BMI - CMU | the music business explained

Pro Music Rights threatens litigation over Congressman’s letter and BMI’s criticisms

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Pro Music Rights • 3 min read

Pro Music Rights threatens litigation over Congressman’s letter and BMI’s criticisms

Earlier this week US Congress member Scott Fitzgerald asked the FTC to investigate if collecting society Pro Music Rights was guilty of “deceptive practices”. The rights organisation says it is now considering legal action in relation to that letter and documents it cited, including one from BMI…

Chris Cooke • 12 Dec 2025

North American collecting societies open door to “partially AI-generated” musical works

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

North American collecting societies open door to “partially AI-generated” musical works

ASCAP, BMI and SOCAN have announced they will allow new AI-assisted songs and compositions to be logged in their respective databases, though entirely AI-generated works cannot be registered. It comes amid increased debate over how industry and digital platforms should deal with AI-generated music…

Chris Cooke • 29 Oct 2025

BMI and ASCAP lock in higher royalty rates with US radio broadcasters

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Licensing • 2 min read

BMI and ASCAP lock in higher royalty rates with US radio broadcasters

US collecting societies BMI and ASCAP have both agreed deals with the radio sector, setting out what royalty rates US broadcasters will pay. It ends a legal dispute with the radio industry which could have resulted in the two societies squabbling over their respective market shares in the courts…

Chris Cooke • 20 Aug 2025

US review of BMI and ASCAP favours interests of organisations that want to “pay less to music creators” says letter

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Collective Licensing • 5 min read

US review of BMI and ASCAP favours interests of organisations that want to “pay less to music creators” says letter

The US Copyright Office recently launched an inquiry into the music industry’s performing rights organisations. A new letter signed by thousands of music creators says that inquiry seems skewed towards certain licensees that just want to pay less for the music they utilise in their businesses…

Chris Cooke • 14 Apr 2025

BMI takes royalty rate dispute with Sirius XM to rate court

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BMI • 2 min read

BMI takes royalty rate dispute with Sirius XM to rate court

BMI is taking Sirius XM to the rate court, having failed to agree what royalty rates the satellite broadcaster should pay for use of the collecting society’s repertoire. The National Music Publishers Association has welcomed the move, saying it hopes the action will lessen the ‘digital radio divide’…

Chris Cooke • 13 Sep 2024

Judge orders Trump to stop playing Isaac Hayes song amid dispute over date of BMI exclusion

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Isaac Hayes • 2 min read

Judge orders Trump to stop playing Isaac Hayes song amid dispute over date of BMI exclusion

The legal battle between the Isaac Hayes estate and the Donald Trump election campaign continues. A judge has issued an injunction ordering Trump to not use ‘Hold On, I'm Coming’ at his rallies and Hayes’ son has disputed the campaign’s claim about its BMI licence…

Chris Cooke • 04 Sep 2024

New Mountain Capital completes its acquisition of BMI

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BMI • 2 min read

New Mountain Capital completes its acquisition of BMI

US collecting society BMI is now owned by New Mountain Capital - it was announced last year that the rights organisation, previously owned by a group of broadcasters, would be acquired by a consortium of investors led by the private equity firm…

Chris Cooke • 09 Feb 2024

iHeartMedia confirms incoming $100 million pay day as a result of BMI sale

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iHeart • 2 min read

iHeartMedia confirms incoming $100 million pay day as a result of BMI sale

The boss of SoundExchange has used the news that US radio giant iHeartMedia stands to make about $100 million from the sale of BMI to again big up the American Music Fairness Act…

Chris Cooke • 29 Nov 2023

Setlist Podcast: Spotify insists royalty changes will help emerging artists

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Spotify • 4 min read

Setlist Podcast: Spotify insists royalty changes will help emerging artists

On this week's episode, Spotify's confirmation of plans to update how it pays out (or doesn't pay out) royalties, the decision to bounce the MSG Sphere venue out of London, and more…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 24 Nov 2023

BMI confirms deal to sell to New Mountain Capital

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BMI • 2 min read

BMI confirms deal to sell to New Mountain Capital

Private equity outfit New Mountain Capital has agreed a deal to buy US collecting society BMI - terms of the deal are not known but $100 million will be distributed to songwriters and publishers allied to the organisation…

Chris Cooke • 22 Nov 2023

One Liners: Concord, Reactional Music, Gary Kemp + more

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One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 1 min read

One Liners: Concord, Reactional Music, Gary Kemp + more

Richard 'Biff' Stannard renews deal with Concord; new appointments at Reactional Music; MMF's updated 'Essentials Of Music Music Management'; and a BMI Icon Award for Gary Kemp…

Chris Cooke • 04 Oct 2023

BMI boss responds to speculation over reported private equity sale

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Collecting Societies • 3 min read

BMI boss responds to speculation over reported private equity sale

The boss of BMI has responded to speculation about an imminent sale of the US collecting society to a private equity outfit, insisting that changes at the organisation have been “mischaracterised” - though he doesn’t actually answer the specific questions songwriters have asked about those changes…

Chris Cooke • 06 Sep 2023