BMI, ASCAP, SOCAN Form Collaborative Song Registration Process

Performing rights organizations BMI, ASCAP, and SOCAN have entered into a collaboration that will create a more efficient works registration process for members of the three participating PROs. MusicMark allows CWR registrations to take place through a common FTP site. As of March 31, 2014, publishers that use CWR to register music can begin using MusicMark to submit works to ASCAP, BMI, and SOCAN all at once. Later in 2014, MusicMark will be opened up to publishers using other kinds of batch processes, such as Excel sheets.

MusicMark allows PRO members to register songs through a single interface, including works co-written by songwriters who are members of different performing rights organizations. After the song is registered through MusicMark, the song’s data is sent to all three PROs (BMI, ASCAP, and SOCAN) for inclusion in their respective repertoires. This is a useful development for the songwriting and publishing community, as co-writing among songwriters affiliated with different PROs has been commonplace in Music City for years.

MusicMark represents a collaboration between the PROs, though not an official joint venture. Each PRO will continue to maintain its own back offices and copyright records.

The PROs debuted the new common site after music publishers requested a more efficient way of registering works with the PROs. MusicMark is jointly managed by executives from all participating societies.

MusicMark will aid in providing more accurate copyright information, and a synchronized view of works in the repertoires of ASCAP, BMI and SOCAN. A PDF of extended questions is available online.

For more information on getting started, writers and/or publishers can contact their respective representatives at BMI, ASCAP or SOCAN.