How important are the performing rights?

The performing rights of a piece of music, are the rights that you as composer,publisher,song or lyric writer owns, by creating a piece of music.

They are very important!Afterall, it can be going about millions of dollars.

Also, it's about royalties and copyrights.

It's up to you, the songwriter, who decide what happens with your piece of music/lyric. It's possible that you sign the royalties to a publisher. Then it will be his he who decision what happens with that song.

You can make yourself a member of an organization too, as there are in every country. Here I shall name a few organizations that can be useful for you.

ASCAP, BMI: United States

PRS(Performing Rights Society) , MCPS: U.K.

SABAM: Belgium

Some way's to protect your songs by yourself.

- 1 Assign your songs to a solicitor(attorney, lawyer) or a bank manager ensuring that they date and seal the item in your prsenence. Of course, they must be willing to cooperate.

- 2 Enclose the song in an official registered envelope and post it too yourself. Leaf it unopeend, and when it comes to a possible despute, it can be opened in court.

-3 In the US, it is normal to use the service provided by the library of congress.

What does a performing rights organization do?

Here I will give you the story of the performing right organization ASCAP, who has given me the permission to publish some information.. So , here we go...( This will give you a better Idea of what a performing rights organization is all about)

About ASCAP....

What?

ASCAP is the only U.S. performing rights organization created and controlled by composers, songwriters, and music publishers, with a board of Directors elected by and from the membership. ASCAP protects the right of its members by licensing and distributing royalties for the non-dramatic public performances of their copyrighted works. ASCAP's licensees encompass all who want to perform copyrighted music publicly. ASCAP makes giving and obtaining permission to perform music simple for both creators and of music.

Who ?

ASCAP is its members — creative people who write the music and lyrics that enrich lives in every corner of the world.

ASCAP is home to the greatest names in American music, past and present — from Duke Ellington to Dave Matthews, from George Gershwin to Stevie Wonder, from Leonard Bernstein to Beyoncé, from Marc Anthony to Alan Jackson, from Henry Mancini to Howard Shore — as well as many thousands of writers in the earlier stages of their careers.

ASCAP represents every kind of music. ASCAP's repertory includes pop, rock, alternative, country, R&B, rap, hip-hop, Latin, film and television music, folk, roots and blues, jazz, gospel, Christian, new age, theater and cabaret, dance, electronic, symphonic, concert, as well as many others — the entire musical spectrum.

ASCAP members are individuals who make their living writing music. As a society of composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers, we know very well that there are many steps between creation and compensation; months, if not years, can pass between the creation of a song, its recording, its release, its performance, and the day when the revenues due to the writer actually arrive. (c) All rights reserved by ASCAP

A music creator is like a small business, and ASCAP exists to ensure that music creators are paid promptly when their works are performed publicly.

Some of the many other ways in which ASCAP can help writers include workshops, showcases, our website and publications, and an exclusive, tailor-made benefits package that includes health and instrument insurance, a credit union, discounts on musical accessories, travel and much more.

ASCAP is committed to nurturing music makers throughout their careers.

And so...

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