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Publishing and Royalties 101 continued:
The Nuts and Bolts of Songwriting Income
PART TWO:
PERFORMANCE RIGHTS SOCIETIES: ASCAP, BMI,
OR SESAC?
By Darcie-Nicole Wicknick
Special to MusicBizAdvice.com
INTRODUCTION
As a music business consultant, one of the hottest questions I get focuses around the role
of performing rights organizations. Who are they? What do they do? And, when do I need
one? A multitude of performance rights societies exists worldwide, but this article
mainly focuses on major heavy hitters ASCAP and BMI.
When choosing a Performance Rights affiliation, many writers flock to one of the Big Two,
ASCAP (American Society for Composers and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music
International).
There is also SESAC (originally this acronym stood for Society of European
Stage Authors and Composers, now it is simply known as SESAC), which,
however incorrect, until recent years has had the perception in the U.S. of
representing mainly Gospel and European composers. (In MusicBizAdvice.com
Editor in Chief Randi Reed's 20 years of working with artists at the
platinum level, she's yet to work with a SESAC-affiliated writer.)
SESAC is trying to change this perception, however, and in recent years has
expanded its membership. But although SESAC currently represents U.S.
songwriters and composers including Bryan-Michael Cox, Nate "Danja" Hills,
Swizz Beats, Bow Wow, Omarion, Rush, Neil Diamond, and even Bob Dylan, it's
still in the process of catching up to ASCAP and BMI.
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