A performing rights organization (PRO) licenses the public performance of musical works and pays songwriters and publishers when those works are played on radio, TV, streaming, venues, and similar uses. In the US, writers typically collect their performance royalties through one PRO affiliation at a time.
Who this is for
- Nashville songwriters, new or early-career, figuring out ASCAP vs BMI for the first time
- Co-writers who just finished a song and got asked which PRO they are with
- Indie artists who also write and have a release or writer round coming up
What is a PRO?
A PRO is a performing rights organization. It licenses public performance of musical works (the composition side: melody, lyrics, and the musical work itself) and pays songwriters and publishers their shares of those royalties.
Performance royalties show up when a song is used in places like:
- Radio
- TV
- Live venues and clubs
- Streaming services (the composition performance piece of a stream)
That is different from money for the sound recording, different from digital mechanicals, and different from sync fees. Those other pipes have other collectors. We will map them later.
Do I need a PRO as a songwriter?
Yes, if you write songs that are released or publicly performed and you want the writer performance royalty. That is the main job of joining.
A few clear lines:
- Joining as a writer pays you for songs you wrote (or co-wrote), not for songs you only perform.
- If you only sing covers and did not write them, a writer affiliation does not hand you the writer share on those songs.
- Soft Nashville timing: join before or as your songs start getting played. Waiting years of unpaid performances is how money quietly walks past you.
You do not need a PRO the morning you write your first unfinished voice memo. You do need one when songs are about to leave the room.
One PRO at a time for US writers
For US public-performance licensing, a songwriter or composer belongs to only one performing rights organization at a time. ASCAP and BMI both state this writer rule on their membership and licensing FAQs.
Publishers are different. A publisher can be affiliated with more than one society. That matters later if you open a publishing company or work with an admin that routes publisher share.
This does not mean there is only one PRO in the US. There are several. You pick one as a writer, then stay with it until you change societies under their rules.
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR
Four names come up the most in US writer conversations. Two take applications. Two are invitation-only.
ASCAP and BMI (open applications)
ASCAP and BMI accept eligible songwriter applications.
ASCAP eligibility (per ASCAP): at least one musical work available to the public.
BMI eligibility (per BMI): join when you have written at least one composition that is being performed or is likely to be performed soon.
Fees that are safe to state from their help pages:
- New ASCAP writer membership is free. Joining as writer and publisher together waives both fees. Publisher-only is a one-time $50.
- BMI songwriter/composer affiliation is free with no annual dues. BMI publisher one-time fees: $175 for an individual, $250 for a corporation or LLC, $500 for a partnership.
ASCAP says it is the only US PRO that operates on a not-for-profit basis. That claim is ASCAPās. Do not treat BMI as a non-profit. BMI announced a move from not-for-profit to for-profit in October 2022.
SESAC and GMR (invitation-only)
SESAC is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited submissions.
GMR (Global Music Rights) is a US PRO founded in 2013 with a select invitation-only client base.
The US Copyright Office (July 2022) groups invitation-only SESAC and GMR with ASCAP and BMI when it talks about performing rights societies. You do not apply to SESAC or GMR the way you apply to ASCAP or BMI.
Statute vs marketing
The Copyright Act definition of a performing rights society (17 U.S.C. Ā§ 101) uses examples āsuch asā ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. BMIās Songview product FAQ calls BMI, ASCAP, GMR, and SESAC the four major PROs and notes GMR and SESAC data added in 2025. Neither line is a legal ranking. They are examples and product wording.
Writer share, publisher share, and the Manuscript nuance
Performance royalties on a composition split into two shares: the writer share and the publisher share.
What that means in practice:
- At ASCAP, publisher membership is how a writer who still controls publishing collects the publisher share. Joining writer and publisher together waives both fees. Publisher-only is that one-time $50.
- At BMI, a new writer does not have to open a publishing company. If there is no publisher share attached, the Manuscript placeholder can pay writer and publisher shares to the writers. Opening a BMI publisher account is optional and carries the one-time fees listed above.
Do not scare yourself into forming a company you do not need. āEvery self-published writer must open a publisher company or they lose halfā is not how BMIās Manuscript path works.
