A performing rights organization (PRO) is a body that collects performance royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers. When your composition is played in public — on the radio, on streaming, in venues, on TV — the businesses doing the playing pay licence fees, and the PRO pools that money and pays it out to its members. If you write songs and want to collect performance royalties, joining a PRO is the step that makes it happen.
Here is what a PRO does, the main ones you have probably heard of, and how to join.
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.
What a PRO does
A performing rights organization sits between music users and songwriters. Its core functions:
- Licensing — it sells blanket licences to radio stations, streaming services, venues, broadcasters, shops, and other businesses that play music publicly.
- Tracking usage — it monitors and collects data on what gets played, where and how often.
- Collecting fees — it gathers the licence money from all those users.
- Distributing royalties — it pays that money out to its songwriter and publisher members based on usage.
Crucially, a PRO handles only performance royalties on the composition. It does not collect your master recording royalties (your distributor does that) or your mechanical royalties (a publishing admin or collection body does that). See performance royalties explained and mechanical royalties for the distinction.
The main PROs
Different countries have their own PROs. The well-known ones include:
- ASCAP and BMI — the two largest in the United States.
- SESAC — a smaller, invitation-based US PRO.
- PRS for Music — the UK.
- SOCAN — Canada.
- APRA AMCOS — Australia and New Zealand.
You generally join the PRO in your home country, and through reciprocal agreements between PROs worldwide, your royalties from foreign performances find their way back to you. In the US, the most common decision is ASCAP vs BMI — see our comparison of ASCAP vs BMI to choose.
How a PRO fits with publishing
A PRO is one piece of the publishing puzzle, not the whole thing. Most songwriters register with a PRO as both a writer and a publisher, then use a separate publishing administrator to collect mechanicals and global royalties the PRO does not handle. For the full map, read music publishing explained and what a music publisher is.
How to join a PRO
- Pick the PRO for your country (US writers choose between ASCAP and BMI).
- Apply as a writer — and usually as a publisher too, so you can collect both shares.
- Register every composition you release, listing all co-writers and their splits.
- Keep registrations and contact details up to date so royalties reach you.
Do this around the time you start releasing music. Coordinate it with the rest of your rollout using our music release checklist so registration is not an afterthought.
Why joining a PRO matters
If you never join a PRO and register your songs, every public performance of your music generates royalties that simply go uncollected. Joining is the one-time setup that switches that income on. For the bigger earnings picture, see what music royalties are and how musicians actually make money.
Frequently asked questions
Can I join more than one PRO?
As a songwriter you generally affiliate with one PRO for your performance royalties at a time, though you can also have a publishing entity registered. Joining multiple PROs for the same writer role at once is not the norm.
Does a PRO collect all my royalties?
No. A PRO collects only performance royalties on the composition. You still need a distributor for master royalties and a publishing admin or collection body for mechanicals.
When should I join a PRO?
Around the time you start releasing music publicly. Joining and registering your songs early ensures you capture performance royalties from the very first plays rather than missing out while you sort it later.
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