Do Performing Rights Organizations help or hurt indie songwriters?
Recently, I got in touch with “Kate” (not her real name), the owner of a local bar, in hopes of getting my band booked there. We had played there a few times before, and had lots of fun playing to a modestly sized but enthusiastic crowd. Kate seemed happy to have us back again, and offered me three dates. But then a week or so later, Kate sent an email to me and other bands she had planned to book, regretfully telling us that she had to cancel all upcoming shows. The fees she was required to pay to ASCAP had made it unprofitable for her business to continue hosting live music. The saddest irony of this is that I myself am an ASCAP member. What is ASCAP? ASCAP is the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. It is one of the three major Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) in the United States, along with BMI and SESAC. The stated purpose of these organizations is to ensure that songwriters and authors are fairly compensated for the public performances of their works. As
