One question that frequently arises among musicians and producers is: "What does it mean to be affiliated with a PRO?" Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation on this topic, so this article will aim to clarify how Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) work and why being affiliated with one is essential for musicians who want to monetize their work effectively.
What Is a PRO?
A Performance Rights Organization (PRO) is an entity that helps musicians, composers, and songwriters collect royalties when their music is performed publicly. Public performances include anything from radio airplay to television shows, live concerts, or even streamed music on digital platforms. Some of the most well-known PROs include ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC in the United States, as well as PRS for Music in the UK and SOCAN in Canada.
How Do PROs Work?
To understand PROs, you first need a basic understanding of how music licensing and publishing function. Let’s break it down step by step using a simple example.
Suppose a music supervisor or editor is working on a TV show that will air on ABC. They browse through music libraries such as Pond5 or AudioSparx and find music they want to use in the show. When they find the track they want, they purchase a license to use it in the show, which is known as a "sync fee" or "sync license." This upfront payment gives them the legal permission to sync the music with the video content they’re producing.
Once the show airs on ABC, a "cue sheet" is submitted to PROs, listing all the music tracks that were used in the show. PROs collect what’s called "blanket fees" from broadcasters like ABC every quarter. These fees are not based on specific songs but are general fees that networks pay to PROs for the right to use music. The PROs then use the information from the cue sheets to distribute the money to the musicians whose music was used.
This post-broadcast payment is known as "back-end royalties," and it is separate from the sync fee that the producer paid to use the music. However, only musicians who are affiliated with a PRO can collect these royalties. If you're not affiliated, you’ll never see any of that money.
The Difference Between Sync Fees and Back-End Royalties
Let’s put this into a real-world example:
- Musician A and Musician B both have their music used in a show on ABC.
- Both musicians license their tracks through a platform like Pond5 for $100 and collect the sync fee upfront.
- Musician A is affiliated with a PRO, while Musician B is not.
Once the show airs, Musician A waits for the cue sheet to be filed and the PRO to distribute royalties from the show’s broadcaster, ABC. In contrast, Musician B misses out on the back-end royalties because they are not affiliated with a PRO.
Why It’s Important to Join a PRO
If you’re a musician or producer, joining a PRO is critical because it allows you to collect royalties from the broadcast and public performance of your music. Sync fees are just the beginning—back-end royalties from PROs can be a substantial part of a musician’s income, especially when your music is used in television, film, or radio.
Common Myths and Misunderstandings
1. Royalty-Free Music Doesn’t Mean PRO-Free Music
One common misconception is that royalty-free music means there are no royalties involved at all. "Royalty-free" typically refers to paying a one-time sync fee, after which the music can be used without additional payments. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any back-end royalties paid to musicians by PROs when the music is broadcast.
In fact, many music libraries and publishers accept PRO-registered music even for royalty-free licensing. Some libraries may market themselves as "so royalty-free they don’t even accept PRO music," but this is often a bad business practice that can hurt musicians in the long run.
2. PRO Registration Doesn’t Affect YouTube Videos
Another common myth is that PRO registration will flag YouTube videos for copyright claims. This is not true. Copyright claims on YouTube are triggered by Content ID, a separate system from PRO registration. While Content ID helps protect against unauthorized use of music, it has nothing to do with PROs.
Why Some Publishers Don’t Want PRO Music
Some music libraries or publishers may promote the fact that they don’t accept PRO-registered music as a selling point. This can be a marketing gimmick to differentiate themselves, but it usually does more harm than good for musicians.
For instance, music supervisors or broadcasters may hesitate to license non-PRO music because it limits the ability of artists to collect royalties on their behalf. Additionally, many high-tier publishers and music libraries only accept PRO-registered music because they know that these tracks are typically higher in quality and ensure that the artist will get paid for their work beyond just the sync fee.
How to Join a PRO
Joining a PRO is relatively simple. Here’s a list of some of the largest PROs by country:
- United States: ASCAP, BMI, SESAC
- United Kingdom: PRS for Music
- Canada: SOCAN
- Australia: APRA AMCOS
- France: SACEM
Once you become a member of a PRO, you’ll need to register your songs with them so they can monitor where and when your music is played. This way, they can collect royalties on your behalf and distribute them to you when your music is used in public performances, broadcasts, and other media.
Conclusion
Being affiliated with a PRO is one of the most critical steps you can take as a musician to ensure that you’re maximizing your earnings from your music. Sync fees are just the beginning; if you want to make money from your music’s public performance, whether on television, radio, or streaming platforms, you need to be registered with a PRO.
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