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As I understand it ASCAP is owned and run by its members, the musicians. BMI is owned/run by the broadcasting industry which seems like a conflict of interest. Also, in Chicago ASCAP has a very helpful office and staff.

Fuck em both. They're bullies. I wouldn't want either of them representing me.

El Protoolio wrote:Fuck em both. They're bullies. I wouldn't want either of them representing me.

Protoolio, please tell us more. What brings you to such conclusions? I am very interested to know.

Mayfair wrote:As I understand it ASCAP is owned and run by its members, the musicians. BMI is owned/run by the broadcasting industry which seems like a conflict of interest. Also, in Chicago ASCAP has a very helpful office and staff.

nirvana went with BMI. therefore, it is more punk.


i went with BMI as it seemed slightly easier to get in... it also doesn't seem like it's terribly difficult to switch from one to the other should i become disenchanted...

Back in the day, when BMI was the upstart competing against ASCAP, it was mocked as "Bad Music Incorporated" for representing artists and songwriters thought to be unworthy of representation. That's cool.

BMI has a weird contract length: two years for writing royalties and five years for publishing. ASCAP is year to year. Not a big deal, really. But weird to me. ASCAP's financial records are open, so you can see where the money goes. As far as I know, BMI and SESAC's are not. I know people who have hated SESAC. No strong feelings on the others. ASCAP seems simpler to me, and that's who we went with.
I have a contact there who explained things pretty well and was not too filled with industry cheese. Sort of cheesy in the middle, but fairly wholesome. Very nice guy. PM if you want the email.

Had two friends bands who were BMI and could not get BMI to collect royalties relating to thier music being used regularly on TV shows. In one case a person on the show confirmed that they were paying to use their music and was a big fan of the band and was putting it on the air to give them exposure and money (thease were both national shows) and they still could not get BMI to do anything.

In fact BMI refused to return their calls after a couple of weeks. In as much as they could listen to their music on the show each week it was driving them crazy. At the time it was thought that because BMI was supposedly a british organization they had less ability to collect TV monies in the united states.

In any case it persuaded me not to go BMI.

ASCAP also offers a lot of composing and music classes for emerging performers that people say are helpful to people.

Big John wrote:At the time it was thought that because BMI was supposedly a british organization they had less ability to collect TV monies in the united states.

While I don't know the band in question, I have no reason to doubt your story. But this part isn't true. While Broadcast Music, Inc. has a London office, they were formed as a US corporation (by broadcasters, to circumvent a broadcast boycott by ASCAP, actually) and their headquarters is in NY.

anybody have more thoughts on this?

My experience with ASCAP has been good. There have been a couple of minor incidents with address changes for me, but they worked it out without much of an issue.