Society of European Stage Authors and Composers

SESAC (originally Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) is a for-profit performing rights organization founded in 1930 in New York, now headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It licenses the public performance of more than 1.5 million songs on behalf of over 15,000 affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Owned by The Blackstone Group since 2017, SESAC is the second-oldest PRO in the United States and the only one that offers combined performance and mechanical rights licensing through its subsidiary, the Harry Fox Agency.

How SESAC Works

SESAC issues blanket licenses to businesses that play music publicly, including radio stations, television networks, streaming platforms, restaurants, retail stores, concert venues, and bars. A blanket license gives the licensee access to SESAC's entire catalog of over 1.5 million musical works for a single fee.

SESAC is unique among US PROs in several ways:

• Invitation-only membership: Unlike ASCAP and BMI, which accept any songwriter, SESAC is selective about who it affiliates. This smaller roster allows for more personalized service but means not every songwriter can join.
• Combined rights licensing: Through its 2015 acquisition of the Harry Fox Agency (HFA), SESAC can offer singular licenses that aggregate both performance and mechanical rights. HFA represents approximately 50,000 music publishing clients and handles mechanical licensing, royalty collection, and distribution for physical, digital, and streaming uses.
• No consent decree: Unlike ASCAP and BMI, which operate under federal antitrust consent decrees that subject their rates to review by a US rate court, SESAC is not bound by a consent decree. This gives it more flexibility in rate negotiations with licensees.
• Monthly radio royalties: SESAC is the only US PRO that pays radio royalties monthly, compared to ASCAP's quarterly distributions and BMI's quarterly payments that lag 6 to 9 months behind performances.

SESAC's subsidiary companies form the SESAC Music Group:

• Harry Fox Agency: Mechanical rights licensing and royalty administration
• Rumblefish: Music licensing for film, TV, and digital media
• Audiam: YouTube and UGC royalty collection
• Mint Digital Services: Copyright administration and royalty processing
• AudioSalad: Digital asset management and distribution

SESAC has offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, London, and Munich. The organization hosts annual awards ceremonies honoring songwriters, publishers, and composers across multiple genres. In 2025, Ariana Grande was named Songwriter of the Year at the SESAC LA Music Awards, and Michael Tyler won Songwriter of the Year at the Nashville Music Awards. The 2026 Film and Television Composer Awards honored Laura Karpman and Daniel Lopatin among others.

In September 2024, SESAC was involved in a high-profile dispute with YouTube that resulted in songs by SESAC-affiliated writers being blocked on the platform in the United States for two days. Artists affected included Adele, Bob Dylan, Kendrick Lamar, Nirvana, Green Day, and Neil Diamond. YouTube and SESAC reached a deal on September 30, 2024, restoring access to the blocked content.

As of early 2025, Blackstone was reportedly exploring a sale of SESAC, fielding offers from multiple private equity firms following New Mountain Capital's acquisition of BMI. SESAC's portfolio of subsidiaries (HFA, Audiam, Rumblefish, AudioSalad, HAAWK) makes it an attractive acquisition target. No sale has been confirmed as of mid-2026.

SESAC's affiliate roster includes Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Adele, Rush, Coheed and Cambria, Jack Harlow, Ariana Grande, Zac Brown, Rosanne Cash, Hillary Scott of Lady A, Lee Brice, Margo Price, Nicky Jam, and Blanco Brown.

Real-World Example

A songwriter affiliates with SESAC and registers 30 songs. One of those songs gets played on commercial radio 200 times in a month, generates 300,000 streams on Spotify, and is performed at a licensed concert venue.

SESAC collects royalties from all three sources. The radio station pays a blanket license fee, and SESAC distributes the songwriter's share monthly (compared to ASCAP's quarterly and BMI's quarterly with a 6 to 9 month lag). The streaming platform reports usage data, and the songwriter receives digital royalties. The venue's license fee contributes to the live performance royalty pool.

If the songwriter also owns their publishing, they can license mechanical rights through HFA in a single transaction with a digital service provider, rather than negotiating performance and mechanical licenses separately with two different organizations. This is a capability neither ASCAP nor BMI offers.

Because SESAC is not subject to a consent decree, its negotiated rates with licensees are not subject to rate court review. This means SESAC can negotiate freely with platforms like YouTube, as demonstrated during the September 2024 dispute. The resolution restored access to SESAC-affiliated works on YouTube in the US.

SESAC vs ASCAP vs BMI: Side-by-Side Comparison

Choosing a PRO is one of the most important decisions a songwriter makes. The table below compares the three major US PROs across the factors that matter most as of mid-2026.

SESAC's smaller roster and invitation-only model mean you get more personalized attention, but you cannot simply sign up. ASCAP and BMI accept any songwriter, which makes them the default choice for most independent artists starting out.

The consent decree distinction matters in practice. ASCAP and BMI must operate under federal antitrust consent decrees, meaning a US rate court can review their negotiated rates. SESAC has no consent decree, giving it more flexibility in negotiations with licensees like YouTube and Spotify. This was on full display during the September 2024 YouTube dispute, where SESAC negotiated freely without rate court involvement.

