Joining a PRO does not license your song for ads, streams, or the recording

A performing rights organization collects public performance royalties for musical works. Membership is not a sync license, not a mechanical license, and not ownership of the sound recording.

If you only do one thing after you join, register the works with the shares you actually agreed to. The society can only pay the shares it has on file.

What the membership is for

ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC each license public performance of compositions and pay writer and publisher shares of those royalties. Name the society that actually has the registration. Nothing in the sources used here says a writer should join more than one of them for the same rights, and this post does not add that rule. BMI’s licensing FAQ says BMI licenses performing rights only. It does not license mechanical rights or synchronization rights. SESAC’s FAQ says SESAC does not represent the rights to reproduce a composition into a film, TV show, or other audiovisual production.

That is why a brand, a trailer, or a scene still needs a sync license from the publishers who control the song, even when every writer is already a PRO member. The PRO license and the sync license answer different questions.

The live explainer on our site walks through the Nashville version of this: What is a PRO? A Nashville songwriter’s guide.

What it leaves untouched

Digital audio mechanicals in the United States. The Mechanical Licensing Collective collects those from eligible streaming and download services for musical works. The MLC says its work does not replace PROs. Joining ASCAP or BMI does not register you with The MLC, and joining The MLC does not replace your PRO.

The sound recording. The musical work and the sound recording are two copyrights. PRO membership follows the composition. It does not make you the owner of the master, and it does not collect the recording’s digital performance royalties. The MLC points recording artists and labels to SoundExchange for that recording-side digital performance money.

Publishing administration. An administrator can register works and collect for you, including working with your PRO. TuneCore’s publishing help says its administration service does not replace what your performing rights society collects. You can be a PRO member and still hire an administrator. Hiring an administrator is not the same act as joining the PRO or The MLC.

A short check after you join

1. Confirm the society has your current address and payment method.
2. Register each composition with the writer and publisher shares you agreed to.
3. If you also control the recording, keep that paperwork in a separate folder. The PRO registration is not the master split.
4. If you expect U.S. streaming mechanicals, look at The MLC separately.

None of those steps licenses the song for a picture use. That permission still comes from the people who control the shares.

Sources

• BMI licensing FAQs: https://www.bmi.com/licensing/faqs
• SESAC FAQs: https://www.sesac.com/frequently-asked-questions/
• The MLC, how it works: https://www.themlc.com/how-it-works
• The MLC, other organizations: https://blog.themlc.com/resources/do-i-still-need-to-join-other-organizations-like-pros
• TuneCore, publishing administration and PRO membership: https://support.tunecore.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006502447-Can-I-sign-up-for-TuneCore-Publishing-Administration-even-if-I-am-already-a-member-of-a-performing-rights-society-ASCAP-PRS-APRA-etc
• U.S. Copyright Office, Musicians and Income: https://copyright.gov/music-modernization/educational-materials/musicians-income.pdf