What is BMI?
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) is a performing rights organization that collects royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers whenever their songs are played publicly — on radio, TV, in restaurants, at live venues, or streamed online.
BMI is one of the two major US PROs (alongside ASCAP), and unlike ASCAP, it's completely free to join as a writer. BMI currently represents over 22.4 million musical works and distributed more than $1.6 billion in royalties in 2023.
$1.6B+
Distributed in 2023
Who needs to join BMI?
You need BMI affiliation if you are a:
- Songwriter — you write lyrics for songs
- Composer — you write the music (melodies, chord progressions, arrangements)
- Lyricist — you write the words to songs
- Music publisher — you own or administer song copyrights
Key distinction
BMI collects royalties for the composition (the song itself). If you only perform or record but don't write, you need SoundExchange for digital performance royalties instead. If you write AND perform, you likely need both.
What royalties does BMI collect?
BMI collects performance royalties from every public use of your music:
Radio Broadcast
Terrestrial radio, satellite radio, internet radio stations
$200-5,000+/yr
TV Broadcast
Network TV, cable, streaming TV shows, commercials
$100-10,000+/yr
Online Streaming
Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music (songwriter share)
$100-15,000+/yr
Live Performance
Concerts, festivals, club gigs, DJ sets where your music is played
$50-2,000+/yr
Public Venues
Restaurants, bars, retail stores, gyms, hotels playing your music
$50-1,000+/yr
International royalties too
BMI has reciprocal agreements with PROs in over 100 countries worldwide. If your music plays on UK radio or in a Tokyo venue, BMI collects that money for you through its international partners.
Before you start
Gather these before starting your application:
- Legal name — exactly as it appears on your tax documents
- Social Security Number or Tax ID — required for tax reporting on royalty payments
- At least one original work — a song you've written (even if unreleased)
- Bank account info — for setting up direct deposit of royalty payments
Important: Only join one PRO
You cannot be a member of both BMI and ASCAP (or SESAC) at the same time as a writer. Pick one. If you're already with another PRO, you'll need to resign from it before joining BMI.
Step-by-step registration
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Go to the BMI website
Visit bmi.com/join and click the button to start your application.
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Choose Writer or Publisher affiliation
Select "Writer" if you write songs. Select "Publisher" only if you also own a publishing company. Most independent songwriters start as "Writer" only.
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Fill in your personal information
Enter your legal name exactly as it appears on your tax documents. This matters — your name on file must match your tax records for royalty payments to process correctly.
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No fee required for writers
Unlike ASCAP ($50), BMI is completely free to join as a songwriter. Publisher affiliation has a fee, but writer affiliation costs nothing.
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Verify your identity
BMI will verify your information. This typically takes 1-2 weeks to process. You'll receive a confirmation email once approved.
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Register your works
Once approved, log into BMI's online portal and register your songs. Enter the title, all writers involved, and the agreed percentage splits for each work.
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Set up direct deposit
Add your bank account information in the BMI portal to receive royalty payments electronically. This is faster and more reliable than paper checks.
After registration
What happens next
- You'll receive an IPI/CAE number — this is your global songwriter ID. Keep it safe and share it with collaborators and distributors.
- Register ALL your works, including older ones. The sooner your catalog is registered, the sooner BMI can match performances to your account.
- If you perform live, submit set lists through BMI's online portal — this ensures you get paid for performances of your own songs at your gigs.
- Payments arrive quarterly. Your first payment usually comes several months after joining, depending on when your music is detected in use.
Pro tip: Register works immediately
Don't wait. Every day a song goes unregistered is money that's harder to recover. Register works as soon as they're written — even before release.
Consider SoundExchange and The MLC
BMI only covers performance royalties. If your music is played on digital radio (Pandora, SiriusXM), you're also owed digital performance royalties through SoundExchange. And for streaming mechanical royalties, you need The MLC.
Read the SoundExchange guide →
Common questions
BMI vs ASCAP — what's the actual difference?
Both do the same job: collect performance royalties for songwriters. The main differences are cost (BMI is free, ASCAP charges $50), payment schedules, and how they calculate royalties. Neither is objectively "better" — many successful songwriters are with each. Pick one and stick with it.
Can I be a member of both BMI and ASCAP?
No. As a writer, you can only affiliate with one US PRO at a time. You'd need to formally resign from one before joining another. However, different co-writers on the same song can be with different PROs — each PRO pays its own affiliates.
Does BMI collect mechanical royalties?
No. BMI only collects performance royalties. For mechanical royalties (from streaming, downloads, and physical sales), you need to register with The MLC or have a publishing administrator handle that.
How long until I get paid?
BMI pays quarterly (typically around 6-7 months after a performance is detected). So if your song plays on the radio in January, you might see that payment around July or October. The delay is because BMI needs to collect from licensees, process data, and calculate distributions.
Is BMI really free?
Yes — completely free for songwriters/composers. There's no application fee, no annual fee, and no hidden costs. Publisher affiliation does have a one-time fee, but writer affiliation is 100% free.
Ready to start collecting?