An organization representing performing rights of publishers and writers worldwide through reciprocal agreements with performing rights societies in other countries
a collective that deals with musical works, collecting royalties on behalf of composers, lyricists, songwriters and music publishers for the public performance or broadcasting of their music
An organization that administers rights to perform musical works on behalf of composers, lyricists, songwriters and music publishers. (See SOCAN.)
The associations or companies that issue performing rights licenses, track public performances, collect performing license revenues and distribute those revenues to song writers and music publishers. The performing rights societies in the United States are ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
(As defined by the Copyright Statute) A "performing rights society" is an association, corporation, or other entity that licenses the public performance of nondramatic musical works on behalf of copyright owners of such works, such as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), and SESAC, Inc. 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Performing rights societies “collectively” license the right to publicly perform the broad range of non-dramatic musical works encompassed in each agency's portfolio, some of which are searchable on their respective Web sites.
