded in 1939, BMI is the largest PRO in the United States by membership, representing over 1.3 million songwriters, composers, and publishers. It operates as a for-profit company but is known for its artist-friendly approach.
Membership & Fees:
• Eligibility: Open to all songwriters and publishers
• Cost: Completely free for songwriters; one-time fee of $150-$250 for publishers
• Contract Term: Two years for writers, five years for publishers
Key Benefits:
• No upfront cost for songwriters makes it the most accessible option
• Strong focus on live performance royalties—pays for performances in qualifying venues
• Sponsors stages at major festivals like Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and South by Southwest
• Excellent support for emerging and independent artists
Best For: Emerging and independent artists who want to join a PRO with zero upfront cost, and touring musicians who want to earn royalties from their live performances.
SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers)
Overview: Founded in 1930, SESAC is the smallest and most exclusive of the three major U.S. PROs. It operates as a for-profit company with a carefully curated roster of high-profile artists and catalogs.
Membership & Fees:
• Eligibility: Invitation-only—you cannot apply directly and must be invited or have industry representation reach out on your behalf
• Cost: No fees for writers
• Contract Term: Varies by individual agreement
Key Benefits:
• Smaller roster allows for more personalized, hands-on service and attention
• Often provides faster royalty payments compared to ASCAP and BMI
• Represents high-profile catalogs including artists like Adele, Bob Dylan, and Neil Diamond
• Higher royalty rates for certain performance types due to selective membership
Best For: Established artists with significant industry traction, strong streaming numbers, or major label support who are seeking a boutique, high-touch relationship with their PRO.
At-a-Glance Comparison
Quick Decision Matrix:
• Best for No-Cost Entry: BMI (completely free for writers)
• Best for Contract Flexibility: ASCAP (one-year terms)
• Best for Established Artists: SESAC (invite-only, personalized service)
• Membership Access: ASCAP & BMI are open enrollment; SESAC is invitation-only
• Organizational Structure: ASCAP is member-owned non-profit; BMI and SESAC are for-profit companies
How to Join a PRO and Register Your Songs
The Affiliation Process: Becoming a Member
Step 1: Choose Your PRO: Based on the comparison above and your current career stage, select the organization that best aligns with your goals and budget.
Step 2: Complete the Online Application: Navigate to your chosen PRO's website (ascap.com/join or bmi.com/join) and complete the membership application with your personal information, including full legal name, address, and contact details.
Step 3: Writer vs. Publisher Decision: Decide whether you're joining only as a writer or as both a writer and publisher. If you write and own your own songs without a separate publishing company, joining as both allows you to collect 100% of performance royalties (both writer's and publisher's shares).
Step 4: Sign the Agreement: Review and electronically sign the affiliation agreement to finalize your membership. You'll receive confirmation and access to your member portal within a few business days.
Registering Your Songs: Getting Credit for Your Work
Access Your Member Portal: Once your membership is approved, log into your online account using the credentials provided by your PRO.
Navigate to Works Registration: Find the "Register a Work" or "Add Songs" section in your member dashboard.
Provide Essential Information:
• Song Title: The official title of your composition exactly as it appears on releases
• Writer(s) and Publisher(s): List all co-writers with their PRO affiliations and contact information
• Percentage Splits: Indicate ownership percentages for each writer and publisher (must total 100% for both writer's and publisher's shares)
• Release Information: Include album titles, record labels, and release dates when available
What You DON'T Need: You do not need to upload audio files, sheet music, or lyrics. PRO registration is metadata-based and focuses on ownership and split information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join more than one PRO at the same time?
As a songwriter, you can only be affiliated with one PRO at a time for collecting performance royalties in the United States. However, if you have a separate publishing company, that entity can affiliate with a different PRO than your songwriter membership. Additionally, your co-writers can be affiliated with different PROs—the royalties will be distributed to each writer through their respective PRO based on their ownership percentage.
Does my music distributor (like DistroKid or TuneCore) handle this for me?
No, distributors and PROs serve completely different functions. Distributors collect royalties for the sound recording (the master recording), which go to the performing artist. PROs collect royalties for the composition (the songwriting), which go to the songwriter and publisher. These are separate revenue streams, and you need to be registered with a PRO to collect your performance royalties as a songwriter.
What is an IPI/CAE number?
An IPI (Interested Parties Information) number, also called a CAE (Composer, Author and Publisher) number, is a unique international identification number assigned to you as a rights holder by your PRO. This number is used globally to identify you as a songwriter or publisher on musical works, ensuring proper royalty attribution across different territories and collection societies worldwide.
How long does it take to get paid after my music is played?
Performance royalty payments have significant lag times. It typically takes 6-9 months or longer for royalties to be collected, processed, and distributed by a PRO after a performance occurs. Radio performances usually have faster turnaround times than streaming or live performance royalties. This delay emphasizes why early PRO registration is crucial—you're building a pipeline of future income.
If I join a PRO, do I need to do anything else to collect all my songwriting royalties?
Joining a PRO covers performance royalties, but songwriters have multiple revenue streams. To collect your mechanical royalties from U.S. streaming services, you also need to register with The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC). For international mechanical royalties and other publishing income streams, you may want to work with a publishing administrator or music publisher.
Can I switch PROs if I'm unhappy with my choice?
Yes, but timing matters. You cannot switch PROs in the middle of your contract term. ASCAP members can switch after their one-year term expires, while BMI writers must wait until their two-year contract ends. SESAC contracts vary individually. When switching, you'll need to provide proper notice and ensure all your songs are re-registered with your new PRO.
Do PROs collect royalties from international performances?
Yes, but through reciprocal agreements with foreign collection societies. When your music is performed internationally, the local collection society collects the royalties and sends your share to your U.S. PRO, which then pays you. This process can add additional months to payment timelines for international performances.
How do PROs know when my music is played?
PROs use multiple tracking methods: digital fingerprinting technology that identifies songs on radio and streaming platforms, census data and playlists from broadcasters, cue sheets from TV and film productions, and venue reports from live performance spaces. While the system isn't perfect, it captures the vast majority of performances, especially from major outlets.
