BMI and ASCAP are two different types of music licensing organizations. BMI is a not-for-profit organization that licenses the public performance of musical compositions on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. ASCAP is a for-profit organization that licenses the public performance of musical compositions on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The main difference between BMI and ASCAP is that BMI is not-for-profit, while ASCAP is for-profit. Both organizations license the public performance of musical compositions, but they have different purposes. BMI’s purpose is to protect the rights of songwriters, composers, and music publishers, while ASCAP’s purpose is to make money for its shareholders.
What is BMI?
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) is a performing rights organization that licenses and collects royalties for the public performance of music on behalf of BMI songwriters, composers, and publishers. BMI represents more than 17 million musical works from over 900,000 BMI affiliates in all genres of music. BMI has been licensing music since 1939 and currently distributes more than $1 billion in royalties each year. BMI offers two different types of licenses: a blanket license and a direct license. A blanket license allows a business to playing any BMI song in its repertoire for a set fee. A direct license must be obtained from BMI for each specific song that will be played. BMI also offers online licensing for businesses that want to play BMI music on their website or mobile app. BMI’s website provides tools and resources to help businesses determine which type of license is right for them.
What is ASCAP?
ASCAP is a music licensing organization that was founded in 1914. ASCAP stands for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. ASCAP licenses the public performances of its members’ musical works. ASCAP’s licensees include radio and television stations, satellite and cable systems, digital audio services, restaurants and bars, nightclubs, hotels, and other establishments. ASCAP also licenses the use of its members’ music in movies, commercials, video games, and other visual media. ASCAP collected over $1 billion in royalties in 2018. ASCAP’s membership includes more than 670,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers from all genres of music. ASCAP is headquartered in New York City. ASCAP has offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Chicago.
Difference between BMI and ASCAP
BMI and ASCAP are both music licensing organizations that collect royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. BMI is a not-for-profit organization, while ASCAP is a membership organization. BMI licenses the public performance of musical works, while ASCAP licenses the reproduction of musical works. BMI’s catalog includes more than 14 million musical works from over 900,000 BMI affiliates worldwide. ASCAP’s catalog includes more than 10 million musical works from over 550,000 ASCAP members worldwide. BMI pays royalties to its affiliates based on a formula that takes into account the number of performances of a song, the type of venue, and the size of the audience. ASCAP pays royalties to its members based on a formula that takes into account the number of recordings of a song and the type of use (e.g., background music, TVTheme). BMI has been in operation since 1939, while ASCAP has been in operation since 1914.
Conclusion
The BMI and ASCAP are two of the most prominent music licensing organizations in the United States. They both offer a variety of benefits to their members, but there are some key differences between them. If you’re an artist or songwriter looking for more information about how to license your work, it’s important to understand the difference between BMI and ASCAP.