Fee and Royalty Structure

SESAC does not charge a public signup fee because membership is invitation-only. If you are invited to join, there is no standard application fee published on their website. This differs from ASCAP and BMI:

• ASCAP: The $50 songwriter application fee has been suspended since February 13, 2023. As of mid-2026, joining as a songwriter costs nothing. A publisher account costs a one-time $50, waived if you sign up as both writer and publisher simultaneously.
• BMI: Songwriter affiliation is free with no annual dues. Publisher registration costs $175 for an individual, $250 for a corporation or LLC, and $500 for a partnership.
• SESAC: No public fee. You must be invited, typically through a lawyer, manager, or agent making contact on your behalf.

SESAC pays radio royalties monthly, which is faster than both ASCAP (quarterly on a rolling monthly cycle) and BMI (quarterly in February, May, August, and November). For songwriters with significant radio airplay, this means quicker access to earned income.

SESAC's overhead rate (the percentage of collected royalties retained for operating costs) is not publicly disclosed because it is a private, for-profit company. ASCAP operates as a member-owned non-profit with approximately 10% overhead, and BMI targets paying out 85% of collections to affiliates.

Notable SESAC Affiliates and Recent Award Winners

SESAC's affiliate roster includes some of the most recognizable names in music. Longtime members include Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Adele, Rush, Coheed and Cambria, Jack Harlow, Ariana Grande, Zac Brown, Rosanne Cash, Hillary Scott of Lady A, Lee Brice, Margo Price, Nicky Jam, and Blanco Brown.

At the 2025 SESAC Nashville Music Awards (held November 16, 2025, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum), Michael Tyler was named Songwriter of the Year for hits including "Cowboy Songs" (recorded by George Birge), "Holy Smokes" (recorded by Bailey Zimmerman), and "This Heart" (recorded by Corey Kent). Megan Moroney's "Am I Okay?" won Song of the Year, and Warner Chappell Music was named Publisher of the Year for the second consecutive year. More than 500 songwriters, publishers, and industry professionals attended the event.

At the 2026 GRAMMY Awards (February 1, 2026), SESAC affiliates won in multiple categories. Ariana Grande won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Defying Gravity" with Cynthia Erivo. Darius Dixson won Best R&B Song for "Folded" recorded by Kehlani. PJ Morton won Best Gospel Album for "Heart Of Mine." SESAC affiliates also contributed to Jelly Roll's Best Contemporary Country Album "Beautifully Broken," including Casey Brown, Joe Fox, Chris LaCorte, Josh Hoge, and Alysa Vanderheym.

SESAC affiliates received multiple nominations at the 61st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 2026. Megan Moroney led with nine nominations including Entertainer of the Year and Female Artist of the Year. Emily Ann Roberts was nominated for New Female Artist of the Year (and won two 2026 AIMP Nashville Awards: Rising Artist Writer of the Year and Publisher's Pick of the Year). Jenee Fleenor received a Song of the Year nomination for "A Song To Sing" recorded by Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton.

Video Resources

The following videos provide additional context about SESAC, performance royalties, and how PROs function.

SESAC Scores: Music Supervisor, Director, and Agent Critique Music Submissions

SESAC hosts events where affiliates get direct feedback from music supervisors, directors, and agents. This video shows the SESAC Scores event in action, giving a sense of the professional development opportunities SESAC provides to its affiliates.

Mechanical vs Performance Royalties: Why Streaming Pays Both

This video explains the difference between performance royalties (collected by PROs like SESAC) and mechanical royalties. It covers why streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube trigger both types of royalties and why being registered with only one collection mechanism means leaving money on the table.

Understanding Music Copyrights: Composition vs Sound Recording

This workshop from MediaTech Institute breaks down the two primary types of music copyrights and explains the roles of PROs including ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. It covers revenue streams, mechanical royalties, sync licensing, and how to register your work with the US Copyright Office.

Types of Digital Royalties

This educational video explains all the ways you earn royalties online. It covers interactive streaming (Spotify), non-interactive streaming (web radio), video streaming (YouTube), and the different royalty types each one triggers, including performance royalties collected by PROs.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

SESAC is one of three primary US PROs (alongside ASCAP and BMI), but it operates differently. Membership is invitation-only, meaning you cannot simply sign up online as you can with ASCAP or BMI. If you are accepted, SESAC's smaller roster means more personalized attention from its staff.

The combined performance and mechanical rights licensing through HFA is a distinct advantage. If you are both a songwriter and a publisher, you can handle both rights types through a single organization rather than working with a PRO for performance royalties and a separate mechanical rights administrator.

SESAC pays radio royalties monthly, which improves cash flow compared to the quarterly distributions from ASCAP and BMI. For songwriters with significant radio airplay, this means faster access to earned royalties.

You can only belong to one US PRO at a time for the same catalog of works. If SESAC invites you to join, weigh the benefits of personalized service, monthly radio payments, and combined rights licensing against the larger distribution pools and free membership that ASCAP and BMI offer. SESAC's overhead rates are not publicly disclosed because it is a private, for-profit company, unlike ASCAP (member-owned, 10% overhead) and BMI (private equity-owned).

SESAC's ownership by Blackstone means decisions are driven by investor returns, not by a membership board. This is a structural difference from ASCAP's member-owned, not-for-profit model. If transparency and member governance matter to you, consider this factor in your PRO choice.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties work alongside performance royalties
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by SESAC and other PROs
• Harry Fox Agency (HFA) - SESAC's mechanical rights subsidiary
• SESAC Official Website - Visit SESAC for affiliation and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings