Performing Rights Orangizations

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What is a Performing Rights Organization?

A Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) are groups of companies that help songwriters and publishers collect royalties (money) from their copyrights. They help the song copyright owners (primarily songwriters/publishers) calculate and then distribute the royalties from all of the different venues, platforms, companies where their music is played or used. These royalties are typically paid every quarter in the United States. For songs with multiple writers, the PROs will distribute the agreed upon percentages specified for each songwriter. 

For information about royalties, check out my previous blog post here (link)

Songwriters can register with one the PRO and publishers register individually with each PRO their artist is represented by. There are PROs worldwide for the different countries/territories copyright law. In the United States, there are three major PROs: BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC.

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.): Link

BMI has the most registered copyright holders with over 1.1 million users and 17 million related works registered according to their creators tab for their website. Among their notable artists are Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson and the list goes on.

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers): Link

ASCAP is the second largest PRO in the U.S. with about 800,000 registered songwriters, composers and music publishers according to their website. Some of their notable artists are Quincy Jones, Cardi B, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and H.E.R.

SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers): Link

SESAC is the smallest of the three major PROs in the United States with around 30,000 registered songwriters based in Nashville, Tennessee. A few of their most popular artists are Duke Ellington, Axl Rose, Mumford & Sons, and Lady Antebellum.