So recently I was browsing through beatstars and realized they offer publishing in partnership with Sony Music. On the surface this looks really good, maybe under the surface as well. I honestly don't know. I see they now offer distribution as well for $19 a year unlimited tracks.
Thanks to advice from @luca1777 I registered with Socan to do publishing but it is a Canadian based Performance Rights Organization and reading through some of the "help section" on the beatstar website, it states that a US Pro is required:
"You must register with a United States PRO to collect royalties in the United States on your behalf. In the United States, there are four different PROs: ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR."
"Anyone can join ASCAP and BMI. SESAC and GMR are by invitation only."
"Here are links to the PRO’s you can choose that do not require an invitation:"
BMI - https://www.bmi.com/
ASCAP - https://www.ascap.com/
I was on the verge of signing up because in my mind,
Companies like Beastars and Sony Music would be proactive in collecting royalties on your behalf compared to a somewhat "non Profit" organization. But is that really so? Tell me what you think. But now I realize I need an US based PRO. I was in the process of signing up to BMI but lost track as payments weren't payable online at that time and documents had to be FedExed which was a bit much for modern times ( not sure if that is the case now). I shall look into ASCAP next.
Anyone has advice on this? What are your thoughts on Beatstar's partnership with Sony to do publishing? What is the best pro to sign up with in the US?
If you are looking for a free Performance Rights Organization,
Socan is an easy sign up but it is based in Canada. On their website they state:
SOCAN serves music creators, music publishers and visual artists, ensures users are Licensed to Play, and collects/distributes royalties in Canada and worldwide.
So then the question is, do I still need to be registered on various PROs?
Well it would seem the more the merrier and at some point a US based PRO and maybe even others for various countries may be a plus. For instance, in Jamaica, they have JAMMS and JACAP, none of which I am a member of at the moment.
By signing up with Socan you will receive an IPI number which is means Interested Parties Information, so I am thinking once you have this IPI number, it should be an easy link into other PROS that may be handy down the line. This is also the major key in collaborations to ensure all parties involved get their fair share of publishing.
The IPI/CAE number is an international identification number assigned to songwriters and publishers to uniquely identify rights holders. This is a separate number from the BMI account number. IPI stands for: Interested Parties Information.
I'd like to see more posts about the business side of the music as it is something that I am not 100% on as yet and I am sure others would love to learn. Before you go, check out my music below.
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