SESAC

In-Depth Explanation

SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) is a for-profit performance rights organization in the United States that collects performance royalties for a curated roster of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Founded in 1930, SESAC is the smallest of the three major US PROs and the only one that operates on an invite-only basis. It has been owned by private equity firm Blackstone since 2017.

How SESAC Works

Like ASCAP and BMI, SESAC issues blanket licenses to businesses that play music publicly and distributes the collected fees as performance royalties to its affiliates. The process works the same way: businesses pay annual license fees, SESAC pools the revenue, matches detected performances to registered works, and pays its affiliates.

The difference is scale and exclusivity. ASCAP and BMI are open to any songwriter who wants to join. SESAC is invite-only. It intentionally maintains a smaller catalog, which allows it to offer more personalized service and negotiate licensing rates from a position of catalog quality rather than volume.

SESAC Music Group Structure

SESAC operates as part of SESAC Music Group, which includes two divisions:

1. Performing Rights: The core PRO business that collects performance royalties.
2. Music Services: Includes the Harry Fox Agency (HFA), which handles mechanical licensing, and Audiam, which manages YouTube Content ID and digital royalty collection.

This structure makes SESAC the only US PRO that also owns a mechanical licensing agency. A songwriter affiliated with SESAC can have both their performance and mechanical royalties managed under the same corporate umbrella.

Not Bound by Consent Decrees

Both ASCAP and BMI operate under Department of Justice consent decrees, which require them to license their entire catalogs to any business that requests a license at reasonable rates. SESAC is not bound by a consent decree. This gives SESAC more flexibility to negotiate rates and terms with licensees, since it is not legally required to offer a license to every business that asks.

Blackstone Ownership and Securitization

Blackstone acquired SESAC in 2017 in a deal that valued the company at approximately $1 billion. Since then, SESAC has used whole business securitization to raise capital against its assets and revenue. In July 2025, SESAC closed an $889 million bond sale backed by substantially all of its assets and revenues, including both its Performing Rights and Music Services divisions. This was its fourth securitization, bringing total outstanding senior notes to approximately $1.1 billion.

In 2024 and 2025, Blackstone reportedly explored selling SESAC at a valuation comparable to the $3.3 billion deal that TPG struck for Global Music Rights. No sale has been announced as of mid-2026.

Recent Awards and Recognition

SESAC continues to represent hitmakers across genres. In 2025, Ariana Grande was named Songwriter of the Year at the SESAC LA Music Awards. Michael Tyler won Songwriter of the Year at the 2025 Nashville Music Awards. SESAC also honors film and television composers annually.

Real-World Example

A Nashville songwriter is invited to join SESAC in 2026. Unlike ASCAP or BMI, where she could simply sign up online, SESAC's affiliation team reviews her catalog, streaming numbers, and commercial potential before extending an invitation.

Once affiliated, she registers her songs with SESAC. A regional radio station plays her single 40 times. The station pays SESAC a blanket license fee. SESAC pools the revenue and distributes based on detected airplay.

For those 40 plays, SESAC calculates a performance royalty of $320. SESAC splits it 50/50: $160 to her Writer account, $160 to her Publisher account. Because SESAC is for-profit and not bound by a consent decree, its administrative terms and distribution schedules may differ from what ASCAP and BMI offer.

If she also needs a mechanical license for a cover song pressing, she can use HFA's Songfile service through SESAC's own corporate network, rather than working with a separate organization.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Most independent songwriters will never interact with SESAC directly because membership is invite-only. You cannot simply sign up. SESAC actively recruits writers and publishers whose catalogs generate enough performance activity to justify affiliation.

If SESAC approaches you, consider three factors:

1. Compare distribution terms. SESAC's smaller roster means less competition within the pool, but its for-profit structure means it retains a margin before distributing. Compare the effective payout rate with what you would receive from ASCAP or BMI.
2. Evaluate the bundled services. SESAC ownership of HFA and Audiam means you can consolidate performance, mechanical, and digital royalty collection under one corporate parent. This simplifies administration.
3. Understand exclusivity. Like all US PROs, you can only belong to one at a time. If you join SESAC, you cannot also be a member of ASCAP or BMI.

Read our guide on How to Register Music with a PRO for step-by-step instructions, compare PROs in our PRO Comparison Guide, or see our full list of Best Royalty Collection Services for 2026.

Browse our comprehensive PRO Directory for a full list of international performing rights organizations.

Related Terms

• PRO
• Performance Royalties
• Blanket License
• Harry Fox Agency (HFA)
• ASCAP