Yes. Music producers who are already members of ASCAP, BMI, or another Performing Rights Organization (PRO) may still benefit from working with a music publishing company. PRO membership is an important part of collecting performance royalties, but it does not necessarily cover every publishing royalty source available to a songwriter or producer.
Many producers assume that because they receive payments from ASCAP or BMI, all of their music publishing royalties are being collected. In reality, music publishing involves multiple rights, royalty sources, and collection systems that can operate independently.
What royalties do ASCAP and BMI collect?
ASCAP and BMI primarily collect and distribute public performance royalties for musical compositions. These royalties can arise when music is performed or used through sources such as:
Radio and television broadcasts
Live performances
Streaming services
Certain digital platforms
Businesses and public venues that play music
However, performance royalties represent only one category of music publishing income.
For example, mechanical royalties are generated through the reproduction and distribution of musical compositions, including qualifying interactive streams and downloads. These royalties are generally collected through different organizations and licensing systems.
Additionally, international publishing royalties may require registrations, matching, and collection processes across multiple territories.
This means that being affiliated with ASCAP or BMI does not automatically guarantee that a producer is receiving every publishing royalty their compositions generate.
Can a publishing company collect royalties that ASCAP or BMI does not?
Yes. Depending on the rights represented and applicable agreements, a publishing company can help collect additional publishing income beyond the royalties a producer receives directly from their PRO.
Elizabeth Music Group Publishing provides worldwide publishing representation for songwriters, producers, and musicians.
Our team works with producers who are already affiliated with ASCAP, BMI, and other PROs. These musicians can maintain their existing PRO relationships while receiving additional publishing representation.
Through our publishing services, musicians on our roster have received royalties from sources including YouTube, mechanical royalties, sync, and other publishing revenue streams beyond their existing PRO payments.
These are real royalty sources represented within our catalog, not simply theoretical income opportunities.
What if I have hundreds of songs registered with ASCAP or BMI?
Having a large catalog makes accurate publishing representation particularly important.
A producer with 100, 200, or even 400 compositions may have songs released across different artists, record labels, distributors, and countries.
Even when a producer belongs to a PRO, individual compositions may have incomplete registrations, incorrect ownership information, missing publishing shares, or inconsistent songwriter metadata.
Elizabeth Music Group Publishing works with producers and musicians who have extensive catalogs, helping organize composition information, review registrations, identify missing works, and pursue eligible publishing royalties.
Our broader catalog includes more than 8,000 songs, giving our team experience working with different genres, release structures, and international royalty sources.
Do I need to leave ASCAP or BMI to sign with Elizabeth Music Group Publishing?
No. Producers generally do not need to leave ASCAP or BMI to work with Elizabeth Music Group Publishing.
Your PRO affiliation and your publishing representation serve different, complementary functions.
Elizabeth Music Group Publishing can work alongside your existing PRO membership and actually register your compositions directly with ASCAP or BMI as well as dozens of other collection societies and publishing pay sources globally.
For qualifying musicians, our services include worldwide publishing representation, catalog organization, composition registrations, royalty collection, historical catalog research, and access to our royalty reporting portal.
We also provide monthly publishing payouts in months when royalties are received, subject to our $35 minimum payment threshold. Balances below that amount roll forward.
Musicians on our publishing roster also receive access to our exclusive Discord community only available to our publishing roster, where we share collaboration opportunities, songwriting briefs, production requests, and potential sync licensing opportunities.
These opportunities are optional and do not guarantee placements.
Is ASCAP or BMI enough for an independent music producer?
ASCAP and BMI provide important services, but PRO membership alone should not be confused with comprehensive worldwide publishing representation.
Independent producers should understand which royalties their PRO collects, whether their compositions are accurately registered, and who is responsible for collecting additional publishing income.
For producers with successful placements, international audiences, or large catalogs, reviewing their publishing setup can help identify potential gaps.
Elizabeth Music Group Publishing works with producers who already receive ASCAP or BMI royalties and want broader publishing representation for their compositions.
Learn more about Elizabeth Music Group Publishing for additional information about publishing shares and worldwide royalty collection.
