How to Collect Royalties From Your Music, Which Performing Rights Organization Is Best? ASCAP vs BMI

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How To Collect Music Royalties

There are many types of music royalties out there and Performing Rights Organizations help collect your performance royalties. There are a few ways to earn performance royalties: playing a live show is one type of performance royalty, getting played out of an intercom in a store is another "performance" of your song, and lastly terrestrial radio (which is basically AM/FM radio).

But there is more!

Within that royalty, there are two types of sub-royalties: Songwriting Royalty, and Publishing royalty. PROs pay out both of these types of royalties, but if you are not set up to collect your Publishing you might be missing out on that royalty without even knowing!

The good thing about BMI is that they automatically collect your Publishing Royalties, even if you're only registered as a songwriter which is super awesome and it saves you the $250 sign-up fee!

Watch the video to learn more and don't forget to like this video if it helped you with PROs!

//CONNECT WITH ME

[IndieMusicAcademy]

What PRO (Performing Rights Organization) are you affiliated with?

[luciadcolor]

thank you. It´s very claryfing how ASCAP and BMI emerged.

[johngraham]

One important point that is not always obvious is that Distributors and PROs are not the same thing, although some Distributors will help you affiliate with a PRO. Another point is that now that we have the MLC (Music Licensing Collective) created by Music Modernization Act of 2018, some distributors (CD Baby) are using them to collect royalties. The critical thing to know about that is that the MLC is US-only. So even if your Distributor sends your song to an international streamer, they may NOT necessarily be collecting your royalties from them. I recently specifically asked CD Baby about this when they announced they were eliminating their Pro Publishing option and moving to a partnership with the MLC, and CD Baby confirmed that at least for now, they will not be collecting royalties from international streamers (although that MAY change in the future). But that might make a difference for you when choosing a distributor. I'm not aware of other Distributors' intentions on this issue going forward.

[itsyah]

This video helped so much! After seeing this dropped in 2018 just go to show the rarest gems are always the hardest to find. Having this info 2yrs ago would have been amazing, but I'm excited to see what I can do with it moving forward. Thank you bro

[JamalGreenMusic]

Great video! Incredibly helpful and the quality is top notch.

[Debenedetta]

I also record on a Neuman u87 my studio is fully digital Cubase/Protools Daw

[radioplaytoday]

We just started recommending this video in our email chain for our artists. Thank you again. Subscribed!

[danielabarroso]

These videos are sooo helpful! Thank you!!! I'm an independent artist and have my songs registered on BMI, but I wasn't aware that I may not be collecting the publishing part...how can I create a publishing entity?

[mariawhyze]

when or before I release my first first song I'll choose ASCAP and BMI

[tristen]

Thank you for this video by the way you didna great job with “Taking over me” 💯🔥

[TabythaPolaris]

I love your youtube videos do you have one that goes over the order you do everything after mastering like copyright, distributing digitally, registering songs with all the organizations ect?

[PJJBOSSMUSIC]

a person like me thats outside of america can i use BMI?

[Debenedetta]

I chose ASCAP but most of the collaborative songwriters prefer BMI I have been with ASCAP forever but I am considering to switch to BMI

[radioplaytoday]

Great video! We're going to direct our artists here to learn from you.

[madeformusicentertainment]

Hello,

Thanks for the great info on your videos. I am signed up with BMI as a writer. But wondering if I should setup a BMI publishing account also if I already have Songtrust? And will doing so save me the 15% commission that Songtrust charges.

[jewelthompson]

New Subscriber, your channel is amazing!

[bboymac]

If I’m a beat maker or composer what do I sign up for on BMI? Songwriter or publisher ??

[Luvofficialpage]

I’ve gotten bits and pieces of information about music when I come up with the right questions. Your vids are most def helpful my man much love.

1 question for now after watching this vid

An artist would sign up under only one PRO or should I sign under both? (Regulated)

[ProdStep]

hey Lion bold I had a question on how to go about collecting mechanical royalties, get back to me if you can bro thank you.

[zachmaberry]

Hey Ryan, do you go through CD baby or Tunecore for distributing your music ? Reasons for one over the other ? Thanks! Love the content :)