Music Users

Licensing FAQ

What is BMI?

What service does BMI provide my business? How do I obtain a BMI license?

Does a business need a license if they only play original music? How do you know if it’s BMI music?

Does BMI offer discounts to businesses with multiple locations?

Are musicians responsible for the public performance fees when performing in my business?

If a business has a license with another PRO, do they still need to license with BMI?

What service does BMI provide to businesses? Answer

Our Music Licenses offer copyright clearance to use all of the works in the BMI repertoire in a variety of ways. This service saves music users the immense time and expense of contacting each songwriter or composer for permission to play their music publicly.

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Q: What is BMI?

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) is an American performing rights organization that represents songwriters, composers and music publishers. Often called PRO’s, performing rights organizations collect licensing fees from businesses that use music, including television and radio stations; websites, broadcast and cable networks; the Internet and mobile technologies; satellite radio services such as Sirius XM; nightclubs, hotels, bars, restaurants, breweries, colleges, fitness facilities, live concerts and many other industries. The fees that BMI collects are then distributed as royalties to the songwriters, composers, and music publishers we represent. BMI has been in operation for more than 80 years, is recognized in U.S. copyright law as a licensor of music, and currently represents more than 1.2 million copyright owners and their over 18.7 million musical works.

Q: How can my business obtain a BMI license?

You may contact BMI at 888-689-5264 or email: Licensing@bmi.com. Once you are in touch with a BMI Licensing Representative, they can, in most cases, help you secure a License over the phone or set you up for online services. Once licensed, you can also pay your fee and manage your account online at BMI.com/licensing.

Q: What happens to the fees that businesses pay and how much profit does BMI make?

BMI operates on a non-profit-making basis. Currently, nearly 90 cents out of every dollar collected is directed back to our affiliated songwriters, composers and music publishers in the form of royalties.

Q: What service does BMI provide to my business?

A BMI license provides businesses with the legal authorization needed to use a very powerful product: music. This product is the music creator’s property, so a licensing agreement protects your business or organization from the penalties involved in copyright infringement. This service also saves music users the immense time and expense of contacting each songwriter, composer, or publisher for permission to play their music publicly, and your payment ensures the continued creation of music – for you and your business.

Q: How does a business owner know if they are playing BMI Music? What songs are in BMI’s repertoire?

Currently, BMI represents the public performance rights in over 17 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.1 million songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music. You can search the entire repertoire of music by song title, artist, songwriter, composer or publisher, including songs that are 100% BMI, at Songview.

Q: Aren’t TV, cable, and radio stations already licensed with BMI?

Yes, but those agreements do not authorize the performance of TV, cable and radio to the public by businesses and other organizations. However, there are certain exemptions provided by copyright law, including the size of your establishment, how many TVs you have in each room, their screen size, how many speakers you have and if you charge a cover charge. Contact a BMI Representative to learn if these uses need to be licensed for your business.

Q: Are the musicians, DJ’s and entertainers responsible for obtaining the necessary music licenses?

Since it’s the business or organization that’s benefiting from the performance of music, BMI offers a license to the owner of the establishment to ensure that the business or organization is properly licensed. This responsibility cannot be passed on to anyone else even if the musicians hired are independent contractors.

Q: Does a business need a BMI License if they only play original music?

The term “original music” generally means musical works written by the performing musicians. That doesn’t mean, however, that the musicians are not affiliated with BMI. This is because licensing organizations like BMI are the vehicles through which songwriters and composers are compensated for the public performances of their music. In addition, one of the purposes of BMI is to help foster the development of up-and-coming songwriters, many of whom perform in public. Many times, these performers are asked to play a song known by the general public that was written by someone else, like a cover song. This performance also requires permission.

Q: If a business has a license with another performing right organization, do they still need to license with BMI?

Yes. A music license with another performing right organization allows you only to perform copyrighted music represented by that organization. It does not cover public performances of the award-winning music licensed by BMI. This is because each songwriter or composer may belong to only one performing right organization at any given time, so each PRO licenses a unique repertoire of music.

Q: What is a public performance of music and what is the “Performing Right”?

A “public performance” of music is defined in U.S. copyright law to include any music played outside a normal circle of friends and family that occurs in any public place. A public performance also occurs when music is transmitted to the public, via radio, TV broadcasts, digital service providers, and any other means. Songwriters, composers, and music publishers have the exclusive right to play their music publicly and to authorize others to do so under the copyright law. This is known as the “Performing Right.” This right was designed to enable and encourage music creators to receive compensation for the music they create. BMI only licenses performing rights and does not license mechanical or synchronization rights. For more information on performing rights, click here.

Q: We pay for music from a playlist on Spotify, Pandora or Apple Music. Isn’t it ours to play anywhere?

Although your digital music subscription gives you access to an enormous catalog of music, it does not provide the necessary copyright clearance to play those songs in a public setting. Once you decide to play any copyrighted music publicly, you need permission from the copyright owners.

Q: What service does BMI provide to businesses?

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