ASCAP or BMI?

AT · 02.23.07, 01:34 PM

Hi Folks:

I'm about to join one of the two major composer/publisher groups. Does anyone have any experience with one or both? If so, do you have a recommendation for which one is better?

Everything I've seen and read thus far has them looking basically looking like equals. I'm just checking around for finer points, if any.

Thanks!

From the ASCAP website:
Joining ASCAP is a critical step in your career in music. By joining ASCAP you can begin to register your songs, collect performance royalties and take advantage of many exclusive career benefits. There is no cost to join ASCAP and there are no annual dues. You can join as a writer, a publisher or both.

Click one of the buttons below to start filling out the online application. We look forward to welcoming you to the ASCAP family.

From the BMI website:
If you're a songwriter or composer and have written songs that have the potential to be used on radio, television, the Internet, in restaurants and or any of the thousands of other businesses that use music, you've come to the right place.

You are about to begin a process that will make you a part of a family of more than 300,000 of the world's top songwriters, composers and music publishers, and, more importantly, will ensure that you get paid when any of those businesses plays your song.

If signing up with BMI is right for you, start below. It's a quick, easy, end-to-end online process that takes about 15 minutes: no stamps, no mailbox, no waiting!

**fullbug5150** · 02.23.07, 11:27 PM

BMI is the oldest. They are basically the same. ASCAP accepts anyone. SESAC is the way to go, great followthru, very up to date on payments. Will help develop you and create your own pub co which is the way to go unless you get a huge advance from a pub. house. SESAC has to pick you though. ASCAP is easy to work with and has offices all across the us.

**Wolfgang_'99** · 02.24.07, 11:30 AM

ASCAP Sounds better from what they said about royalties and such.

AT · 02.27.07, 01:05 AM

Well I'm going to flip a coin! Someone posted a bit from Pete Townsend in another thread where the man talked about being screwed by BMI, so that has swayed me slightly, and fullbug5150's comment about ASCAP offices all over the US lent some favoritism there.

Anyone else?

AT · 03.01.07, 07:30 AM

I submitted an application to ASCAP a few days ago.

AT · 03.24.07, 11:56 PM

For anyone who may have been interested, I was accepted to ASCAP. I'm going to start registering all my songs. There's some benefits that seem like they'll be nice to take advantage of. For me, this was one of the first steps in pursuing songwriting (for other artists and producers) more seriously.

**cyberfiddl** · 04.15.07, 09:36 PM

I got my ASCAP card!

AT · 06.07.07, 08:12 PM

In my first quarter as an ASCAP member, I made $0. Think I gotta get my songs registered and start trying to sell one of these pop songs I've written!