Music Business·3:00 read
Should You Join ASCAP, BMI or Another PRO?
The short answer
Join one, because a performing rights organization (PRO) is how you get paid when your songs are played on radio, TV, online and in public venues. As a songwriter you can only belong to one at a time. ASCAP and BMI are both solid choices in the US, and in my experience you can't go far wrong with any of the major ones.
In this article
Let me be upfront. I didn’t put much thought into which PRO I joined.
And it’s worked out fine for many, many years.
That’s actually the main lesson here, but let me explain how it happened, what a PRO does, and how to choose.
What a PRO actually does
A performing rights organization, or PRO, collects money for you when your songs are performed in public. Radio, TV, streaming services, clubs, restaurants, live venues.
Did you know radio stations are required to pay you every time they play one of your songs? It’s true, and I’ve got the checks to prove it. Your PRO is who makes sure that money reaches you. Without one, it doesn’t.
The big ones in the US are ASCAP and BMI. Other countries have their own, like PRS in the UK and JACAP in Jamaica.
How I joined ASCAP
I got an opportunity to work on a song for a reggae album by an artist named Patra. One of the songs I worked on made the album.
Suddenly I had a published song, and I needed a PRO membership to get paid for it. I think it was Patra’s manager at the time who told me to sign up with ASCAP. Back then it was a paper form, which tells you how long ago this was.
I filled it in and got accepted, largely because of that song. At the time, having a published song was part of qualifying. Thankfully, the Patra song checked that box.
I’ve stayed with ASCAP ever since.
Is BMI better?
I’ve heard people say BMI can pay more. Possibly.
Truth be told, I only know of one person who claimed that, and I’m not convinced he fully understood what was happening. It might have been an advance on future earnings. I don’t know.
What I do know is my own experience. ASCAP’s payments have been reliable and consistent for me, and they collect for me all over the world. I’ve been very happy with them.
From everything I understand, you can’t go wrong with BMI either. I’m not as familiar with JACAP, and I’ve heard good things about PRS.
The rules that actually matter
Choosing the “right” PRO matters far less than these:
- Join one. If your songs are being played and you’re not a member, you’re leaving money on the table.
- You can only belong to one as a songwriter at a time. BMI’s own FAQ says you can affiliate as long as you’re not a member of another PRO anywhere in the world. You can switch later.
- Register every song. Membership alone doesn’t pay you. Each song has to be registered with your PRO so it knows what to collect for.
- Check the current requirements. The rules have changed since my paper-form days. BMI, for example, asks that you’ve written at least one song that’s being performed or likely to be performed soon.
And before your songs go out into the world, make sure they’re protected.
So pick one, register your songs, and get back to writing. The PRO can only collect on songs that exist.
Frequently asked questions
What does a PRO do?
A performing rights organization collects royalties when your songs are performed publicly, on radio, TV, streaming services, in venues and more, and pays your share to you as the songwriter.
Can I join both ASCAP and BMI?
Not as a songwriter at the same time. BMI's own FAQ says you're free to affiliate as long as you aren't a member of any other performing rights organization. You can switch later, but you belong to one at a time.
Is BMI better than ASCAP?
Neither is clearly better for every writer. Both pay reliably and collect worldwide through partner societies. Compare their current terms and pick the one you're comfortable with.
When should I join a PRO?
Once you have a song that's being performed or released, or is about to be. BMI, for example, asks that you've written at least one composition that's being performed or likely to be performed soon.