ABSTRACT
As there are literally thousands of individual broadcasters, bars, nightclubs, hotels, and other entities who “publicly perform” copyrighted works, it would be virtually impossible for individual songwriters to monitor all of the potential domestic (and global) music uses and users of their works. Because of the obvious challenges in managing royalty payments for music uses, Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) have been formed to license music
users, monitor music uses, and collect royalties for hundreds of thousands of works. The PRO collects license fees on behalf of writers and publishers from businesses which use their music, making the licensing process easier. This method allows thousands of music users to work with thousands of music creators through one of the licensing organizations. In the United States, the three Performing Rights Organizations-ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated), and SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers)—issue blanket licenses and collect fees from music “users,” on behalf of their affiliated writers and pub - lishers, for the collection of their non-dramatic (“small rights”) public performance royalties. The rights to perform music in Broadway-type theatrical shows-known as “grand rights”—are not represented by the PROs, and must be obtained directly from the publisher of the music.
