ACEMLA (Asociación de Compositores y Editores de la Música Latinoamericana)

ACEMLA (Asociación de Compositores y Editores de la Música Latinoamericana) is a performing rights organization that licenses and collects royalties for Latin American music compositions. Based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, ACEMLA operates as the fourth PRO in the United States alongside ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, representing the Latin American Music Co. (LAMCO) catalog and affiliated publishers.

How ACEMLA Works

ACEMLA controls and licenses the non-exclusive performance rights of Latin American Music Co., Inc. (LAMCO) and other affiliated Latin American music publishers. The organization issues blanket licenses to businesses that play music publicly, including radio stations, restaurants, retail stores, and venues. License fees are collected and distributed to affiliated composers and publishers based on logged usage data.

Unlike most PROs, ACEMLA operates through its own publishing entity (LAMCO) rather than acting solely as a collection society. This means royalties flow directly to composers without passing through third-party publishers. The organization tracks public performances across radio, television, streaming platforms, and live venues to determine royalty distributions.

ACEMLA won a landmark federal court case in 1985 against the Copyright Royalty Tribunal, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, securing its status as the fourth recognized performing rights society in the United States. The organization is listed as member number 76 in the CISAC world directory.

Real-World Example

A salsa radio station in Miami plays 200 songs per day from the LAMCO catalog. Without an ACEMLA license, that station is infringing on the performance rights of those compositions. ACEMLA issues a blanket license (typically an annual fee based on the station's revenue) that covers all public performances of its catalog. The collected fees are then distributed to the composers and publishers whose works were actually played, based on airplay logs and monitoring data.

If a composer has 50 songs in the ACEMLA catalog and those songs receive 1,000 logged performances across licensed stations in a given quarter, that composer receives a proportional share of the quarterly royalty pool. ACEMLA's direct-to-composer model means the payment arrives without publisher deductions.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you write or compose Latin American music (salsa, merengue, bolero, bachata, cumbia, or related genres) and your works are performed on radio, in venues, or on streaming platforms in the United States or Puerto Rico, ACEMLA can collect performance royalties you would otherwise never receive.

Registering with ACEMLA is particularly relevant if your music is not adequately represented by ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. Many Latin American composers find that the larger US PROs do not track Latin music airplay with the same accuracy. ACEMLA specifically monitors Spanish-language radio and Latin music venues, which means more accurate royalty collection for that repertoire.

You can only belong to one PRO at a time for the same catalog of works. If your music is primarily Latin American and performed in US and Puerto Rican markets, ACEMLA may collect more accurately than the larger societies. Compare their distribution reports and licensing reach before deciding.

Territory Covered

ACEMLA licenses public performance rights across the United States and Puerto Rico. The organization operates from its headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 508 Ana Roque Duprey. Its catalog includes compositions from Puerto Rican and Latin American composers across all genres (salsa, bolero, merengue, bomba, plena, jibaro music, Latin jazz, and urban). ACEMLA also represents Anglo-Saxon composers and English-language works within its repertoire.

How to Join

Composers and publishers can join ACEMLA by contacting the organization directly at 787.758.0011 or visiting their office in San Juan. The organization requires proof of authorship or publishing rights for the works being registered. ACEMLA operates through its own publishing entity, LAMCO (Latin American Music Co., Inc.), which means composers can register works directly without needing a separate publisher. Specific membership fees are not publicly listed on the ACEMLA website. Prospective members should call the office for current fee schedules and registration requirements.

Overhead Rate

ACEMLA does not publicly disclose its overhead rate or administrative deduction percentage on its website. The organization operates through LAMCO, its own publishing entity, which means royalties flow directly to composers without passing through third-party publishers. This direct-to-composer model reduces intermediary deductions. For specific overhead rate information, contact ACEMLA at 787.758.0011.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

ACEMLA provides royalty reports to its members on a bi-annual basis. According to court filings from the Curet-Velazquez v. ACEMLA case, the organization was contractually obligated to provide bi-annual royalty reports on February 15th and August 15th of each year. The actual distribution frequency depends on collected license fees from radio stations, venues, and other licensed businesses. For current distribution dates and payment information, members should call 787.758.0011.

Reciprocal Agreements

ACEMLA is listed as member number 76 in the CISAC world directory. The organization controls and licenses the non-exclusive performance rights of LAMCO and other affiliated Latin American music publishers. Through its CISAC membership, ACEMLA participates in the international system of collective management organizations. However, ACEMLA operates differently from most PROs because it works through its own publishing entity rather than acting solely as a collection society. This means its reciprocal arrangements are structured through LAMCO's publishing agreements rather than traditional society-to-society reciprocal contracts.

Notable Members

ACEMLA's composer directory includes over 60 affiliated composers and artists. Notable members include:

• Tite Curet Alonso (1926-2003): One of the most prolific salsa composers, wrote over 2,000 songs performed by Hector Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, Ruben Blades, and Ismael Rivera. His catalog was at the center of a major legal dispute between ACEMLA and his heirs from 1995 to 2009.
• Sylvia Rexach (1921-2001): Founder of SPACEM (the predecessor to ACEMLA). Composed boleros including "Alma adentro" and "Nave sin rumbo."
• Juan Morel Campos (1857-1896): The most prolific composer of Puerto Rican danzas, with over 550 works.
• Ladislao Martinez Otero ("Maestro Ladi"): Wrote approximately 1,500 pieces for the cuatro, shaping Puerto Rican folk music.
• Josefa Ramirez: Composer of "Pollito Chicken," a children's song taught in Puerto Rican schools for decades.
• Mario Enrique Velazquez: Composer of "Ponle por nombre Jesus," a Christmas classic popularized by Danny Rivera.
• Flor Morales Ramos ("Ramito"): Legendary jibaro music troubadour.
• Ismael Rivera, Hector Lavoe, Myrta Silva, Johnny Rodriguez, Bullumba Landestoy, Americo Boschetti

ACEMLA vs Other Organizations

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Compare ACEMLA with Other PROs

• ASCAP - The largest US performing rights organization with 900,000+ members
• BMI - The second largest US PRO with 1.2 million+ affiliates
• SESAC - A smaller, invitation-only US PRO
• SAYCO - Colombian society of authors and composers
• SADAIC - Argentine society of authors and composers
• AGADU - General society of authors of Uruguay
• SoundExchange - US neighboring rights collection society

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by PROs including ACEMLA
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How collective rights management works globally
• Copyright - The legal foundation for performance rights
• ACEMLA Official Website - Visit ACEMLA to learn about membership and licensing
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital performance earnings