How to Register Your Songs with a Performing Rights Organization

When your song plays on the radio, streams, or gets performed in a bar, someone may owe you money. You only see it if the song is registered. This guide explains how to register songs with a PRO: what these organizations do, how to join one, how to log each song with the right splits, and where publishers fit in.

1. What a PRO Actually Does

A performing rights organization licenses public performances of songs and pays royalties to the writers.

Radio stations, TV networks, venues, streaming services and many businesses pay PROs for the right to play music. The PRO tracks what gets played, using reports, cue sheets and data from services, and passes the money on to the writers and publishers of those songs.

Two limits are worth knowing upfront. PROs handle the composition (the melody and lyrics), not the sound recording. And in many countries, including the US, they don't collect mechanical royalties. If the difference between writer, publisher and recording income is still fuzzy, read our guide to music publishing first.

2. Find the Right PRO for Your Country

Most songwriters join the performing rights organization in the country where they live.

A few well-known examples:

• United States: ASCAP and BMI accept applications from songwriters. SESAC and Global Music Rights work by invitation.
• Canada: SOCAN
• United Kingdom: PRS for Music
• Germany: GEMA
• Norway: TONO

Societies have agreements with each other, so a song registered at home can earn when it's performed abroad. In the US, a writer can belong to only one PRO at a time. Fees, contract terms and payment schedules differ and change, so compare the current details on each organization's website before you apply.

3. Join as a Writer

Joining a PRO as a writer is usually an online application with your legal name, tax details and bank details.

Some PROs ask whether your music has been released, performed or is about to be. Requirements vary, so read the eligibility page before you start. If you use a stage name, add it as a pseudonym so performances under that name reach you.

Once you're accepted, you'll get an IPI number (sometimes called a CAE number). It's an identifier used by societies around the world to match songs to writers. Save it somewhere easy to find, because co-writers and publishers will ask for it every time you collaborate.

4. Register Every Song as a Work

Joining a PRO does not register your songs, so each song needs its own registration as a work.

In your member portal, you'll usually enter:

• The title exactly as it will be released, plus any alternate titles
• Every writer, with their PRO and IPI number
• Each writer's share, adding up to 100 percent
• Any publishers and their shares
• Recording details such as the performing artist and ISRC, if the song is out

Here's an example. You write "Paper Lanterns" with two co-writers and agree to split it evenly. You belong to ASCAP, one co-writer is with BMI and the other is with SOCAN. Each of you typically registers the song with your own society, and all three registrations must list the same title, writers and percentages. Mismatched registrations are a common reason royalties get held up, so agree on the numbers in writing before anyone logs in.

Register the song as soon as it's finished or before it's released. Keep your final lyrics and titles in one place (Fast Rhymes' cloud backup works for this) so the title you register matches the title you release.

5. Know Where Publishers and Admins Fit

A publisher or publishing administrator can register your songs worldwide and collect money a PRO alone won't.

Performance royalties are generally divided into a writer share and a publisher share. Your PRO pays the writer share to you directly. The publisher share goes to whoever is registered as publisher. If you don't have one, ask your PRO how that share is handled. Some writers set up their own publishing entity, and the rules for doing that vary by organization.

A publishing administrator registers your catalog with societies in many countries and collects other income, such as mechanical royalties, usually in exchange for a commission. Admin deals often leave ownership of your copyrights with you, but terms vary widely. Read every contract carefully and have a music attorney review anything you don't fully understand.

6. Report Live Shows and Check Statements

Your PRO can only pay for performances it knows about, so report your live shows and review every statement.

Many PROs let members submit setlists from their own gigs. ASCAP has OnStage and BMI has BMI Live, and other societies offer their own forms. Submit soon after each show, since these programs have reporting deadlines.

When statements arrive, check that:

1. Every released song appears in your catalog
2. The splits match what you agreed
3. Songs you know were played actually show activity

If something looks wrong, contact your PRO's member services with dates and details.

Conclusion

Registering with a PRO takes an afternoon to set up, then a few minutes for every new song. Join the right society, register each work with matching splits, and keep reporting your shows and checking your statements. That habit is how you make sure every performance of your music can actually pay you.

Rules and options vary by country, so check with your PRO or a music attorney for anything specific to your situation. And while the paperwork handles the business side, Fast Rhymes can help you write the songs worth registering in the first place.