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pjp123

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  1. 10 Things to Do Before You Release Your Album 8.) As a songwriter and/or publisher, in order to get paid for the performances of your songs on radio, TV, nightclubs, in airlines, elevators, jukeboxes, etc., you should join a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). In the United States, you can join ASCAP or BMI. Another U.S. PRO is SESAC, but affiliation with SESAC is by invitation only (subject to review by their writer / publisher relations staff). This list has been amazingly helpful. I didn't want to make any mistakes before releasing music, so I spoke to an entertainment lawyer. It turned out to be an informal discussion because, once I laid out my plan, he didn't feel I needed to engage him unless I ran into infringement issues. One thing I was worried about was making the right decision on ASCAP vs BMI because there are tradeoffs with each and it apparently isn't easy to switch once you choose. The lawyer couldn't provide much insight on which to choose, but he indicated you don't need to choose right away and that you can register with a firm up to 9 months after it gets radio/TV play and still collect all royalties. This was a relief for me because it will be easier to choose which to select based on actuals rather than what you think will happen with the song. If it actually does get radio play, then it will probably be easier to have a meaningful discussion with these services. This was an informal discussion with the lawyer, but he seemed confident you can register up to 9 months after the fact and still collect. When I look at BMI's FAQ, however, it implies that you must register immediately or risk losing out on royalties. BMI is of course motivated for people to register, so they may be overstating the case. Can anyone confirm whether or not there really is a 9-month window after radio to register and collect?
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