If you write songs in the United States, joining a performing rights organization (PRO) is how you collect the performance royalties owed when your music is played publicly. The ASCAP vs BMI question comes up constantly because they are the two largest PROs in the US, and most independent songwriters end up choosing between them. The short version: both collect the same type of royalty and both are reputable, so the decision usually comes down to membership structure, fees and personal preference rather than one being clearly “better.”
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.
What ASCAP and BMI Actually Do
Both ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) are performing rights organizations. When your song is played on the radio, streamed, performed live, or used in a venue, restaurant or TV broadcast, a public performance happens. PROs license those uses to businesses, collect the fees, and distribute performance royalties back to the songwriters and publishers they represent.
You can only collect these royalties if you are affiliated with a PRO and you register your songs with them. If you want the background on how this royalty stream works, read our explainer on performance royalties and the broader overview of what a PRO is.
The Core Structural Difference
The most durable difference between the two is ownership and structure:
- ASCAP is a membership association owned and governed by its songwriter and publisher members. Its board is elected by members.
- BMI historically operated as a non-profit-style company; in recent years it transitioned to a for-profit model. It is not member-governed in the same way ASCAP is.
Both pay out performance royalties on broadly similar schedules and both track radio, streaming, live and broadcast performances. Neither one inherently pays “more” — your payout depends on where and how often your music is actually performed, not which logo is on your account.
Joining, Fees and Eligibility
Membership terms change over time, so treat any specific figure you see online as something to verify directly. Historically, the headline differences have been:
- Sign-up fee: One organization has typically charged a small one-time writer fee while the other has been free to join as a writer. These policies shift, so check current terms before you decide.
- Publisher side: Both let you affiliate as a writer and separately as a publisher. As an independent artist, you can register both roles to collect the writer’s and publisher’s share of performance royalties.
- Exclusivity: You generally affiliate with one PRO at a time for your writer share, so you do pick one.
Because you collect a writer share and a publisher share, it is worth understanding how your songs are owned before you register. Our guide to music publishing and the piece on what a music publisher does walk through the writer/publisher split.
What ASCAP and BMI Do NOT Cover
Neither PRO collects every royalty you are owed. They handle public performance royalties only. They do not collect:
- Mechanical royalties (from reproductions and on-demand streams in the US) — covered by The MLC and your distributor. See mechanical royalties explained.
- The streaming master/recording royalties paid to whoever owns the recording — that flows through your distributor. See how Spotify pays artists.
So joining a PRO is one piece of a wider royalty picture, not the whole thing.
Which Is Right for You?
For most independent songwriters, the honest answer is: either works. Choose based on these practical points:
- Pick ASCAP if member governance and being part of a member-owned association matters to you, or if a current fee/term comparison favours it for your situation.
- Pick BMI if you prefer its sign-up terms at the time you join, or if collaborators and your team are already on it (keeping co-writers on the same PRO can simplify some workflows, though it is not required).
- Check the current terms first. Fees, payout timing and policies change, so confirm the up-to-date details on each organization’s own site before committing.
Whichever you choose, register every song you release. Royalties only flow to works that are properly registered and matched to performances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be in both ASCAP and BMI?
Not for the same writer share — you affiliate your writer membership with one PRO at a time. You can switch later, but you generally cannot collect the same writer royalties through two PROs simultaneously.
Do I need a PRO if I only release on streaming?
Yes, if you want to collect performance royalties. On-demand streams still generate a performance component in many territories, and any radio, playlist, public, or broadcast play of your music can generate performance royalties that only a PRO collects.
Does my distributor replace a PRO?
No. A distributor delivers your recording to streaming services and collects recording and (often) mechanical royalties. A PRO collects performance royalties for the underlying song. They cover different income streams, so most artists use both.
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