ASCAP and likewise organizations are seeking for commercial air play and/or live performance in venues that pay blanket licensing fees to cover royalties paid to their composers, authors, and publishers. MP3.com, presumably has covered their bases with all three major licensing agencies in America; this should qualify you for full membership with ASCAP, if indeed it is what you are seeking to do. Unless you are generating revenues from project works and feel that you have thoroughly investigated the advantages and disadvantages of joining ASCAP, I encourage you to visit the Harry Fox agency on licensing at NMPA - Harry Fox Agency on Licensing and review what type of performances require licensing. Once you have an understanding of what different types of licenses are issued and what each covers, then use scrutiny in selecting the most appropriate agency to best suit your needs. Keep in mind that ASCAP offers music and performing rights licensing, whereas HFA provides MECHANICAL Licensing which is actually the opposite side of collecting the royalties paid to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and foreign agencies of the same nature. It will help you to understand better what it is that ASCAP does, and why, if you understand how they collect their revenues.
