1. Choosing a PRO
(Performing Rights Organization)
BMI - Broadcast Music Inc
- Free: Free to join.
- Quarterly payouts.
- This is what I use.
ASCAP - American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
- $50 Fee: Easy too join, but you have to pay a fee.
Quarterly payouts, strong in hip-hop/pop for beginners building catalogs.
SESAC - Society of European Stage Authors and Composers
- Invite-only: Invitation-only, possible option for semi-established beat makers.
Personalized service and faster payouts if accepted later.
GMR - Global Music Rights
https://globalmusicrights.com/
- Extremely exclusive: Invitation-only, targeted at established hitmakers—not beginner-friendly for learning beat maker
2. Be Prepared To Recieve Royalties
Register Your Instrumentals
- After signing up with a PRO, upload your instrumentals by providing titles, your producer name, and any co-writer details. Register each beat as a “work” so the PRO can monitor plays and collect your royalties.
Register the Final Tracks
When an artist raps or sings over your beat and makes a full track, log into your PRO account and add it as a new “work.” Put in the song’s name, your share (like 50% if you split publishing), the artist’s info, and lyrics if you have them.
For leases where the artist can use it commercially but limited, you still own part, so your contract should say they credit you and share royalties. Register fast to get paid from all of the streams.
For exclusive sales (full rights to artist): They usually register it, but add a contract note for your royalty cut; ask your PRO if unsure to prevent issues. Contacting your PRO to ask questions is generally pretty easy to do.
PROs collect from reported performances, not unauthorized ones. Use copyright registration and lease contracts for enforcement against theft or violations.
Set Up Direct Deposit In Your PRO Settings
- Accumulate dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
“I’m a beat maker. What does a PRO (Performing Rights Organization) do for me?”
A PRO, or Performing Rights Organization, is a group that collects performance royalties for beat makers when their compositions (beats) are publicly performed in licensed venues, like radio plays, streaming services, TV, or live shows based on reports from those platforms.
Think of it like a collection agent that ensures you get paid for legitimate, reported uses of your work, turning public exposure into passive income.
“Does it cost me money to have a PRO?”
BMI is free to join, ASCAP has a small one time fee. Both operate by taking a small percentage of the royalties they collect for you (around 10-14%, may have changed since I wrote this.).
In short, they make their money by getting you your money.
“Which PRO should I choose?”
Personally, I went with BMI a long time ago because it was free. They do everything I need them to do.
For upcoming beat makers looking to get set up professionally, I’d say BMI simply because it’s free and you can go to the website and apply right now.
“How do PROs know where my music is used?”
PROs like BMI primarily track your music through reports and cue sheets submitted by broadcasters, streaming services, venues, and licensees. They monitor radio, TV, digital platforms, and live performances this way. While some use tech like audio recognition for verification, the system relies on accurate reporting to identify when your registered works are played publicly and collect royalties accordingly.
For unauthorized uses or theft, you’ll need separate tools like copyright registration or Content ID.
“Do PROs Stop Theft or Lease Violations?”
No, PROs focus on collecting from legit uses. For protection, copyright your beats at copyright.gov, use watermarks and audio tags on previews, and include strong enforcement clauses in leases (e.g., penalties for overuse).
“So as a beat maker, how do I use a PRO?”
Anytime you make a new beat and put it online or up for sale, register each beat as a “work” so the PRO can track reported public performances and collect performance royalties when it’s used legitimately (e.g., in a released song that gets radio or streaming plays).
When you sell a lease, you register the track they make to make sure you get royalties for it. Make sure you keep your rights since it’s not an exclusive, and set the royalty split at 50% publishing or whatever your lease details say. Make sure to negotiate backend points (e.g., 3-5% royalties) in your contract to keep earning post-sale.
When you sell the Exclusive Rights, the other party registers the final track. However, you should include a clause for your royalty split. check with your specific PRO to confirm.