Performance Rights Organizations: Complete PRO Comparison Guide

If you write or publish music, you are owed performance royalties every time your songs are played publicly: on the radio, in a restaurant, at a concert, or on a streaming platform. But those royalties do not collect themselves. You need to register with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) to receive them. No registration means no payment, even if your songs are playing constantly.

There are three PROs available to US songwriters: ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. They are not identical. They differ in membership cost, payment speed, catalog size, genre strength, and international reach. Choosing the wrong one is not catastrophic, since you can switch later, but it is worth getting right the first time. This guide gives you the concrete comparison to make that decision, plus the registration steps to get set up immediately.

What Do Performance Rights Organizations Do?

A PRO acts as the middleman between music users (radio stations, streaming services, venues, TV networks) and rights holders (songwriters and publishers). Here is the basic process:

1. Music users pay blanket licensing fees to PROs for the right to play music publicly.
2. PROs track where and how often songs are played.
3. PROs distribute royalties to registered songwriters and publishers based on usage data.

Without a PRO, you would need to individually negotiate with every radio station, venue, and streaming service that plays your music. PROs handle this at scale for millions of songs.

What PROs Do Not Do

PROs only collect performance royalties on the composition (the underlying song). They do not collect:

• Mechanical royalties from streaming and downloads (that is the MLC's job)
• Digital performance royalties for the sound recording (that is SoundExchange)
• Sync licensing fees from TV, film, and ads (handled by publishers or sync companies)
• Master recording royalties from streaming (paid by your distributor)

Understanding these distinctions is critical. Many artists think their PRO collects all their royalties, and that misunderstanding costs them thousands of dollars per year.

The Big Three US PROs Compared

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)

Founded: 1914

Members: 900,000+

Annual revenue: $1.8 billion+ (2024)

Membership fee: $50 one-time

ASCAP is the oldest and largest PRO in the United States. It operates as a membership association, meaning members have voting rights and a say in how the organization is run.

Pros:

• Transparent payment formulas
• Strong international collection network through reciprocal agreements
• Free online tools for tracking royalties
• No exclusive contract required for writers
• Member-governed organization

Cons:

• Payment processing can take 6 to 9 months
• Minimum payout threshold of $100
• Some members report inconsistent payment amounts for similar usage

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)

Founded: 1939

Members: 1.4 million+

Annual revenue: $1.9 billion+ (2024)

Membership fee: Free for songwriters, $250 for publishers

BMI is the largest PRO in the US by membership count. It was founded to represent genres that ASCAP initially overlooked, including blues, jazz, country, and R&B.

Pros:

• Free to join as a songwriter
• Largest catalog of represented works
• Strong presence in country, R&B, and hip-hop
• BMI Live program pays for live performances
• Good international collection partnerships

Cons:

• Payment processing can take 6 to 12 months
• Less transparency in payment calculations compared to ASCAP
• Publisher registration requires a fee

SESAC

Founded: 1930

Members: Invitation-only (30,000+)

Annual revenue: Not publicly disclosed

Membership fee: None (invite only)

SESAC is the smallest of the three major US PROs and operates on an invitation-only basis. It represents a selective roster of high-profile writers and publishers.

Pros:

• Fastest payment turnaround (quarterly)
• More personalized service due to smaller roster
• Aggressive licensing and collection
• No minimum payout threshold

Cons:

• Cannot join without an invitation
• Smaller international collection network
• Less transparency due to private ownership
• Exclusive membership required

ASCAP vs BMI vs SESAC: Head-to-Head

Here is a direct comparison of the key factors:

Membership access: ASCAP and BMI are open to anyone. SESAC is invitation-only.

Cost: BMI is free for songwriters. ASCAP charges a one-time $50 fee. SESAC has no fee but you must be invited.

Payment speed: SESAC pays quarterly. ASCAP and BMI typically pay on a 6 to 9 month delay after the quarter in which royalties were earned.

Catalog size: BMI has the largest catalog, followed by ASCAP. SESAC is significantly smaller.

International reach: ASCAP and BMI both have extensive reciprocal agreements with international PROs. SESAC's international network is smaller but growing.

Transparency: ASCAP is generally considered the most transparent in its payment calculations. BMI has improved but remains less open. SESAC provides limited public data.

