Organizations & Societies
PRO (Performing Rights Organization)
A PRO collects public-performance royalties for songwriters, composers, and publishers — in the US, mainly ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
A Performing Rights Organization licenses the public performance of compositions — radio, TV, live shows, restaurants, stores — and pays the resulting performance royalties to songwriters, composers, and music publishers. In the US the main PROs are ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR.
To collect performance royalties you affiliate with a PRO and register your works. Notes manages those registrations so the performance side of your catalog actually pays out.
Good to know
PRO (Performing Rights Organization): common questions
- Which PRO should I join?
- In the US, songwriters typically affiliate with one of ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, or GMR. You only need one for performance royalties; Notes works alongside your PRO to keep registrations correct.