Later, if you sign a publishing deal or use a publishing administrator, the publisher share may move under that publisherās affiliation. That is a separate conversation from āwhich PRO do I join as a writer today.ā
PRO vs publishing admin vs SoundExchange vs The MLC
These names get mixed up in co-write rooms. They are not the same job.
| Who | What they handle | What they are not |
|---|---|---|
| PRO (ASCAP, BMI, etc.) | Composition public-performance royalties. Writer joins one US PRO. | Not your full publishing admin. Not SoundExchange. Not The MLC. |
| Publishing administration | Helps register and collect publishing (including mechanicals via The MLC and foreign). Does not replace writer PRO affiliation for the writer share. (Songtrust, for example, requires a PRO membership to work with them.) | Not a substitute for joining a PRO as a writer. |
| SoundExchange | Section 114 sound-recording digital performance (non-interactive webcasting and certain satellite/cable radio), plus international collection it describes. | Not a composition PRO. Traditional AM/FM does not pay for public performance of the sound recording. |
| The MLC | US digital mechanicals for the composition (eligible streaming and downloads). You sign up and register songs. | Not a distributor upload. A distribution upload is a different step from MLC registration. The MLC does not replace SoundExchange or US PROs. |
One more sync note: BMI only licenses performing rights. It does not license mechanical or synchronization rights. That does not mean every PRO never touches sync. SESAC may license sync for works in its repertory. If you need sync clearance, the composition contact path usually runs through the publisher (or, for some SESAC repertory works, SESAC). See our sync licensing guide for master vs sync.
Nashville path: co-writes, splits, writer rounds, PRO timing
Nashville work is co-write heavy. That does not mean everyone has to be at the same PRO.
- Co-writers can be at different PROs.
- Each writer registers the work at their own society with the agreed splits.
- Get a split sheet before registration. Vague āweāll fix it laterā is how money stalls.
- Writer rounds and live sets still need the songs registered so performance royalties can find you.
Timing that usually works:
- Finish the song and agree splits on paper.
- Join a PRO if you have not already (eligible ASCAP or BMI path for most early writers).
- Register the work at your society with correct writer and publisher shares.
- Keep performing and releasing. Update registrations when new versions or new co-writers enter the picture.
We are not going to recite old NSAI office-hour flyers as current logistics. Societies change walk-in and webinar schedules. Check ASCAP or BMI directly for how to join and register today.
Related reading will grow on the blog as split-sheet and writer-round posts ship. For publishing registration help beyond the PRO, see publishing administration. For getting the recording out, see music distribution.
FAQ
What is a PRO?
A performing rights organization licenses the public performance of musical works and pays songwriters and publishers when those works are played on radio, TV, streaming, venues, and similar uses. In the US, writers typically collect their performance royalties through one PRO affiliation at a time.
Do I need a PRO if I am only performing covers?
If you did not write the songs, joining as a writer does not pay you the writer share on those covers. The writers and publishers of the compositions collect through their own PRO affiliations. You may still need other licenses as a performer or venue, but that is not the same as writer PRO membership.
Can I join ASCAP and BMI at the same time as a writer?
No. For US public-performance licensing, a songwriter or composer belongs to only one performing rights organization at a time. A publisher can be affiliated with more than one society.
Are SESAC and GMR open to applications?
No. SESAC is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited submissions. GMR is invitation-only with a select client base. ASCAP and BMI are the open-application societies for eligible writers.
Is a PRO the same as SoundExchange or The MLC?
No. A PRO collects composition public-performance royalties. SoundExchange handles Section 114 sound-recording digital performance (and related collection it describes). The MLC administers US digital mechanicals for the composition. You may need more than one of these over a career. None replaces the others.
Do I need a publishing company the day I join?
Not always. At BMI, Manuscript can pay both shares to writers when there is no publisher share, so a new writer does not have to open a publishing company. At ASCAP, publisher share ties to publisher membership; joining writer and publisher together waives both fees, and publisher-only is a one-time $50. Open a company when your deal structure needs it, not because of a scare story.
What to do next
If you are lining up a release, a co-write slate, or cleaner registrations, publishing administration and music distribution are the usual next doors. Browse more guides on the blog, including the sync licensing guide.
If you want a calm next step with a real person, work with The Upstate Sound.