Do I need to register with BMI or ASCAP? what does it mean exactly?

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anyway, so it looks like a small local label is putting out our record...he's telling me I should go apply for BMI...what does that do exactly? I'm really not up on these type of things...

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

Oh Jesus. This has been sort of a nightmare for us, trying to figure this out.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Actually, I'd tell you more, but I don't really know myself. I've just signed the forms they've told me to sign. I guess the main point, though, is that you can get royalties if your music receives airplay or is licensed to someone. (We're in a couple of regional commercials and theoretically we should be getting paid for each time they air, in addition to the flat fee we received for licensing them.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

does it cost money to sign up for BMI stuff?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

Not sure, we're doing ASCAP. But yeah, it will probably cost you an annual fee.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

The problem we've had is in determining the difference between songwriting royalties and publishing royalties, and if everyone in the band needs a separate membership, or just the band as a collective.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

DO THIS DO THIS DO THIS SHIT

My father was a country singer in the 70s, didn't really "make it" (I believe his highest charting single was #27 on the country charts). He's still getting royalties to this day. Europe has been playing his shit, apparently, and he just got a check for over a thousand bucks last month. Royalties are the gift that keep on giving

― Give me Sufjan or give me credibility (Matt Chesnut), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

xpost to jaymc

At least with regard to songwriting royalties, every member of your band needs a separate membership. That's why in the liner notes each songwriter is given credit for each particular song.

― Give me Sufjan or give me credibility (Matt Chesnut), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I think we've figured it all out. Like I said, I didn't do the majority of the legwork, I just signed stuff, haha.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

Huh, I should find out if my band has ever done this (esp. since I heard one of our tunes in the background of a movie last weekend!).

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

No, there's no annual fee for BMI (and I don't think there's one for ASCAP) -- BMI is a nonprofit and the money they get comes from money that otherwise would go to you, if you were going to get any money. (So, they broker a contract with a club for $100/yr or whatever, and $95 of that is split among artists and $5 is kept by BMI, if I understand it right. The numbers here are totally ficticious.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

If I could just figure out how to tell BMI I've moved so I could get their sparkly newsletter again then my life would be complete.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

eighteen years pass...

Disappointing that the majority of my ASCAP earnings in the last few months were from some pop album I had nothing to do with, but someone mistakenly credited me for (I got it corrected).

― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Monday, 28 October 2024 14:14 (one year ago)

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