Jeff T Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 Hi all, I'm just (finally) getting myself set up with SOCAN, the Canadian performing rights organization, and consequently have to choose between ASCAP and BMI for US royalties, and I thought I'd ask to see if anyone had any opinions or thoughts about which one is better. I'm mainly doing film and TV music. Thanks. (I've posted this on a few different boards, sorry if you're seeing multiple versions of it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 Hi....one post is enough for your question. Thanks. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 Synthoid, still waiting for your address for the IA CD Pool. Check your PMs at IA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 ASCAP is run by musicians looking out for musicians. BMI is run by businessmen. In fact, it was started by a bunch of businessmen who wanted to try to pay lower royalties to musicians than ASCAP was getting for their musicians. That said, I doubt that there is a lot of difference today. I know a few years ago it mattered what kind of music you wrote, because BMI didn't track as many options as ASCAP. (Commercials, for example.) That may not be true today. I suggest that you take a trip to the two websites, and get a handle on what kind of protection each ofers. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 I'm not sure there is a difference. I'm on with BMI and I've never had a problem other than nothing I've written has had much air play. No play, no pay. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linwood Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 I'm with ASCAP. I write/produce jingles for a living. All of it radio. It's hard for either of them to track the jing. You have to send in a bit of paperwork, but I guess it's worth it. I do get $ every quarter from ASCAP. Not as much as I should, but it's always a welcomed check when it hits the mailbox. I wish one of them would figure out how to better track jingles. I'd be a millionaire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 I am an affiliate with BMI ... my main impetus for going with them was that my collaborating partner is with BMI. I think there is not an incredible diff between the two, but there ARE some. This is from my "Music Law" book published by Nolo Press (2d ed, 2001): * ASCAP charges annual dues ($50 publishers, $10 writers as of that book's printing), BMI does not (only a one-time $25 fee for publishers; nothing for affiliated writers) * BMI surveys "low wattage" (ie, college, public access) stations * BMI offers bonuses for songs with cumulative history in excess of 25,000 performances (in case that applies to you ...) * ASCAP and BMI offer instrument, dental, medical insurance * ASCAP has a credit union with financial benefits. You can read the charters of both on their web sites. They may have differences on how they count internet publishing too. Cheers, gg Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmix Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Originally posted by geekgurl: * BMI offers bonuses for songs with cumulative history in excess of 25,000 performances (in case that applies to you ...) ggAnd quess whose pockets those bonuses come from ? That's something that has always bothered me about BMI. If you're at the top it's great but the writers at lower earning levels lose out. Rob Hoffman http://www.robmixmusic.com Los Angeles, CA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Yeah, well that's what I mean ... I don't expect I'll ever see a bonus ... however, I'm wondering if the bonus structure includes those "low-wattage" plays ... because that may make BMI more useful to indie musicians than ASCAP after all. Ultimately I'm not really sure how much different the two organizations are on one's bottom line. For example, on the level some of us expect to get recompensed (or at all), are BMI's purportedly less-generous payouts gonna even offset ASCAP's yearly dues? And is it really proven fact that certain "tiers" of artist get less with one organization or another? That would actually be really useful. Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.