International PROs

If your music is played outside the United States, international PROs collect performance royalties in their territories. Here are some of the largest:

• PRS for Music (United Kingdom)
• GEMA (Germany)
• SACEM (France)
• SOCAN (Canada)
• APRA AMCOS (Australia)
• JASRAC (Japan)

Your US PRO should have reciprocal agreements with most international societies, meaning they collect foreign royalties on your behalf. However, some territories have gaps in coverage. Explore our PRO directory for a complete list of organizations worldwide.

For comprehensive international royalty collection, you may also want to register for neighboring rights, which cover a separate type of royalty not handled by traditional PROs.

How to Choose the Right PRO

Consider These Factors

Your genre: BMI has historically been stronger in country, hip-hop, and R&B. ASCAP has deep roots in pop, rock, and classical. SESAC represents a curated mix across genres.

Payment speed: If cash flow is a concern, SESAC's quarterly payments are a significant advantage over the 6 to 12 month delays at ASCAP and BMI.

Career stage: If you are just starting out, BMI's free membership makes it the easiest entry point. ASCAP's $50 fee is minimal. SESAC is typically only accessible once you have a track record.

Publisher status: If you also act as your own publisher (which we recommend for independent artists), note that BMI charges $250 for publisher registration while ASCAP charges $50.

International presence: If your music has significant international play, ASCAP and BMI's broader reciprocal agreements may collect more efficiently.

Our Recommendation

For most independent artists starting out, BMI is the simplest choice because it is free to join and has the largest membership base. ASCAP is equally strong and worth the $50 investment if you prefer its transparency and member-governance model. SESAC is ideal if you are invited, particularly for the faster payment schedule.

You can only belong to one US PRO at a time, so choose carefully. However, you can switch later if needed, though there is typically a waiting period.

Registration Process

Registering as a Songwriter

1. Visit your chosen PRO's website (ascap.com, bmi.com, or sesac.com)
2. Create an account and fill out the membership application
3. Provide your legal name, contact information, and payment details
4. Pay any applicable fees
5. Once approved, register all of your existing songs in the PRO's database

Registering as a Publisher

If you self-publish (which every independent artist should consider), you also need to register a publishing entity:

1. Choose a unique publisher name (search the PRO's database to make sure it is not taken)
2. Register the publisher entity with your PRO
3. Link your songwriter and publisher accounts
4. Register your songs under both your writer and publisher shares

This ensures you collect both the writer's share and the publisher's share of performance royalties. Use our publishing royalty split calculator to understand how these shares work.

Payment Schedules

ASCAP: Pays quarterly, approximately 6 to 9 months after the performance quarter. Q1 performances are typically paid in Q3 or Q4.

BMI: Pays quarterly with a similar 6 to 9 month lag. Some payments can take up to 12 months depending on the source.

SESAC: Pays quarterly with the fastest turnaround, typically 3 to 4 months after the performance quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I be a member of both ASCAP and BMI?

No. US PROs require exclusive membership for writers. You must choose one. However, if you co-write a song with someone registered at a different PRO, both organizations will still collect and distribute royalties for their respective members.

Q: Do I need a PRO if my music is only on Spotify?

Yes. Streaming services pay performance royalties to PROs separately from the royalties paid to your distributor. Without a PRO registration, you are leaving money on the table. Estimate your potential earnings with our streaming royalty calculator.

Q: How do PROs know when my music is played?

PROs use a combination of direct reporting from digital services, broadcast monitoring technology (like audio fingerprinting), and survey sampling for smaller venues. Digital platforms like Spotify and Apple Music provide detailed play data directly to PROs.

Q: Can I switch PROs later?

Yes, but there is typically a transition period of 3 to 12 months. You will need to resign from your current PRO and apply to the new one. Pending royalties from your previous PRO will still be paid out.

Q: Should I register as both a songwriter and publisher?

Absolutely. If you do not have a publishing deal, registering as your own publisher ensures you collect both the writer's share (typically 50%) and the publisher's share (typically 50%) of performance royalties. Without a publisher registration, the publisher's share may go uncollected.

Register Now, Not After Your Next Release

Every song you have already released has been generating performance royalties that you are not collecting if you are not registered. That money does not wait for you indefinitely. Some of it gets redistributed after a period of time.

Pick your PRO today, register your existing catalog, and set up as both a writer and publisher. The whole process takes about 30 minutes. Then complete the two other registrations most independent artists skip: the MLC for mechanical royalties and SoundExchange for digital radio.

Next Steps:

1. Browse our PRO directory to find organizations in your country
2. Calculate your publishing royalty splits to understand your income breakdown
3. Learn about mechanical royalties to collect another overlooked royalty stream