If you write music in the US, you need to affiliate with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). Your PRO collects performance royalties on your behalf whenever your music is played on radio, TV, streaming services, live venues, and anywhere else that requires a public performance license.
The three main US PROs are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. You can only be a member of one at a time, so choosing matters. Here's what separates them.
ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
Membership fee: $50 one-time application fee for songwriters; $50/year for publishers
Open to: Anyone who has written at least one song
Structure: Member-owned, nonprofit cooperative
ASCAP is the largest PRO in the US by membership and one of the two most common affiliations you'll see on split sheets. Because it's member-owned, profits are distributed back to members rather than kept as company revenue.
ASCAP pays quarterly. The payment timeline is typically 6-12 months after a performance or broadcast — royalties from a January radio spin usually arrive by Q3 or Q4 of that year.
Best for: Independent songwriters and artists who want a member-owned structure and no recurring annual fees for songwriters (the $50 is one-time).
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
Membership fee: Free for songwriters; $150 one-time for publishers
Open to: Anyone who has written or co-written at least one song
Structure: Private company, nonprofit-like in royalty distribution
BMI is the other heavyweight PRO — it represents roughly the same size repertoire as ASCAP. BMI has no signup fee for songwriters, making it the cheapest entry point. It's a private company (not member-owned) but distributes the vast majority of income as royalties.
BMI also pays quarterly, with a similar 6-12 month lag between performance and payment. BMI has historically been strong in country, gospel, and Latin music, though both ASCAP and BMI cover all genres effectively.
Best for: Songwriters who want to get started with no upfront cost, or who produce in country, Latin, or R&B genres where BMI has strong representation.
SESAC
Membership fee: Not publicly disclosed
Open to: Invite-only (application reviewed, not guaranteed)
Structure: Private, for-profit company
SESAC is smaller and selective — you can't simply sign up like you can with ASCAP or BMI. SESAC invites or accepts applications from writers and publishers, and focuses on members it believes will generate significant performance activity.
The upside: SESAC members often report faster payment timelines and more attentive account management. The downside: if you're early in your career, SESAC likely won't accept you.
Best for: Established writers with consistent radio or TV placements who receive an invitation or are accepted through the application process.
Global Royalty Collection
All three US PROs have reciprocal agreements with international collecting societies, meaning they'll collect foreign performance royalties on your behalf and funnel them back to you. The main difference is which societies each PRO has the strongest relationships with — but for most indie artists, this is a negligible consideration.
If you're based outside the US:
- Canada: SOCAN
- UK: PRS for Music
- Australia: APRA AMCOS
- Germany: GEMA
- France: SACEM
ASCAP vs BMI: The Real Difference for Indie Artists
Practically speaking, for most independent artists the difference between ASCAP and BMI is minimal. Both collect effectively, both pay quarterly, and both have solid online portals for registering works and tracking royalties.
The most common reason to pick one over the other:
- Co-writer uses ASCAP? Either of you can be BMI and the other ASCAP — your PROs will coordinate. But some artists choose to match their primary co-writers or producers for simplicity.
- No money to spend yet? BMI is free for songwriters, ASCAP costs $50.
- Prefer a member-owned structure? ASCAP.
What This Has to Do With Split Sheets
Your split sheet needs to list every party's PRO affiliation and IPI/CAE number. This is how royalties get routed correctly. If your co-writer is ASCAP and you're BMI, both get captured on the split sheet, and both PROs know what to collect and for whom.
A split sheet without PRO information is incomplete — it documents the ownership percentages but doesn't give the collecting societies what they need to pay out correctly.
Generate a split sheet that includes proper PRO fields, IPI number fields, and ISRC/ISWC at musicsplitsheets.com — $3 for a custom PDF, ready to sign and file. The form handles ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SOCAN, PRS, APRA, and other PROs.