ASCAP, SESAC, or BMI?

I'm looking at joining one of these Performing Rights Organizations as both a songwriter and a publisher.

Can you please share any positive or negative feedback and any experiences with either company?

Any help is much appreciated!

Lee.

I have received several comments on Facebook about ASCAP, and several on Twitter about BMI, and so I am still split on the decision!

Any further comments here would be appreciated.

Lee.

Tough one mate. Both have good and bad sides. I can put you in touch with my contacts at both if you'd like? If I had to choose myself I'd probably say ASCAP, as the relationships I have with those guys are a little more personal. I'd take a close look at artists in a similar category to yourself and your music and decide from that. In this instance, safety in numbers is key - the more people that push them to look at particular revenue streams / music styles etc. the more likely they are to listen and push to collect for that market. SESAC is a tough call too. They are definitely the little brother who will never be what BMI or ASCAP are, but they are also capable of making faster decisions and collecting from new media and new broadcast opportunities WAY faster than the other 2. When I was applying for internet radio broadcast licenses a few years ago, SESAC were the only organisation that wanted to try and work out a deal. The other 2 were too reluctant to offer a precedent before the other one (very like the cable TV debacle many years ago) so they just said they would retro-actively collect 'once a fee structure was in place'. That's not really much use to you as an artist who deserves payment.

Let me know if you'd like those contact details.

C