Music Licensing for Radio
BMI Makes It Simple to License Music for Radio
A BMI music license gives you copyright clearance to play over 22.4 million songs that BMI licenses.
Here’s how you can get started:
ONLINE FORM
Fill out our Online Form and a BMI Representative will get back to you with more information.
BMI and the RMLC Finalize License Terms
We are pleased to announce that BMI and the Radio Music License Committee (“RMLC”) have reached an agreement on final fees for the BMI Radio Station Blanket/Per Program License Agreement (the new “BMI-22 License”) which covers your stations for the period from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2029. Read the announcement.
Outlined below are the key terms of the new agreement.
- FINAL RATES for 2022-2029. For the term of the license, 2022 through 2029, stations will pay the following license fee rates on gross revenues, depending upon whether they elected to operate under a blanket or per program license:
Gross revenues will be determined consistent with the terms of the prior BMI-17 license agreement.Year Applicable Blanket Fee Rate Applicable Per Program Base Fee Rate 2022 2.14% 0.37% 2023 2.14% 0.37% 2024 2.16% 0.38% 2025 2.19% 0.38% 2026 2.20% 0.38% 2027 2.20% 0.38% 2028 2.20% 0.38% 2029 2.20% 0.38% - TRUE UP OF LICENSE FEES. For past periods of the term, stations will be billed the differences between the interim fees already paid and final fees owed as follows:
- For the period 2022 to 2024, you will be permitted to pay the incremental fees owed in eighteen (18) monthly installments beginning October 1, 2025 and ending March 31, 2027. Such installments will be invoiced separately and will be due and payable together with your regular license fees due for the applicable month.
- For 2025, your September invoice will be adjusted to include the incremental fees owed for the period January 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025 based on the new license rates.
- INCREMENTAL FEES FOR STATIONS WHICH CHANGED OWNERSHIP DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD. BMI and the RMLC agreed that incremental fees for the period January 1, 2022-December 31, 2024 due and owing from stations that changed ownership prior to June 16, 2025 will be the sole responsibility of the party that currently owns the station, provided the station is currently bound by the BMI-22 License. If the station is no longer licensed under a BMI RMLC license, the incremental fees are the responsibility of the previous owner.
Copies of the full BMI-22 License and the final order issued by the BMI rate court are available below for your reference.
NRBMLC FAQs
If you have additional questions, please review our full list of Licensing FAQs or contact your BMI Customer Relations Representative at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (800) 206-7671.
Yes, BMI typically negotiates a license with the National Religious Broadcasters. Currently, the NRB and BMI are operating on an interim license basis.
A Blanket license is typically used by music intensive stations whereas a Per Program license is available for news, talk, sports stations as well as for stations only using limited or incidental music.
Yes, with a 30-day advanced notice to BMI. You can switch formats on a monthly basis.
Licensing fees are based on a percentage of the station’s gross broadcast and new media revenues, subject to certain allowable deductions.
All stations are required to file an Annual Financial Report by April 1st of each year with financial information from the previous calendar year. For Per Program licensed stations, a Quarterly Music Report is also required.
Currently, the NRB and BMI are operating on an interim license basis.
No, an additional license is not needed, your license fee also applies to revenues generated from the digital content.
If you are a current owner of a station affiliated with NRB, then you are eligible to license a new acquisition under the NRB agreement.
Non-Commercial LPFM & Part 15 FAQs
If you have additional questions, please review our full list of Licensing FAQs or contact your BMI Customer Relations Representative at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (800) 206-7671.
The fees are dependent upon whether the station is a non-commercial educational station. The rates for non-commercial and non-commercial educational stations are set by the US Copyright Office and can be found on this page below.
Stations that are part of a recognized, accredited educational institution qualify for the Non-Commercial Educational license rate which is based on student count. Stations that are not part of a recognized, accredited educational institution are licensed at the Non-Commercial Standard rate. The Standard rate is differentiated depending on whether it is a music intensive or talk station.
No, a separate Digital License with BMI would be needed. To access this information go to our digital licensing page.
BMI has an umbrella agreement with NPR affiliated stations. As a result, NPR stations do not need a direct license with BMI. Please check with your BMI representative if you believe you are covered under the NPR license.